Tikki Tikki Tembo

Now available in paperback, this classic Chinese legend tells the story of a boy who nearly drowns in a well because his brother cannot pronounce his very, very long name fast enough for an old man to save him. The lovely drawings capture the beauty of rural China. Full color.
Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-
chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo!
Three decades and more than one million copies later children still love hearing about the boy with the long name who fell down the well. Arlene Mosel and Blair Lent's classic re-creation of an ancient Chinese folktale has hooked legions of children, teachers, and parents, who return, generation after generation, to learn about the danger of having such an honorable name as Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo. Tikki Tikki Tembo is the winner of the 1968 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award for Picture Books.
Review:
Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo is the full name of the firstborn son in the Chinese family of this story. As the firstborn's, his name must be spoken completely and reverently. This old folktale of what happens when the boy falls into a well and his younger brother attempts to get help is nicely retold and should make excellent read-aloud material....Bright, active, and delightfully expressive. -- School Library Journal
On spacious, uncluttered pages the artist has extended the story with wonderfully droll ink-and-wash drawings that combine imaginative beauty with a true Chinese spirit. -- The Horn Book