"Lila Linzer is a wonderful storyteller.  I had a grand time reading her Caribbean stories.  I found myself voicing the rhythms because her stories cry out to be read aloud.  Children and adults will delight in hearing these stories."
Ashley Byan -  Internationally acclaimed author and illustrator

"These simple, original animal stories are told in the lovely dialect of St.Croix, which sings and sparkles with energy and joy and gentle humor.  The author has a wonderful ear.  What a joy to hear the tune of Caribbean speech used for the sheer delight of it."  Jill Paton Walsh -  Many-time winner of every major children' literature prize, (on both sides of  the Atlantic).

"Readers can almost smell the mango and feel the warm Caribbean breeze blowing through this collection of fables gathered from the West Indies.  Snappy animal fables...authentic flavor...vivacious tales...humor and pacing will hold an audience's undivided attention." 
Publisher's Weekly 12/98.

"Charming animal fables...dialect of St.Croix suprisingly easy to follow...original music written in lively West Indian mode...ideal to be read aloud."
C.M.Ford...Children's Literature 1999.

"The dialect does a grand job of capturing the lilting rhythms of West Indian English...(An addition) for libraries which have classic collections for Caribbean traditional tales."
School Library Journal April 1999

"A wonderful collection of four animal fables...illustrations are in harmony with the text.  Wonderful folklore to stimulate readers of wide audience range.  Rated excellent! for all ages."
Maine Examination Collection of Children's and Young Adult Books 2/99

"Once Upon and Island...a wonderful collection of four original animal fables...charmingly illustrated.  Each wondrous fable is written in the dialect of  St. Croix, combining a beguiling lyricism and warmth...perfect for 'read-aloud' bedtime stories on that rainy afternoon."
Children's Book Watch   Jan. '99

"Adventures of four different animals living on a quiet West Indian island. Illustrations combine formal and naturalistic elements in these colorful stories."
Omaha, Nebraska Public School   Mar. '99

"This collection of four folk tales from St. Croix are fun to see written in dialect...wonderful to share with storytellers...good addition to a folklore collection."  Rating: R plus
Midwest Book Review  1999


"Humorous tales...written in dialect...great read-aloud stories.  Illustrations and to these delightful tales."
J.Peterson   Fern Ridge Middle School 1999

"Highly recommended [for] recreation as well as curriculum.  Stories capture the lush landscape of the Caribbean and the richness of their storytelling...contains all the elements of classic fables.  Illustrations simple yet charming.  Wonderful introduction to the literature of the Caribbean islands.
Public Library of Cincinnati, Ohio  May 1999

"High recommended...striking illustrations...Dialect [enables] us to hear the music of English as it is spoken in the West Indies...Good sources for storytellers...Music to sing along with...marvelous tales and illustrations."
Burleson, South Dakota  1999

"A collection of four original stories that are a combination of Caribbean animal fables and 'pourquio' tales...portrays animals with human characteristics that reveal mortal strengths and weaknesses...provides entertainment [while]teaching a lesson...written in dialect as if told by the storytellers of the Caribbean, where 'everyone seems to have a story'.  Placement of text on the page...use of white space...bole illustrations...aesthetically pleasing...clean lines...glossy paper all combine to make a pleasurable visual statement."
Caribbean Writer Vol. 13  June 1999