Yokki and the Parno Gry

by Richard O'Neill, Katharine Quarmby, Marieke Nelissen (Illustrator)

Overview

When a Traveller family experiences a run of bad luck, an imaginative boy called Yokki lifts their spirits with tales of a magical white horse. A traditional Traveller-family folk tale which inspires hope and celebrates creativity. Told by a Romani storyteller together with a picture book author to positively reflect Travelling cultures.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781846439278
Publisher:	Child's Play-International
Publication date:	07/01/2017
Series:	Travellers Tales
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 10.60(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Richard O’Neill was born and brought up in a large traditional Romani family in the North of England. He is an award-winning storyteller and writer who tells his original stories in schools, museums, libraries and theatres throughout the UK. A sixth generation storyteller, he grew up in a vigorous oral storytelling tradition, learning his skills from some of the best Travelling storytellers in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Richard is the author of eleven children’s books, and his stories and plays have been broadcast on BBC Radio. His digital stories have been enjoyed throughout the world, and in 2013, he was the recipient of the National Literacy Hero award.

Editorial Reviews

02/13/2017
O’Neill, a Romani storyteller from the U.K., imagines a Traveler family saved by a magic horse. Yokki’s family fixes things and does odd jobs, but a wet year is their downfall: they’re forced to sell almost everything they own, and food is scarce. Young Yokki’s stories about Parno Gry, a flying white horse, comfort hungry family members but infuriate his Grandfather Elijah: “You are filling their heads with dreams of a made-up future.” Though the story seems headed for a solution congruent with the realistic setup, the ending offers a dream come true as the Parno Gry carries the family to a paradise of food, free for the gathering. O’Neill and Quarmby (Fussy Freya) highlight Traveler children’s contributions to the family and their dependence on the generosity of non-Travelers, such as kind Farmer Tom, who will keep their lame horse, Bessie, until she heals. Nellisen’s warm, folk-art-like illustrations engage and inform, with images of Traveler clothing, wares, and—of special importance—storytelling around the fire. A rare voice from a culture that isn’t always well-known or understood, especially in the U.S. Ages 4–7. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

04/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—This traditional story introduces readers to Yokki and his Traveler family, who live a normal Romani lifestyle—moving along familiar routes throughout the year as they sell and trade their goods and services. "Yokki loved to sell the spoons he had made. It gave him the chance to talk to all sorts of people, Traveling Folki and settled folk, and to listen to their stories." Yokki, embodying the cultural value of oral storytelling, entertains the family with his tales. When the boy and his happy, industrious family hit a string of bad luck, money and food grow scarce. Yokki lifts people's spirits by making up the tale of the Parno Gry, a white horse that would fly into the camp and carry them away to a place of plenty. As things continue to worsen, the child's grandfather scolds him, telling him to stop spouting nonsense, but Yokki's grandmother, the Phuri Dai, counsels that dreams are all they have left. That night, Yokki's dream horse actually appears, bringing them to a place full of new possibilities and teaching them the value of a child's imagination. An introduction covers the basic lifestyle and values of Romani and Traveler culture. The copyright page includes a glossary of Romani terms, but it is easily missed as part of the front matter. The soft, open watercolors portray endearing figures, and the Parno Gry is beautifully patterned with birds. Its sweeping tail and fetlocks evoke feathers as the horse speeds across the sky. VERDICT A unique and gorgeously presented read-aloud for one-on-one and small group sharing; a must-have for most collections.—Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

School Library Journal

2016-12-06
A boy's dream gives his family hope. Yokki and his family are Travelers, or Romani. They live in canvas tents, sell their handmade goods, and mend household objects when not working in the fields. Yokki has a special gift that is treasured; he tells "the best tales." But one year, work is hard to find and money is scarce. Finally finding a place where they can rest, the family gathers around the fire and listens as Yokki tells a tale "from his dreams," of a great horse called the Parno Gry. Still, things get worse for the Romani family as they are forced to sell almost all their possessions. Grandma, the Phuri Dai, agrees that a story about the horse will help lift their spirits. It is a tale of wonder, as the great white steed carries them all to a green land of plenty. And so the story remains with all the following generations, who "believe that as long as they value children's imaginations, the Parno Gry will inspire them with new ideas and possibilities." O'Neill, an honored Traveler storyteller from the British Isles, and Quarmby have collaborated on a gentle story of a different culture in which dreams inspire. Nelissen's mixed-media illustrations are softly textured, colorful, and atmospheric. A Romani story to share and treasure. (authors' note, glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews