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Little Rooster's Diamond Button
Little Rooster is happy to find a diamond button--it's a perfect present for his mistress. However, the King snatches the button for his treasure chamber and has Little Rooster thrown into a well. One thing the King doesn't know: Little Rooster has a magic stomach. Full color.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
1 person is currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Read MacDonald
93 books78 followersFollow
Biography
Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald travels the world telling stories....always on the lookout for more great folktales to share. She shapes these found stories into tellable tales which anyone can share with ease. Filling her folktale collections with these delightful tales, she creates perfect read alouds for you and your family. MRM wants everyone to experience the joy of a beautifully told tale. She hopes you will read them a few times...then put down the book...put down the electronic device...and just TELL the story to your children!
Some of her favorite folktales she expands into picture books...hopefully with delightfully readable language while will roll right out of your mouth. Share them with your children and then....act the tales out! Revisit the tales by TELLING them! At bedtime. While on the road. Fill your pockets with great stories to share wherever you go.
Joining her Folklore Ph.D. with her 30 plus years as a children's librarian, Margaret brings folktales to life in playful, lilting language which should delight both reader and listener.
See her performance schedule at: www.margaretreadmaconald.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 6, 2015
Now, I have read many unusual and creative folktales over the years, but I have never read a folktale quite like this one! “Little Rooster’s Diamond Button” is a Hungarian folktale retold by Margaret Read MacDonald along with illustrations by Will Terry that is so bizarre yet hilarious that any child would enjoy reading this book!
The story starts off with Little Rooster finding a beautiful diamond button in the ground and he decided to give the button to his mistress. Unfortunately, the king comes along and he ends up stealing the diamond button from Little Rooster to put into his treasure chamber. But when Little Rooster went after the king and demanded that the king should give him back his diamond button, the king got extremely angry and he ordered Little Rooster to be thrown down the well! However, it turns out that Little Rooster has a magic stomach that could consume anything on command and Little Rooster ended up drinking up all the water in the well! This ended up making the king even angrier and he then ordered Little Rooster to be thrown into the fire!
Will Little Rooster’s magic stomach get him out of this situation and will he get his diamond button back?
Read this book to find out!
Margaret Read MacDonald has done it again in retelling an ancient folktale and making the story innovating for the readers! I loved the way that Margaret Read MacDonald retold this story as I found the story to be pretty hilarious and creative and I was intrigued with Little Rooster’s predicament in trying to get his diamond button back from the king. I loved the fact that this story teaches children about the consequences of being too greedy and I loved how brave and determined Little Rooster was in trying to confront the King and get his prized diamond ring back. I think it took a lot of courage from Little Rooster to confront the King about his actions and it shows children that if a great wrong has been done to you, you should try to stand up for yourself to make things right again. But probably the best part of this story was the fact that Little Rooster has a magic stomach that is able to consume anything on command! I found that to be pretty interesting for this story because even though I have read some folktales where characters are able to consume large amounts of food (The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship), I am still amazed that there is a story where a character has a magical stomach and is able to use that stomach to get themselves out of various predicaments! Will Terry’s illustrations are hilarious and brightly colored and they greatly complement the energetic mood of this story! I also loved the images of the king having big purple baggy pants as it makes him look quite silly and it shows just how silly and arrogant he really is.
Overall, “Little Rooster’s Diamond Button” is a fantastic read for children who want to read folktales from Hungary and who want a good book that would make them laugh! I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
The story starts off with Little Rooster finding a beautiful diamond button in the ground and he decided to give the button to his mistress. Unfortunately, the king comes along and he ends up stealing the diamond button from Little Rooster to put into his treasure chamber. But when Little Rooster went after the king and demanded that the king should give him back his diamond button, the king got extremely angry and he ordered Little Rooster to be thrown down the well! However, it turns out that Little Rooster has a magic stomach that could consume anything on command and Little Rooster ended up drinking up all the water in the well! This ended up making the king even angrier and he then ordered Little Rooster to be thrown into the fire!
Will Little Rooster’s magic stomach get him out of this situation and will he get his diamond button back?
Read this book to find out!
Margaret Read MacDonald has done it again in retelling an ancient folktale and making the story innovating for the readers! I loved the way that Margaret Read MacDonald retold this story as I found the story to be pretty hilarious and creative and I was intrigued with Little Rooster’s predicament in trying to get his diamond button back from the king. I loved the fact that this story teaches children about the consequences of being too greedy and I loved how brave and determined Little Rooster was in trying to confront the King and get his prized diamond ring back. I think it took a lot of courage from Little Rooster to confront the King about his actions and it shows children that if a great wrong has been done to you, you should try to stand up for yourself to make things right again. But probably the best part of this story was the fact that Little Rooster has a magic stomach that is able to consume anything on command! I found that to be pretty interesting for this story because even though I have read some folktales where characters are able to consume large amounts of food (The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship), I am still amazed that there is a story where a character has a magical stomach and is able to use that stomach to get themselves out of various predicaments! Will Terry’s illustrations are hilarious and brightly colored and they greatly complement the energetic mood of this story! I also loved the images of the king having big purple baggy pants as it makes him look quite silly and it shows just how silly and arrogant he really is.
Overall, “Little Rooster’s Diamond Button” is a fantastic read for children who want to read folktales from Hungary and who want a good book that would make them laugh! I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
December 17, 2007
For you see, there once was a little pet rooster who lived with a sweet little old lady. One day the rooster pecked up a diamond button from the dirt and intended to present it to his mistress, only to be waylaid by a nasty king. When the king steals the rooster's button, the fine fowl is not afraid to voice his complaints. Peeved, the king attempts to do away with the rooster by drowning, burning alive, and stinging it to death, respectively. Unfortunately for the increasingly put out monarch, the rooster has a magic stomach that gets it out of every scrape. When the king decides that the ultimate punishment is to put the rooster in his baggy pants and sit on him, the bird releases the bees it had eaten not long ago and the king is stung right quick. The ruler then gives up and allows the rooster access to his treasure room, but the bird doesn't think twice about eating up all the treasure, hopping on home, and then regurgitating it for his mistress so that the two can live happily ever after. The end.
Illustrator Will Terry is an interesting person to pair with Ms. MacDonald. I loved his rooster and his acrylic on paper style. Characters pop off the page, and everything is remarkably bright and beautiful. There's even a bit of twisting and turning of the book itself that's nice. When the rooster is dropped down the well we can turn the book on its side and see it plunge into the water, drinking it down as it goes. I wish the text had also turned at this point, but sadly it remains where it is. Terry chooses to render the king and his advisors as clownish, with big round red noses and tiny pointed goatees.
The changes to the text that were made were interesting. Instead of a Turkish sultan with big flowing pants, we now have a king with oversized trousers. I can understand the switch, even if I miss the syllables of "Tur-kish-sul-tan" as opposed to the quick and dirty one syllable "king". Other changes are a little harder to explain. The sentences in this book have been condensed from the original, making it a very fast read. I understand that some people believe that picture books should have a limited number of words on each page, but again it seemed a pity. Oddest of all were the justifications entered into the story to explain why it was okay that the rooster takes the king's entire treasury. In the original story it makes a lot of sense that a creature that was nearly drowned, burned alive, stung to death, and squashed should want a little revenge. Revenge is apparently not palatable to the purveyors of children's books these days, though, so now the rooster sees the king's treasure room and thinks, "So, this is the treasure the King has been stealing from my village all these years." Hunhuna? Really? Is it really necessary to mention this entirely new fact at this point in time? Give me back my greedy rooster who gives all the treasure to his mistress rather than his mistress and "all the village".
I appreciated that Ms. MacDonald took the time to cite some of her sources in the back of the book. And she mentions the fact that in the original Hungarian tale, the villain is Turkish, which is due to the occupation of Hungary by the Turks. In the end, I would have liked this book to have adhered a little more closely to MacDonald's original retelling, but it's still a fun rendition and worthy of reading in front of a class of screaming second graders. And read alouds, as we all know, are rare and beautiful things.
Illustrator Will Terry is an interesting person to pair with Ms. MacDonald. I loved his rooster and his acrylic on paper style. Characters pop off the page, and everything is remarkably bright and beautiful. There's even a bit of twisting and turning of the book itself that's nice. When the rooster is dropped down the well we can turn the book on its side and see it plunge into the water, drinking it down as it goes. I wish the text had also turned at this point, but sadly it remains where it is. Terry chooses to render the king and his advisors as clownish, with big round red noses and tiny pointed goatees.
The changes to the text that were made were interesting. Instead of a Turkish sultan with big flowing pants, we now have a king with oversized trousers. I can understand the switch, even if I miss the syllables of "Tur-kish-sul-tan" as opposed to the quick and dirty one syllable "king". Other changes are a little harder to explain. The sentences in this book have been condensed from the original, making it a very fast read. I understand that some people believe that picture books should have a limited number of words on each page, but again it seemed a pity. Oddest of all were the justifications entered into the story to explain why it was okay that the rooster takes the king's entire treasury. In the original story it makes a lot of sense that a creature that was nearly drowned, burned alive, stung to death, and squashed should want a little revenge. Revenge is apparently not palatable to the purveyors of children's books these days, though, so now the rooster sees the king's treasure room and thinks, "So, this is the treasure the King has been stealing from my village all these years." Hunhuna? Really? Is it really necessary to mention this entirely new fact at this point in time? Give me back my greedy rooster who gives all the treasure to his mistress rather than his mistress and "all the village".
I appreciated that Ms. MacDonald took the time to cite some of her sources in the back of the book. And she mentions the fact that in the original Hungarian tale, the villain is Turkish, which is due to the occupation of Hungary by the Turks. In the end, I would have liked this book to have adhered a little more closely to MacDonald's original retelling, but it's still a fun rendition and worthy of reading in front of a class of screaming second graders. And read alouds, as we all know, are rare and beautiful things.
July 19, 2016
As the author's note reminds us, this effectively could have been called "Little Rooster's Magic Stomach." The French have Drakestail, the Spanish have Medio Pollito, Kate Seredy told a Hungarian version in The Good Master, etc. Awesome when a domestic fowl can get the better of a greedy king, eh.
The only thing about this version that bothers me is that "they" who threw Little Rooster in the fire, etc, are never given a noun. I *think* they're advisors. I couldn't tell the tale, myself, and go straight to the pronoun. Especially because Terry drew these three with what are, imo, very creepy smiles.
But MacDonald is a master storyteller, and now that I have discovered her I will continue to read everything by her that I can find! And for the most part the vibrant illustrations are engaging and apt.
The only thing about this version that bothers me is that "they" who threw Little Rooster in the fire, etc, are never given a noun. I *think* they're advisors. I couldn't tell the tale, myself, and go straight to the pronoun. Especially because Terry drew these three with what are, imo, very creepy smiles.
But MacDonald is a master storyteller, and now that I have discovered her I will continue to read everything by her that I can find! And for the most part the vibrant illustrations are engaging and apt.
September 25, 2018
This is a version of an old folktale. Little Rooster found a diamond button, and on his way home to give it to his mistress he met the king who coveted the button for his treasure chamber. The rooster tried to get the button back but was badly treated by the king. By use of his magic stomach the rooster was able to thwart the king. Wonderful illustrations.
May 22, 2022
My 5 yo loved this story and ran around for days saying, 'Give me back my diamond button! Cockadoodle doo!'
I found the climax particularly silly, but there's no way in which that's an issue for a kid's story.
Also, I have a penchant for finding folk stories, so I was delighted at the amount of historical information the author shared.
I found the climax particularly silly, but there's no way in which that's an issue for a kid's story.
Also, I have a penchant for finding folk stories, so I was delighted at the amount of historical information the author shared.
May 15, 2017
Very funny read aloud
March 29, 2018
Love this retelling of an old tale. A bit gross in places, but really funny. I've read this in storytimes to groups of children and they really enjoyed it.
November 1, 2019
I really enjoyed the expressive illustrations. The story is simply whimsical.
January 21, 2020
Kind of a strange story about a rooster who can swallow lots of things. It reminded me of the 5 Chinese brothers. I didn't like the way the rooster threw up the stuff at will.
May 31, 2020
This one has cute illustrations and a little moral to the story. It was fun to read to my daughter as well.
October 11, 2021
We were unfamiliar with the root story and enjoyed this clever folktale.
November 23, 2021
An elementary and up picture book about a rooster whose diamond button is stolen and what he goes through to get it back including his magic stomach.
October 23, 2023
A sweet little retelling of a children's folk tale that originated in Hungary.
October 11, 2018
This book serves best as a reference for telling the story. They way I've heard it told and prefer to tell it is with the rhyme "Hey Mister Stingy-man, listen to me holler. Cock-a-doodle-doodle-do, give me back my dollar!" and later on "Belly, belly, belly, take in all the ..." repeated twice with each episode and "Belly, belly, belly, let out all the ..." repeated twice.
January 18, 2017
Just a great book to read-aloud for kids. It held their attention.
August 6, 2016
MacDonald,M.R.(2007). Little roosters diamond button. Illinois: Albert Whitman and Company
"Little Rooster's Diamond Button" by Margaret Read MacDonald and illustrated by Will Terry is a delightful tale of a little rooster who finds a diamond button. The little rooster wants to take the button to his mistress but the King takes the button and puts it with his treasures and tries to get rid of the rooster. Well, little does the King know the rooster has a magic stomach and each time the king tries to get rid of the rooster he always comes back because of his magic stomach. By the end of the story the king tries to put the rooster in a beehive but the rooster eats all the bees. The king is infuriated and his jesters suggest he sit on the rooster! Well, the king places the rooster in his big pants and guess what happens next! The rooster releases all the bees from his stomach. Needless to say the rooster gets his diamond button back and a little something more.
This tale is a very clever story and definitely a good tale for young children. It is a silly story that will sure to have the children laughing. The illustrations are great and very colorful. Not only that the story is actually quite funny. The rooster's magic stomach is a clever way to see what the rooster does next when the king tries to get rid of him. It is a great way to engage the children in story by asking them what will happen next. I thought this was funny book and a good read.
"Little Rooster's Diamond Button" by Margaret Read MacDonald and illustrated by Will Terry is a delightful tale of a little rooster who finds a diamond button. The little rooster wants to take the button to his mistress but the King takes the button and puts it with his treasures and tries to get rid of the rooster. Well, little does the King know the rooster has a magic stomach and each time the king tries to get rid of the rooster he always comes back because of his magic stomach. By the end of the story the king tries to put the rooster in a beehive but the rooster eats all the bees. The king is infuriated and his jesters suggest he sit on the rooster! Well, the king places the rooster in his big pants and guess what happens next! The rooster releases all the bees from his stomach. Needless to say the rooster gets his diamond button back and a little something more.
This tale is a very clever story and definitely a good tale for young children. It is a silly story that will sure to have the children laughing. The illustrations are great and very colorful. Not only that the story is actually quite funny. The rooster's magic stomach is a clever way to see what the rooster does next when the king tries to get rid of him. It is a great way to engage the children in story by asking them what will happen next. I thought this was funny book and a good read.
October 21, 2015
What a great story about greed. This tale is about a rooster that found a diamond button and on his way home a king takes the button away from him. The rooster doesn’t go down without a fight. And little does the king know that this isn’t a normal rooster, this rooster is magical! The king refuses to give the rooster back what was his and tries to hurt him very bad. But the rooster keeps winning because of his magic and finally the king gives in and the rooster is allowed to get his button. However, the rooster finds where the king has been hording all the townspeople’s treasure and he takes it back to his home.
This story was just a cute one to me. I liked how the little rooster was beating the king every step of the way. I think this story would be a great aesthetic story for the children. There are a lot of opportunities to ask the kids questions like, how would that make you feel or what would you have done in that situation.
This story was just a cute one to me. I liked how the little rooster was beating the king every step of the way. I think this story would be a great aesthetic story for the children. There are a lot of opportunities to ask the kids questions like, how would that make you feel or what would you have done in that situation.
February 16, 2016
I have never heard this particular folk-tale before, but I really like it. This would be a fun read for a folk-tales themed storytime - definitely ask the kids to make predictions about what might happen next.
April 28, 2008
I highly recommend this as a read aloud. .. The kids were totally on the edge of their seats and it got lots of laughs when the bad guy got his just desserts...
February 23, 2010
A rooster with a magic stomach retrieves the diamond button which was stolen from him by a greedy king.
Folklore -- Hungary.
Folklore -- Hungary.
April 8, 2009
Little Rooster has a magic stomach and quite a story to tell.
March 5, 2010
Gorgeous artwork and cute story.
Read
August 30, 2010well written and has a narrative tone
May 19, 2011
Henry, age 4, loves this book. He loves the rooster's magic stomach. Fun story with wonderful illustrations.
August 30, 2011
It's a rooster with a magic stomach, what's not to love? Reminiscent of good old fashioned story telling.
August 11, 2016
Good story just didn't enjoy the illustrations.
February 7, 2013
very fun story. The rooster wins over the family and rewards them.
August 21, 2013
Really cute, fun read aloud, great repetition.
October 28, 2014
The King's trousers were creepy, but comical.
January 16, 2016
Fun and easy to tell. Great with props.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews