Hazel Rochman (Booklist, Nov. 1, 2002 (Vol. 99, No. 5))
A wise, brave child outwits the silly powerful king in this lively West African folktale. Tchana first heard the story from her husband, who heard it when he was growing up in Cameroon. In the original, the child is a boy, but Tchana makes her a girl. Ma'antah is a prodigy, who, from the age of two, can speak the languages of all seven villages and communicate with animals. Soon the people call her Sense Pass King because she is cleverer even than their ruler. He tries to destroy her, but she escapes all his traps, and eventually the people drive him away, make Ma'antah their leader, and live in peace and prosperity. The triumph of the small, smart hero over stupid authority has elemental child appeal, and Hyman's sunlit acrylic double-paged paintings capture the traditional village setting and the individual people in clear, glowing detail. Always at the center is the proud, sturdy girl, who confronts a seven-headed fiery monster with the same wit and courage that she uses to defeat the jealous despot. Category: Books for the Young--Nonfiction. 2002, Holiday, $16.95. PreS.-Gr. 2.

Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature)
In the land of seven villages," young Ma'antah is so amazingly clever that when she is only three years old she is called Sense Pass King, which means that she has more sense than the king himself. The outraged king orders his soldiers to abandon her in the forest, but the little girl manages to return home. As she grows, she continues to help her people with her ideas. The king tries again to eliminate her, in vain. He finally begins to take Ma'antah's advice. She manages to win a bride for him, and kills a menacing sea monster. But when the king tries to take the credit, the people exile him and make her queen. Hyman's acrylics offer a wealth of visual detail, including a delightful cast of characters in a properly luscious tropical setting. Our eyes are stimulated by the patterned clothing, and the textured round houses up on stilts contrasting decoratively with the dark green forests. Ma'antah herself is bursting with self-assurance. The assorted animals contribute their own visual sub-text, especially the seven-headed dragon. The author notes changes made in the original tale along with information on Pidgen. 2002, Holiday House, $16.95. Ages 4 to 8.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2002 (Vol. 70, No. 18))
Rich colors and expertly posed people and animals bring both lushness and specificity to this gorgeously illustrated tale from Cameroon. "In the land of seven villages," a child named Ma'antah is born. By age two, she can speak all seven languages and communicate with animals. She is nicknamed Sense Pass King because she has more sense-and wisdom and capability-than the king himself. His two jealous attempts to kill her are thwarted by her cunning, and as the years go by, she grows smarter and more respected. The king, ever threatened, then takes her into his personal custody. On a voyage, Ma'antah-brought along simply to cook-earns the custodianship of a beautiful girl whom the sour king had wished to marry. An ocean must be crossed and a sea monster defeated before they return home-and guess who the hero is? Upon arrival, the king's soldiers refuse to let him steal the credit, and he is finally banished. Ma'antah is made queen, and in an ending refreshingly devoid of marriage, she and the other girl live on happily together. Hyman (Children of the Dragon, not reviewed, etc.) masterfully balances line and brush stroke: on one spread, a vast watery ocean in liquid greens conveys an entirely different texture from the red and yellow flames shooting upwards, while brilliantly poised on the edge of the ship, Ma'antah arches on tiptoe to shoot a bow and arrow. It's too bad that Hyman resorts to the stock stereotype of drawing the evil king as fat; otherwise, these riveting acrylic paintings shine with clarity, humanity, and beauty. 2002, Holiday House, $16.95. Category: Picture book/folktale. Ages 4 to 7. Starred Review. © 2002 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Janice M. Del Negro (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, January 2003 (Vol. 56, No. 5))
Ma’antah, born “in the land of seven villages,” manifests her cleverness early in life: “By the time she was two she could speak the languages of all seven villages and communicate with animals. When she was three, she could prepare dinner for her parents.” The villagers begin to call her Sense Pass King, “because she had more sense than even the king.” When the king hears of Ma’antah’s reputation, he is not amused, and he eventually brings her to court where he can keep an eye on her. She becomes his advisor and even accompanies him on a voyage to secure the young daughter of a rich emperor as his wife. On the way home Ma’antah saves crew and passengers from a terrible sea serpent, securing the loyalty of the soldiers and the people, who then drive the king away and make Ma’antah queen. In an author’s note, Tchana states that she heard this tale from her Cameroon husband, who heard it from his mother. In the traditional tale, Sense Pass King is a boy, but Tchana “decided to make Sense Pass King a girl, because we already know many stories about brave and clever little boys but not so many about brave and clever little girls.” Although this change may raise a question about authentic representation of gender within the culture, Tchana (adapter of The Serpent Slayer and Other Stories of Strong Women, BCCB 11/00) has a firm grasp of folkloric structure; the pace of the tale is quick, and the rise and fall of the action is satisfyingly conclusive. Hyman’s acrylic paintings distinctively articulate the characters (Ma’antah herself is an arrestingly beautiful child); decorated textiles, carved thrones, and other scenic details additionally define the folkloric world. This is an adventurous tale similar to Lloyd Alexander’s The Fortune Tellers (BCCB 9/92) in tone and images, and those seeking a well-paced, handsomely illustrated story will be happy to share this one. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2003, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2002, Holiday House, 32p, $32.00. Ages 6-10 yrs.

Katherine Beecham (The Five Owls, (Vol. 17, No. 2))
Sense Pass King is a folktale from the Cameroon retold. The setting is a northern province in the Cameroon. Though the Cameroon is a republic with a president today, the villages still honor their traditional kings. Ma'antah, the main character, was an exceptional child, whose parents had long awaited her birth. Before she was one year old she could walk, and by two years of age she could speak the languages of all seven villages and communicate with animals. At the age of three she was preparing dinner for her parents. Word of this exceptional child quickly spread to the wicked king. The name given to the child by the villagers, Sense Pass King, for one who has more sense than the king, infuriated the ruler, causing him to devise several plots to do away with the child. For each plot devised, Sense Pass King lived up to her name, easily outwitting the ruler. Finally, the king realized he is no match for the child. He then decided to take advantage of her ability, bringing her to live in the palace. Each day he muttered his problems aloud and Ma'antah suggested solutions to his problems. The king took her advice and the people of the seven villages grew to be very prosperous and happy. The final devious plot was brought on by the king's prospect of marriage to a distant emperor's daughter which would bring the opportunity to increase the king's wealth and expand his kingdom. The king took credit for Ma'antah's wisdom and the defeat of a fearful monster, which saved the king and his company of soldiers. But the villagers soon found the king out and banished him from the village. Sense Pass King then became ruler for the villages, reigning in a fair and wise manner. The villagers prospered under her reign. In the tradition, this tale was told to the author by her husband, who grew up in the West African nation of the Cameroon. The author's husband heard the story from his mother. As in many cultures, the oral tradition of recording and passing on history is very strong in the Cameroon. This tale received a twist from the author, who changed the main character in the tale from a young boy to a young heroine. The author indicated that there are few tales depicting clever young girls. The author has taken liberty as a storyteller, making this her own interpretation of the story. It is added as a complement to the original tale. Fortunately, the original tale still exists and both versions of the folktale are used with the original purpose of storytelling; educating, entertaining, and passing on tradition. The illustrations are intriguing and well done by Caldecott Medal winning artist Trina Schart Hyman. Take caution, however: the depiction of the sea-monster may frighten younger children. All in all, the book depicts a heroine who is wise beyond her years, kind, and gracious; and in the end, truth and caring for others wins out over evil. 2002, Holiday House, 32 pages, $16.95. Ages 4 to 8.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2003)
A small child becomes a threat to the ruling power and eventually takes over. Prodigious Ma'antah's cleverness earns her the nickname Sense Pass King, indicating that she's smarter than the king himself; the paunchy, pampered king is none too pleased. Tchana draws on familiar motifs to weave an entertaining story of youthful heroics. Hyman's full-page paintings complement the deft narrative with a richly rendered cast of players. Category: Nonfiction-Folktales and Nursery Rhymes. 2002, Holiday, 32pp, $16.95. Ages 5 to 9. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.