The Gift of Gold by Dorothy Kowen and Gillian Mathew

The Gift of Gold has all the ingredients of a classic fairytale: a curse, a missing lucky gold pebble, an inquisitive little girl, and, of course, a happy ending. The characters are South African: a traditional tribe praying for rain, a talking chameleon, and a misunderstood tokoloshe. Matthew's illustrations are gorgeous, ominous, evocative and beautiful in turn. And Kowen's tale is simple and powerfully written. And the lesson is one we should all adhere to: "You should never take back a gift. A gift is a token of love. How can you take back your love?"