i's Snowman
"Amadi, an Igbo boy in sun-drenched Nigeria, sees no point in
learning to read, until he sees a picture of a snowman in a book and is
curious to find out more. He wants to learn about the far-off country
where frozen rain falls from the sky — a world so different from his own
— and the chance to read about it fills him with joy. Children will
enjoy reading about Amadi's life in the village, depicted in the
earth-toned, intimate scenes.
Ashley Bryan's African Tales, Uh-huh
By:
Ashley Bryan
Age Level:
6-9
Tales drawn from the oral tradition are retold with verve and
musical language certain to delight listeners of all ages. Bryan's
paintings decorate each tale, bringing characters and plot vividly to
life.
Babu's Song
Product Description: Bernardi lives with his grandfather, Babu,
who supports them by making toys. Bernardi wishes he could go to school,
but they can't afford it. When a tourist offers a handsome price for
the music box Babu gave him as a present, Bernardi regretfully sells it,
giving the money to Babu. Babu uses the money to pay for his grandson's
school, and he starts working on a new music box. The book's sensitive
text and endearing illustrations capture the tender relationship between
a Tanzanian child and his grandfather.
Beautiful Blackbird
By:
Ashley Bryan
Age Level:
3-6
In a story of the Ila people of Zambia, the colorful birds of
Africa ask Blackbird, whom they think is the most beautiful of birds, to
decorate them with some of his "blackening brew." The story line is
simple and the rhythmic chants of the flock frequently interspersed
throughout the text add drama and a rapper's cadence to this
award-winning book that is ready-made for participative storytelling.
Drumbeat in Our Feet
Age Level:
6-9
"This joyful picture book uses watercolor-and-pencil artwork to
show African dances from all over the continent and kids 'coming from
Brooklyn, coming from Harlem, the Bronx and down the subway lines' to
learn them at the Harlem's Batoto Yetu dance studio. On each left-hand
page is a sepia-tone illustration of a traditional African dance,
accompanied by detailed notes about its origin, the performance, and the
cultural tradition.
Elizabeti's Doll
Product Description: Upon the arrival of her new baby brother,
Elizabeti decides she needs a doll she can care for the way her mother
cares for the new baby. After looking around her village, Elizabeti
finds the perfect doll to love, and names her Eva. When Mama changes the
new baby's diaper, Elizabeti changes Eva. When Mama sings to the baby,
Elizabeti sings to Eva. And one day when Eva turns up lost, Elizabeti
realizes just how much she loves her special doll. Set in contemporary
Tanzania, this universal tale of love and tenderness that will touch
readers of all ages.
Elizabeti's School
Product Description: Elizabeti was excited and fidgety on her
first day of school as she admired her school uniform and shoes and
walked to school with her older sister. Once there, though, Elizabeti
becomes shy, wishing she had not come. Elizabeti is not sure at all she
wants to return, but once she finds that she can use her knowledge at
home, she decides to return. While warm watercolors depict a child's
first day of school in Tanzania and the text is sprinkled with Swahili
words, the emotions conveyed are universal.
First Come the Zebra
By:
Lynn Barasch
Age Level:
6-9
Product Description: One day when Abaani, a Maasai boy, takes
his family's cattle out to graze, he is surprised to see a Kikuyu boy,
Haki, tending a new fruit and vegetable stall alongside the road. The
boys know of the traditional conflicts between the Maasai and the
Kikuyu. They take an immediate dislike to each other, but when a
dangerous situation suddenly arises, the boys act quickly. Little do the
boys know they have also taken the first step in overcoming their
differences and forging a path to friendship.
Mama Panya's Pancakes
"Mama Panya and her son, Adika, are all ready for market day
where Mama is planning on using her few coins to buy the ingredients to
make pancakes for dinner. Adika is so excited that he can't help
inviting all of their friends and neighbors. Mama Panya is worried that
his generosity may be more than her few coins and their meager supplies
can provide. Luckily all of the guests arrive with gifts, and a Kenyan
cross between 'Stone Soup' and the story of the loaves and the fishes is
realized." — School Library Journal
Nelson Mandela
By:
Kadir Nelson
Age Level:
6-9
"This picture-book biography matches Mandela's outsize
achievements with large, powerful images, resulting in a presentation
that will seize and hold readers' attention…Nelson's paintings range
from poignant, when Mandela's mother tells him good-bye as he leaves
home for more education at the age of nine, to exuberant, when Mandela
and 100 men arrested for protesting apartheid respond by dancing and
singing, to inspiring, when people organize rallies demanding his
release. When freedom finally comes, 'a colorful sea of people'
celebrate." — School Library Journal
Only the Mountains Do Not Move: A Maasai Story of Culture and Conservation
By:
Jan Reynolds
Age Level:
9-12
Product Description: For hundreds of years the Maasai have moved
with their herds of cattle and goats across thousands of miles in Kenya
and Tanzania. Today the Maasai face new challenges. Their traditional
way of life is threatened, lands are overgrazed, and wildlife is in
danger. Maasai tribes are meeting these obstacles head-on adapting their
lives and agricultural practices while keeping their vibrant,
close-knit culture alive. Award-winning author-photographer Jan Reynolds
presents a striking glimpse of these dynamic people.
Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangara Maathai
By:
Claire Nivola
Age Level:
6-9
Wangari Maathai's native Kenya was a changed land, literally
blowing away because its trees and growth had been destroyed. Rather
than complain, she started a reforestation effort for which she was the
first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Handsome
illustrations combine with crisp text to tell the story of one person’s
impact.
The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families
Age Level:
6-9
"This moving depiction of ecological innovation centers on a
project spearheaded by Dr. Gordon Sato to plant mangrove trees, which
grow easily in salt water, in the village of Hargigo in the impoverished
African nation of Eritrea. Graceful prose alternates with cumulative
verse to relay the benefits that the trees provided for the community:
'These are the fishermen/ Who catch the fish/ That swim in the roots,/
Of the mangrove trees.' Resembling papier-mâché, Roth's textural
mixed-media collages become increasingly lively as the new ecosystem
flourishes." — Publisher's Weekly
The Village that Vanished
Abikanile and her mother help their Yao village in Africa avoid
the slavers, which requires courage and standing together. This original
story of resourcefulness and solidarity is told in the tradition of a
folktale. Handsomely crafted illustrations echo its mystery and magic.
When I Get Older: The Story behind "Wavin' Flag"
Product Description: In his first book for children,
Somali-Canadian poet, rapper, singer, and songwriter K'NAAN tells his
own story. Born Keinan Abdi Warsame in Somalia, he grew up in Mogadishu.
His grandfather was a renowned poet who passed on his love of words to
his grandson. When the Somali Civil War began in 1991, K'NAAN was just
thirteen. His mother made the difficult decision to move her family so
that they could grow up in safety.
Yafi's Family
Product Description: Meet Yafi, a six-year-old Ethiopian boy who
was adopted as a young child. Yafi, his parents, and two sisters
remember his early life and his adoption experience by telling stories,
revisiting memories, and looking at photographs. Yafi's Family is the
story of love, loss, and a boy's discovery of how wide and how deep the
bonds of family can be.
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