The Mzungu Boy - Softcover

Mwangi, Meja

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1548576328 ISBN 13: 9781548576325

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017

Synopsis

The Mzungu Boy is a work of fiction that takes place in Kenya, Africa, in the early 1950s. At that time the country, a British colony, was faced with an uprising that became known as the Mau Mau Rebellion. Much of Kenya, including the best farmland, was in the hands of European settlers. At best, native Kenyans were allowed to work on the land as tenant farmers, under exploitative and demeaning conditions. The rebels wanted the white settlers to leave the country so native Africans could have their independence. As the uprising gained momentum, British rulers declared a state of emergency. Troops set out to arrest Mau Mau leaders, and rebel groups took to hiding in the forests.

About this title

About the Author:

MEJA MWANGI, the acclaimed author of “Kill Me Quick”, is an eclectic writer whose fascination with stories has created such works as “The Hunter's Dream”, “Mountain of Bones”, “The Magic Stick” and “Christmas Without Tusker”.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-6–A story set in Kenya during the early 1950s. As a concluding note explains, much of the land at this time was held by European settlers, and native Kenyans were relegated to working as tenant farmers under exploitative and demeaning conditions. Against this backdrop, the author created this story of a friendship between two boys, Nigel, white and British, grandson of a brutal landowner; and Kariuki, a black Kenyan whose father works as a cook for Nigel's grandfather. The boys fish, swim, explore, and hunt together as they forge a quick and strong bond. But they are also caught up in the more serious matters swirling around them–the brutality of the colonial system and the pervading sense of mistrust, fear, and danger that culminates in Nigel's and, later, Kariuki's capture by men who are organizing an uprising. The pace is quick, and the story is exciting, action-packed, and full of detail. Elements of foreboding and suspense are seamlessly woven into Kariuki's first-person narrative. This is a riveting tale that introduces the landscape, history, and culture of colonial Kenya.–Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
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About this edition

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1548576328
• ISBN 13: 9781548576325
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 140