For You Are a Kenyan Child (Anne Schwartz Books) - Hardcover

Cunnane, Kelly

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 068986194X ISBN 13: 9780689861949

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006

Synopsis

Imagine you live in a small Kenyan village, where the sun rises over tall trees filled with doves. You wake to the sound of a rooster's crow, instead of an alarm clock and the school bus. Your afternoon snack is a tasty bug plucked from the sky, instead of an apple. And rather than kicking a soccer ball across a field, you kick a homemade ball of rags down a dusty road. But despite this, things aren't that different for a Kenyan child than they would be for an American kid, are they? With so much going on around you, it's just as easy to forget what your mama asked you to do!

About this title

From the Author:

Kelly Cunnane lived in Africa for many years but now resides in Beals, Maine. This is her first book for children.

Ana Juan is the illustrator of Elena’s Serenade, which School Library Journal called “a fascinating adventure that explores issues of gender roles, self-confidence, and the workings of an artist’s heart” in a starred review. Her paintings have appeared on the cover of The New Yorker,on book and album jackets, on film festival posters, and in several European magazines. She is also the illustrator of Frida by Jonah Winter and the author and illustrator of The Night Eater. She lives in Madrid, Spain.

From School Library Journal:

Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 3–Through vivid, descriptive text that highlights the Kenyan countryside and culture, this story about one day in the life of a Kalenjin boy unfolds. Roosters crow, and you wake one morning in the green hills of Africa, sun lemon bright over eucalyptus trees full of doves. The boy's primary chore is to take his grandfather's cows to the pasture and watch them carefully. However, once he gets them there, he slips away to see who else is awake. From then on, he keeps getting distracted by one thing or another. When he finally looks to where the cows should be, they are not there. His expression is forlorn as he ponders, Why did you wander? Why didn't you stay and do the job Mama gave you today? When he meets his grandfather leading the cows on the path home–something he should have been doing–the youngster is contrite. Grandfather simply hands him back his cow switch and says, Twende nyumbani sasa–Let's go home now. The brilliant, colorful, and humorous illustrations stand out against the white backgrounds and are large enough for group viewing. A gentle story about family, responsibility, and a curious little boy.–Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
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About this edition

• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 068986194X
• ISBN 13: 9780689861949
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Juan Ana