Gift Days - Hardcover

Winters, Kari-Lynn

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1554551927 ISBN 13: 9781554551927

Publisher: Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 2012

Synopsis

Storytelling World Award honour book 2014

Rainforest of Reading Award nominee, 2013

Young Nassali longs to read and write like her brother, but since her mother's death, Nassali is responsible for looking after her younger siblings and running the household. There is no time for books and learning. Then one day, she wakes up to discover that her chores have been taken care of. It is her first gift day. From that day on, once a week, her brother gives Nassali the gift of time so that she can pursue her dream of an education, just as her mother would have wanted.

About this title

About the Author

Kari-Lynn Winters is an author, poet, and performer. She is Assistant Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Brock University in St Catharines, Ontario, where she teaches drama-in-education. She is the author of Buzz About Bees.

Stephen Taylor has illustrated numerous children's books, including educational publications over a span of 20 years. He studied at the Ontario College of Art. He is also a fine artist who has showcased his art at Toronto arts festivals, including the Caribana art exhibits at the Royal Ontario Museum. Mr. Taylor was born in Dulwich, England and currently resides in Toronto, Canada with his wife and son.

From School Library Journal

Gr 1-2-Nassali is growing up in Uganda. Her mother has died, and, as is customary in her culture, when a mother dies, the work of running the household, feeding the hungry mouths, and caring for the younger siblings falls to the eldest girl. Yet Nassali wants so much more than that for herself. Her brother, Matovu, attends school, and Nassali is heartbroken that she can't. When she rises one day and finds that all of her chores are completed, she is able to spend time practicing printing squiggles in the dirt that she has seen in books. Who gave her this gift day, she wonders? Matovu has seen her burning desire to learn and begins to help with the chores and tutors her as well, and it isn't long before Nassali is able to read something to her proud family. The monochromatic palette is dark throughout the book with no relief when things begin to look up for Nassali. Back matter describes the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which often are inaccessible in countries such as Uganda. A final page provides a much-needed glossary. For example, there is mention that Nassali's mother died of "slim," which is defined as HIV/AIDS. Pair this book with Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard's Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys (S & S, 2000) to showcase the importance of school to another young girl.-Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VAα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About this edition

• Publisher: Fitzhenry and Whiteside
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1554551927
• ISBN 13: 9781554551927
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Taylor Stephen