1. CABA HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BOOKS, 2010
The Children’s Africana Book Awards were established in 1991 by The Outreach Council of the African
Studies Association (ASA). The Council aims to share and disseminate resources about Africa;
exchanges experiences on best practices in conducting outreach activities; serves as the ASA
membership in educating the public about Africa; and facilitates the exchange of ideas, information and
research findings on Africa.
2. “What a splendid little book this is. It tells the story of the
building of enormous magical boats that were meant to take
King Khufu through the sky after his death, the discovery in
1954 of one of these ships on the south side of the Great
Pyramid, and the ensuing efforts to rebuild it…. the author
uses the name "Cheops,“ which is the name used by the
Greeks when referring to Khufu. ….” Reviewer: Ronald J.
Leprohon, University of Toronto
Copyright 2010 Africa Access
Best Book for Young Children, 2010
Complete review at http://www.africaaccessreview.org/aar/detail.aspx?r=2307
3. “Nelson Mandela: The Authorized Comic Book, a graphic novel
published by Norton Books is a collaborative project between The
Nelson Mandela Foundation and Umlando Wezithombe (History of
Pictures), a comic production company. The book is as the title
suggests a visual representation of the life and times of Nelson
Mandela also affectionately known by his clan name, Madiba. A
collection of a series of nine separate comics first released in South
Africa in October 2005, Nelson Mandela: The Authorized Comic Book
is an ambitious project. Divided into eight chapters, the story of Nelson
Mandela's life unfolds in beautifully drawn graphic images
accompanied with narrative text….” Reviewer: Illana Lancaster,
George Washington University
Copyright 2010 Africa Access
Complete review at http://www.africaaccessreview.org/aar/detail.aspx?r=2352
Best Book for Older Readers, 2010
4. “I feel like I have just walked through the streets of Timbuktu,
climbed dunes of the Sahara desert and floated on the Niger
River. Cristina Kessler, author of many award-winning books,
has lived in Africa, including Mali and is well positioned to write
authoritatively and authentically about life and issues in Africa.
Kessler's Trouble in Timbuktu introduces readers to three
distinct areas of contemporary Mali as she plots her twin
protagonists, Ahmed and Ayisha, through a scheme to save
ancient manuscripts from falling into the hands of strangers. The
twins, who straddle traditional and modern societies, are
ambitious, intelligent, obedient (most of the time), impetuous and
eager for adventure. The latter sets the stage for a page-turner
story that is suspenseful, entertaining and informative about the
cultural, historical and ecological richness of Timbuktu and its
environment. ….” Reviewer: Veronika Jenke, Independent
Scholar
Copyright 2010 Africa Access
Complete review at http://www.africaaccessreview.org/aar/detail.aspx?r=223574
Honor Book for Older Readers, 2010
5. Honor Book for Older Readers, 2010
“This novel by celebrated author Beverley Naidoo tells a serious
story of colonialism in Kenya during the Mau Mau rebellion
through the eyes of two boys, Mathew and Mugo; the
embodiment of oppressor and oppressed respectively. Mathew
is the grandson of British colonialists while Mugo is the grandson
of Kikuyu farmers whose land was taken by the British
government and sold to Mathew's grandfather at giveaway
prices(33). Vivid, gripping descriptions catch readers'
imagination and expand insight, allowing them to live the
moment with the characters, their families and their everyday
routines….” Reviewer: Jane Irungu, University of Kansas
Copyright Africa Access, 2009.
Complete review at http://www.africaaccessreview.org/aar/detail.aspx?r=2174
6. “City Boy takes readers into the inner life of a recently orphaned
child and shows how family bonds still remain intact, despite
neoliberal economic pressures faced by countries such as
Malawi. The story's central theme doesn't come until the very of
end the novel, but when it does, it opens a perspective on the
lives of orphans and depicts how, as in the novel's central
character, children can find ways of coping with loss, and in the
process learn more about their world and the possibilities
communal life facilitates….” Reviewer: Steve Sharra, Michigan
State University
Copyright 2010 Africa Access
Complete review at http://www.africaaccessreview.org/aar/detail.aspx?r=2359
Great Book Chapter Book
7. “This is a delightful novel for teenagers. It is about Safia, a
young Somali girl in Britain, whose life dramatically changes
when her father, after a long absence, arrives from Somalia to
be reunited with his wife, two sons, and daughter. …Overall, this
book is a gem. Novels that explore the lives and emotions of
teenage Muslim girls, let alone Somali teenage girls are still far
and few between. From Somalia with Love not only represents
such a novel, it is attractively produced, pedagogically sound,
ethnographically largely accurate, and, most importantly, a great
read. Moreover, given the historical importance of poetry in
Somali culture, the author's choice of poetry as the instrument
through which father and daughter connect is poignant and
persuasive. I recommend it highly.” Reviewed by: Lidwien
Kapteijns, Wellesley College
Copyright 2010 Africa Access
Complete review at http://www.africaaccessreview.org/aar/detail.aspx?r=2372
Great Book Chapter Book
8. “This is the story of two eleven-year old Somali boys living in a
small orphanage in Kenya's Northern Frontier District (NFD).
While one of them, Ismail, loves to read and dreams of further
education, the other, Mukhtar, misses the life he led before the
Somali civil war and especially the camels his father taught him
to herd and value. Then something happens that makes both
boys happy…. The book, written for children of the same age as
(or a bit younger than) the protagonists, is based on an existing
service the National Library of Kenya provides for areas
surrounding the regional capital of Garissa. It celebrates the
aspirations of both boys, putting his camel-herding skills to good
use in the case of Mukhtar, while Ismail wants to read and study.
It is written with sensitivity and has beautiful illustrations….”
Reviewer: Lidwien Kapteijns Wellesley College University
.
Copyright 2010 Africa Access
Complete review http://www.africaaccessreview.org/aar/detail.aspx?r=2355
Great Picture Book
9. Complete review at http://www.africaaccessreview.org/aar/detail.aspx?r=2355
“Many student refugees have problems with the local U.S.
population pronouncing family names. Williams focuses on this
common frustration in My Name is Sangoel. After his father was
killed in the long-term Sudanese civil war, he, his mother, and
sister immigrate to the U.S. Among the many issues in the
United States that Sangoel must deal is name calling and
malicious jokes. He is particularly sensitive to the pronunciation
of his name since his dignity rests with his name. At school, he
cleverly creates a way for the students and teachers to
pronounce his Dinka name with some accuracy….” Reviewer:
Patricia Kuntz, Madison Wisconsin
Copyright 2009 Multicultural Review
Great Picture Book
