Author: Book Importer

Book Importer

Joan of Arc

A biography of the fifteenth-century peasant girl who led a French army to victory against the English and was burned at the stake for witchcraft.

The Day the Rains Fell

At the beginning of time a goddess descends to Earth and finds that parts of the land are dry, the plants are wilting, and the animals are thirsty, for even when it rains on the parched surface, the water just runs off. The goddess is inspired to make enormous pots of clay which she pushes into the earth to collect the rainwater so the animals can drink. While she works, her daughter collects bits of leftover clay and makes a necklace. Once the pots are in place, the animals show their gratitude by adding colors to the dull beads of the necklace—the flamingo gives its bright pink, the zebra its stripes, and the ant the deep red of the earth inside its anthill. Featuring beautiful watercolor illustrations and a page of information about traditional African pots and beads, this book also includes activities for children to do on their own.

Yatandou

Yatandou lives in a Mali village with her family and neighbors. And though she is only eight years old and would much rather play with her pet goat, she must sit with the women and pound millet kernels. To grind enough millet for one day’s food, the women must pound the kernels with their pounding sticks for three hours. It is hard work, especially when one is eight years old. But as they work, the women dream of a machine that can grind the millet and free them from their pounding sticks. But the machine will only come when the women have raised enough money to buy it. Yatandou must help raise the money, even if it means parting with something she holds dear. Through the eyes and voice of a young girl, award-winning author Gloria Whelan brings to life one village’s dream of a better future. Atmospheric paintings from artist Peter Sylvada capture the landscape and spirit of this inspiring story of sacrifice and hope.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 5, Issue 3.

Ostrich and Lark

Ostrich and Lark spend their days on the grasslands of southern Africa surrounded by a chorus of birdsong. From his perch in a tree Lark joins the chorus, while below Ostrich is silent. Then comes the joyful day when Ostrich finds his voice. This picture book about an unlikely friendship is the result of collaboration between the award-winning poet Marilyn Nelson and the San artists of Botswana. The story, which captures the feel of a traditional African folktale, is brought to life with vibrant illustrations inspired by the ancient rock paintings of the San people’s ancestors.

New Shoes for Helen

Helen needs some special shoes for her aunty’s wedding. She tries on all kinds of shoes at home, but some are too big and some are too small – and none of them are special sparkly shoes. So Helen and her mum take a trip to the market to see if they can find the perfect pair of shoes for Helen.

Galimoto

Kondi is determined to make a galimoto — a toy vehicle made of wires. His brother laughs at the idea, but all day Kondi goes about gathering up the wire he needs. By nightfall, his wonderful galimoto is ready for the village children to play with in the light of the moon.

Lila and the Secret of Rain

For months, the sun has baked Lila’s Kenyan village. It’s too hot to gather firewood, too hot to weed the garden, even too hot to milk the cow. Without rain, the crops will fail. Lila is so worried that when her grandfather whispers to her the secret of making the rain fall, she decides to do something about it — even if it means confronting the sky itself. Lila’s quest to save the village is beautifully told in David Conway’s elegant, sparse prose. Jude Daly’s color-drenched illustrations perfectly evoke both the parched landscape and vibrant village life.