An eight-year-old girl describes her year living in the southern African country of Swaziland.
Learning to Swim in Swaziland: A Child’s-Eye View of a Southern African Country
Africa
Materials from Africa
The Lion Is No Longer King
The King of Beasts loses his crown. This African folktale begins a long time ago, when the lion declares himself king of beasts. The entire animal population of the savanna pays daily respects to a roaring tyrant who works them ragged and allows them no rest.His Majesty’s fearless bodyguard, the mongoose, protects the king from snakes, until one day the mongoose decides instead to play in the babbling stream. Outraged, the king sends two birds, a buffalo and a turtle to fetch him for the purpose of sever punishment. The mongoose explains that all of the animals would be happier if they could play and swim as they wish. The king grows weak from nightmares and finally scurries across the savanna to see the mongoose. The lion arrives just in time to witness the coronation of the new king, the mongoose, who plans to share the pleasures of the savanna with all of the celebrating animals.
Beat The Story-Drum, Pum-Pum (Aladdin Books)
Five traditional Nigerian tales include “Hen and Frog,” “Why Bush Cow and Elephant are Bad Friends,” “The Husband Who Counted the Spoonfuls,” “Why Frog and Snake Never Play Together,” and “How Animals Got Their Tails.”
Ndito Runs
Every day many children in Kenya run miles to school–so does Ndito. From her village in the highlands she runs barefoot, across ridges and down hills, under baobab trees and through tall grass
Be Patient, Abdul
With the help of his younger sister, 7-year-old Abdul raises money to go to school by selling oranges in the marketplace in Sierra Leone.
Lion And The Ostrich Chicks, And Other African Folk Tales
Includes four traditional tales told by the Hausa, Angolan, Masai, and Bushmen people of Africa.
Tree Of Life
Text and pictures document the life cycle of this amazing tree of the African savannah, and portrays the animals and people it helps to support.
Elizabeti’s School
On her first day at school, Elizabeti misses her family and wonders if it wouldn’t be better to stay home, but the young Tanzanian girl discovers the joy of learning and finds a pleasant surprise when she gets home.
Trouble
A retelling of a traditional Eritrean tale in which a young goatherd disobeys his father by inadvertently trading away the board game that was supposed to keep him out of trouble.
The Riddle Of The Rosetta Stone
Describes how the discovery and deciphering of the Rosetta Stone unlocked the secret of Egyptian hieroglyphics.