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"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."--From publisher description.… (more)
User reviews
I enjoyed the description of Yatandou's daily activities in her village in Mali before and after the arrival of the grinding machine. The glimpse into another child's life is a unique experience for children to realize the challenges that exist in this world.
Curricular
I would use this story as part of a story time on children around the world/farming/Africa.
As engaging tale of one young girl, her relationships with her family (I liked her brief interaction with her brother, Madou), with her special goat Sunjata, and with her village, Yatandou is also an introduction to the realities of life in a poor village. I appreciated the fact that Whelan managed to highlight the real difference that a seemingly small change, like the procurement of a grinding machine, can make in the lives of the poor, without veering too sharply into the realm of didacticism. The accompanying artwork by Peter Sylvada has a lovely, light-filled quality to it, with shapes that are sometimes a little indistinct, but also surprisingly solid. All in all, an appealing title that I would recommend to young readers who are curious about how children in other parts of the world, particularly Mali, live.