Maw Books

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Kenya is the beautiful location for a great migration of animals coming in from neighboring Tanzania.  Each animal including the zebra, which comes first, the wildebeest, and the gazelle’s take just what they need from the land.  By sharing the land there will be plenty for all and peace among the grazers.  It is this analogy which is the basis of the story in the picture book First Come the Zebra by Lynne Barasch.

Early one morning Abaani, a young Maasai boy wakes up early, as he does each day, to take his cattle out to graze for the day.  He discovers along the road a new vendor stall tended by a Kikuyu boy.  Knowing that the Kikuyu have begun to farm on the grasslands needed for the Maasai’s cattle, he begins to hurl insults at the boy.  Haki, the Kikuyu boy, indignantly returns the insults.

But when a nearby baby wanders to close to three warthogs in the area, both boys act quickly and together to safely return the child to his mother.  Each begin to think that the other boy must be all right but yet they each go home and say nothing.  Each day Abaani continues to herd his cattle and pass Haki’s stall.  Each are reluctant to speak with each other.  Finally, they both overcome their apprehension and begin to play mancala together each day.  They even realize that they could benefit from trading Haki’s fruit and vegetables for Abaani’s milk.

Just as the zebra, the wildebeest and the gazeel share the grasslands, the boys hope that the Maasai and the Kikuyu will also find their own peaceful way to share the land.

A very touching book about overcoming prejudices, forging friendships and looking beyond conflict towards the hope of a peaceful coexistence.

At the back of the book are some excellent resources including an authors’s note about the people of Kenya, how to play the game mancala, a map of the area and where Kenya is located in Africa.  There is also a pronunciation guide and glossary for the words that children would be unfamiliar with in the story including the tribe names, sayings, animals such as gazelle, warthog, and wildebeest.  It is always attention to these kinds of details and resources that takes a picture book to the next level for me.

Links of interest:  Lynn Barasch website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Lee & Low Books, July 1, 2009.
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 1600603653
Source: Review copy for a 2009 Cybil’s nomination for which I was a panelist.
First Come The Zebra is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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