The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Kessler, Cristina

My Great-Grandmother's Gourd

32 pp. September, 2000 | Trade ISBN 0-531-30284-9 $$16.95 | Library ISBN 0-531-33284-5 $$17.99

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Walter Lyon Krudop. When a new water pump comes to her Sudanese village, Fatima is pleased, but out of loyalty she still helps her grandmother fill their baobab tree with rain for the dry season. A broken pump and water shortage convince the villagers it's best to "mix old with new." The dialogue is stilted, but the story's factual basis makes this a strong narrative, illustrated with desert-shaded oil paintings. A glossary of Arabic words is included.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam