A Country Far Away [Hardcover]

Nigel Gray (Author), Philippe Dupasquier (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1989 | Age Level: 6 and up

"Told in the first person by two young boys, this story relates their identical experiences . . . with very different results. The text appears in the middle of the page, and two sets of pictures, above and below, show the same actions in two very different cultures: a small African village and a modern suburban setting. . . . The format makes this an interesting picture book. . . . Children will enjoy finding the similarities and differences for themselves."-- School Library Journal.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Minimal text--a sentence or two per page--relates the everyday activities in the life of an ordinary boy. But the pictures in this extra ordinary book apply those words to two boys: one living in a rural African village and one in a Western European city. The text divides the pages horizontally: illustrations above and below it reveal two versions of the story through a series of boxed vignettes--Dupasquier's wonderfully appealing specialty. The reader sees both similarities and differences in the two boys' lifestyles; the many humorous elements suggest the universality of human experience. "My cousin came to visit. We stayed up late" is illustrated by pictures above and below in which we see two family reunions. In the African village, family members embrace relatives who arrive by river boat. Everyone sits outside in the balmy tropical night, listening to stories in the light of the campfire, while the cousins slip off to sit by the edge of the moonlit river. Meanwhile, illustrations below this same text show relatives arriving by car and family members embracing. Everyone sits around the television while the cousins use a flashlight to make hand-shadow figures on the bedroom wall. Each boy's life, with its small events (going into town for shopping) and momentous occasions (the birth of a sister) is seen within a loving family, which is in turn a unit of the community. Dupasquier's lively style uses the conventions of the comic strip (segmented drawings that imply action and progression of plot) but achieves true characterization and depth of story. Unique among picture books, A Country Far Away avoids didacticism while joyfully celebrating the kinship of human cultures and young boys children everywhere. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-- Told in the first person by two young boys, this story relates their identical experiences--going to school, having a baby sister, shopping, and playing sports--with very different results. The text appears in the middle of the page, and two sets of pictures, above and below, show the same actions in two very different cultures: a small African village and a modern suburban setting that could be almost anywhere in the "developed " world. Although the story is simple, and the cartoon illustrations of the scenes in both worlds are pleasant and colorful but not distinguished, the format makes this an interesting picture book. As a result of Dupasquier's cartoon style, the characters, both black and white, are a bit stereotyped and unappealing. Independent readers will get the most out of this book as the pictures are too small to share with a group, and they are the crux of the story. Children will enjoy finding the similarities and differences for themselves almost like a game. --Rosanne Cerny, Queens Borough Public Library, NY
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 31 pages
• Publisher: Orchard Books; First American Edition; First Printing edition (August 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531057925
• ISBN-13: 978-0531057926
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,352,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Country Far Away, November 20, 2001

By 

Kris Beck (Mason, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Country Far Away (Paperback)

Using a unique style of arringing text and pictures, this book allows children to compare and contrast two very different cultures for themselves. The simplistic text is arranged in the center of the page describing daily events that happen in the life of a young boy. Two sets of pictures, above and below, surround the text. The top pictures display a boy doing an action in a small African village, while the lower pictures exhibit the same action being done by a boy in a United States suburb.
I belive this book is an exceptional teaching tool for younger children. It is an enticing introduction to the concept of comparing and contrasting countries. I like the simplistic language used that allows readers to delve into the illustrations to find similarities and differences between the two cultures on thier own. I would be a little careful using this book because of stereotypes that could be perceived. All parts of the countries might not be represented by the illustrations. A facilitator could help to point out that although the illustrations portray what it is like in some parts of the country, it could be very different throughout other parts of that country.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book!, September 8, 2001

By 

"misslibrary" (Omaha, NE United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Country Far Away (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book to share with children. The illustrations depict stark differences between a little boy in America and a little boy in Africa even though they are doing the same things. This is an excellent teaching tool to use when explaining to children that although we do things in a different way, we are all very much alike.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Help your kids understand life outside the US, November 9, 2000

By 

Joseph R. Mccullough (Westerville, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Country Far Away (Paperback)

I found this book very thought-provoking, both for myself and my 4-year-old boy. The text about what each child does in his day is very simple, but the pictures dramatically illustrate the differences in their lives. "Where is their car? Where are all his toys? Why is their house dark?", my son asked! It's hard for me to explain poverty or why our worlds are so different, but at least now he seems to be a little less focused on "I want that!", since he realizes how much other children of the world NEED. It's worth buying for your family, and would be great for starting classroom discussions as well.