Furaha Means Happy: A Book of Swahili Words [Hardcover]

Ken Wilson-Max (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1900 | Grade Level: P and up

Uses a description of a brother and sister in Kenya on a picnic with their parents to introduce a variety of words in the African language Swahili.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-Using a family outing as a backdrop, Wilson-Max introduces young readers to a handful of Swahili words. A brief introduction provides a map of Africa and identifies Kenya as one of its countries. It also presents a brother and sister who live there and speak English and Swahili. They wear western-style clothing, travel by car, and document family fun with a camera. Wambui greets readers and narrates the story of her family's trip to a lake. Full-color, double-page spreads present her simple story and are followed by labeled illustrations of selected vocabulary. For example, after she describes their picnic lunch, drawings of a mango, a sandwich, and other items appear on a crisp white background with their English and Swahili words. A separate guide to pronunciation is provided at the end. Wilson-Max's choice of rich, full-bodied color and the use of bold black outlines give his spirited illustrations instant appeal. Similar in format to the author's Halala Means Welcome: A Book of Zulu Words (Hyperion, 1998), this slim volume is an attractive extra.
Alicia Eames, New York City Public Schools
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English, Swahili

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Jump At The Sun; 1st edition (January 1, 1900)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786805528
• ISBN-13: 978-0786805525
• Product Dimensions: 12.6 x 6.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #734,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Swahili

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Not Furaha, June 15, 2011

By 

Steven C. Thedford "Author: The Kwanzaa Colo... (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Furaha Means Happy: A Book of Swahili Words (Hardcover)

I spent time teaching in Kenya and enjoyed the sites of the major cites such as Nairobi and Kisumu. Yet, when I read this book, where the setting is in Kenya, I did get the feeling of the East African country. For example, most family do not hop into a car-they are too expensive- and go on a picnic. Also, when you do ride down the road in a matatu, you will not see giraffes lined along the street. Furthermore, the author had the family traveling to the lake. I had no problem with a family enjoying time together because families do that in Kenya. However, anybody who ever been to East Africa knows that most famous lake in Kenya in Lake Victoria(Ukerewe), a source of the white Nile river. It seems to me that author made up a story about a family go on an outing and added some sprinkles of Kiswhalili worlds.