My Great Grandmother's Gourd [Hardcover]

Cristina Kessler (Author), Walter Lyon Krudop (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

Residents of a Sudanese village rejoice when a traditional water storage method is replaced by modern technology, but Fatima's grandmother knows there is no substitute for the reliability of the baobab tree.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-A delightful story about keeping old traditions while accepting those that are new. The people of a Sudanese village are excited about a shiny new water pump. Never again will they have to use old methods for getting water-or so they think. Fatima's grandmother, however, remembers how people relied on storing water in the baobab trees in the past, and she is determined to prepare her tree before the rains come, despite the ridicule of her neighbors. Then, one day, the pump breaks and the villagers appreciate the old woman's caution. The well-written story generates a warm feeling as Fatima's grandmother speaks of the olden days and her granddaughter is able to learn and appreciate the ways of her elders. The impressionistic oil paintings are vivid and detailed, greatly enhancing the story. A wonderful book to bring generations together or to learn about different cultures.
Tammy K. Baggett, Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library, GA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5-8. When a Sudanese village installs a new water pump, young Fatima is the first to push the handle. In the past, the villagers coped with the long, dry seasons by storing water in the trunks of the ancient baobab trees. But with the new pump, nobody prepares their trees except Fatima's grandmother, who is skeptical about disregarding the "old ways." With Fatima's help, she fills her tree, and when the pump breaks during a drought, the villagers flock to the baobab, as grandmother says, "Maybe it's wise to mix old with new." Despite the heavy message, this is a lyrically told story with cultural particulars woven gracefully into the text. With creative perspectives and spare compositions, Krudop's oil illustrations ably extend the story's strong sense of character and place, showing the respect between Fatima and her grandmother and for the tree set against the stark landscape. Another intriguing African story from a longtime resident of the continent. Included are a helpful author's note and a glossary of the few Arabic words used in text. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531302849
• ISBN-13: 978-0531302842
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,071,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars coming to terms with technological innovation, October 30, 2005

By 

Jonathan Betz-Zall "Book Bopper" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Great Grandmother's Gourd (Hardcover)

This is an excellent story about people in a traditional cultural setting who learn how to accept technological innovation without losing their survival skills.
In a Sudanese village, a new water pump is installed, and Fatima is the first to pump the handle. But her grandmother refuses to abandon the old water storage system inside a baobab tree, which becomes vital when the pump breaks and a new part will take days to arrive. No bad guys appear in this story, just human adaptation at work--excellent for children to learn coping and problem-solving skills in relationships as well as with technology.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great choice!, November 8, 2005

By 

Heidi D. Rugg "barefootgirl" (Richmond, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: My Great Grandmother's Gourd (Hardcover)

This book shares the story of an African Village that has the convenience of a water pump newly installed in their village. Fatima is conflicted: she loves the shiny, blue water pump...but she loves her strong Grandmother, who clings to the "old ways." There is a wonderful message in this story about adapting to new ways while remembering customs and traditions.