Customer Reviews

I Lost My Tooth In Africa

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A teacher and former Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa, I'm always looking for children's books that really capture for American children West African daily life. This book does so beautifully. Connecting American children to another culture through the universal childhood experience of losing a tooth and, further, having it told by a child herself is just right. The young author with gentle simplicity tells her sister's story and about her Malian family's daily life as well. The illustrations by her father are lovely too. Text and art together bring an authentic Africa to young American readers in a unique way. While it is recommended for children 4-8 years old, I read it to my 4th graders as part of our study this month of forced immigration (slavery). It balanced out their other reading of The Kidnapped Prince, Ann Cameron's adaptation of Olaudah Equiano's autobiography of the 18th century. Having spent two years in Sierra Leone and some time in Mali too, this book captures the life I knew in those places for young Americans as few others do.

I Lost My Tooth in Africa, is a charming story of a young girl from Portland, Oregon who visits her family in Mali, Africa. There, she loses her loose tooth and receives a special present from the "African tooth fairy." The text paints a vivid description of not only the way things look in Mali, but also of the way people live there. The story, which includes some words in Bambara, the native language of that region, is rich with African culture. At the back of the book is a glossary of Bambara words, as well as the words to an African Goodnight Song, and a recipe for African Onion Sauce.

The text is beautifully complimented by ceramic-tile illustrations done by award-winning artist Baba Wague Diakite, who happens to be the fourteen-year-old author's father. Reading the book, I would have never guessed that the author was a teenager. She did a very fine job. I hope that we will be seeing more stories by this truly talented duo.

I Lost My Tooth in Africa is an excellent way to introduce children, ages 4-8, to African culture. My five-year-old daughter enjoyed the book. I think other kids will enjoy it too.

I know the author and illustrator as they are a family from the school I teach here in Portland. Wague has created artwork for us since his children began attending our school. He worked with my class on a large scale quilt to decorate the hallway of the school.

On a professional note, this book has a charming story line, gives a sweet glimpse of life away from 'home' and is hearfelt in it's theme. Penda writes about her little sister Amina and their 'adventures' losing a tooth in Mali while visiting family. Wague has created a bright and colorful book reflecting his artwork and his passion for literature.

On a personal note, this is a family completely dedicated to their children and education. Always willing to help and share their talents with their children and the community around them, I am positive Wague enthusiastically encouraged Penda in her quest to be an author. This book is truly a labor of love between a father and his daughters as well as an author and an illustrator. I warmly and highly recommend this book. During the recent book signing at our school Penda was patient and thrilled to be autographing books and seeing her friends and teachers. Enjoy reading this to your family!

This is a great introduction to world cultures for young children. It is written quite appropriately for children that are beginning to lose their teeth. My daughter loved the use of foreign terms. I also liked how the culture was woven into the story, such as how all they ate out of one large bowl and slept in bamboo beds. We also enjoyed finding Mali on our wall map and tracing the route they took to get there. Lastly, I think that it's important to note that this is a true story.

I do want to mention, however, that one must realize that this story may certainly stain a child's belief in the American tooth fairy. I personally opt for straightforward honesty in this area, but some who want to draw out the fun for their child may want to avoid this book.

In January I had the wonderful experience of living with a family in a village about one hour south of Bamako, Mali. When I returned I happened to see this book featured on Reading Rainbow and knew I needed to have it. It totally captures the feel of life in a family compound - how you are greeted by everyone, meal time, brushing teeth, time together in the evening, and the beautiful clothing that the women wore. And of course the charming story of what happens when a child loses a tooth in Mali is great - and true. If you have been to Mali you will love it because it captures the spirit of Mali, and if you haven't it will give you a glimpse of live in Mali.

I highly recommend this book for K-2 grades, because they are losing all their baby teeth during that time. I really enjoyed watching my students of all cultural backgrounds relate to the African/African-American girl in this story. The pictures are also wonderfully vibrant!
I'm an Elementary Art teacher, and I read this book to my 1st graders during an African art and culture unit. It helped them to imagine that they were traveling to Africa just as the little girl in the story does. It is also a great introduction about how different cultures do things in different ways! In this story, the tooth fairy brings a chicken instead of money!
My students also really appreciated that this book was originally written by an 8 year old girl, and later illustrated by her Dad. There is a picture of them in the back of the book, and my kids loved seeing the faces responsible for writing and illustrating the book!

The book challenges children to consider that losing teeth occurs in the life of all children around the world, but moves them beyond the notion of the "Tooth Fairy" practices of western culture. The story is the account of one little girl who travels to visit her extended family in Africa and loses her tooth while there. Her grandmother models the family's practice of putting a lost tooth under a gourd. Instead of coins, she finds her tooth is replaced with a hen and rooster, which proves to be eventful throughout her time in Africa.

I bought this book for my 5 1/2 because we're traveling to Mali where the story takes place. She's also losing teeth at this time so can identify with the main character of the book. After reading the book together she wanted to read it over and over. She loves the story about the girl losing her tooth and the tooth fairy bringing her a chicken, as well as the illustrations which give her a better childlike picture of how people live there and what the land looks like. Great descriptions and a sweet story. When she looks at my travel guide she isn't very interested but the story and illustrations spark her interest from the chicken looking airplane to the children playing in the orange sand outside. The story has made her really excited to visit Africa, but I don't know what we'll do if she loses another tooth and doesn't get a chicken!

Using a universal childhood experience, Penda Diakité introduces children to daily life and culture in Mali, Africa. Young Amina and her family travel to Africa each summer to visit family and, during one trip, Amina has a loose tooth. According to Amina's father, "if you lose a tooth in Africa and put it under a gourd, you will get a chicken from the African Tooth Fairy!" And that's exactly what happens. Along the way, readers visit the family compound and meet Amina's Grandmother N'na, who gives the children a blessing each morning, and Amina's Aunt Kadja, who makes Amina's favorite meal of "rice and onion sauce with African eggplants and tiny noodles," and Amina's cousins who play tègeré tillon, which the glossary tells us is a singing and clapping game. Each two-page spread offers one full page of illustration with rich, strong color and a thematic border. The author, who wrote the story at age 8 and was 14 at its time of publication, based the story on her sister's real-life experience of losing a tooth and receiving a chicken. Illustrations are by an acclaimed illustrator (and father of the author and her sister) who hails from Mali and now lives in Oregon. This lovely book deftly combines a common everyday theme with a peek into what will be a different, and perhaps new, culture for most readers. Along with the story, the book offers a glossary, the lyrics to Grandma N'na's good night song, and the recipe for Aunt Kadja's rice and onion dish.

Since I, too, am from Portland, OR, I enjoyed this story even more, and I loved the illustrations.