Masai and I [Hardcover]

Virginia Kroll (Author), Nancy Carpenter (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up

In an imaginative tale designed to introduce young readers to African culture, a young girl learns about East Africa and the Masai people and begins to wonder what her life would be like if she were Masai. BOMC.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A young African American girl muses, "if I were a Masai," and compares her own life with what she has learned in school about East Africa and its inhabitants. She considers where a Masai girl would sleep, how she occupies her time, what kinds of animals she would see. The artwork, realistic and warm, portrays a joyful girl who feels "the tingle of kinship" with the Masai culture; her counterpart's spare environs, replete with exotic flora and fauna, are likewise strikingly depicted. The book's creative design--a Western scene on one page of each spread faces a typical Masai scene on the other--seamlessly blends corroborative colors and details: a yellow carpet becomes the dry savanna grass, the girl's bedsheet turns into a cowhide covering. (The final spread, however, may prove confusing: two characters are shown in Masai dress at an otherwise typical Western Thanksgiving dinner.) Kroll's beguiling language--"whole flocks of flashing fireflies turned trees into lanterns"--offers resonant images; the last paragraph, in particular, rings proud and positive: "I come home and stare at my reflection in my bedroom mirror . . . smooth brown skin over high cheekbones and black eyes that slant up a little when I smile. I like what I see." Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-- An interesting, richly blended book that connects two different worlds. A young African-American girl living in urban America feels a kinship with the East African people, the Masai, whom she is studying in school. Linda ponders her life and makes comparisons to theirs, pointing out similarities and differences in how everyday tasks are accomplished. Initially, the connections made between the two distinct lifestyles are startling, but once readers become accustomed to the form of presentation, each full double-page spread becomes a pleasure in itself. One world flows naturally and artfully into the next. A single tree shares roots with a city street and the African grassland. Linda looks into her American mirror and sees her Masai counterpart. The oil and colored-pencil illustrations are reminiscent of Grifalconi's work both in subject and style. One can easily see that while the Masai live differently than Americans do, children are children no matter where they grow up. The information on the Masai may lead motivated children to do some research of their own. --Martha Topol, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, MI
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (September 30, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0027511650
• ISBN-13: 978-0027511659
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,625,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Virginia Kroll is the author of over fifty books for children and winner of a 2004 Children's choice award. A former elementary school teacher, she lives in New York with her husband and has raised six children of her own.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING book about Africa and relating it us!, January 13, 2005

By 

homeschooler (Indianapolis) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Masai and I (Paperback)

I am homeschooling my two young girls and we are studying the continent of Africa. I do a LOT of reading reviews and researching the books before I buy. Luckily, I chanced upon Masai and I and was so enthralled when I received it, that I have to say no child should be without this book! If you are looking to have your child understand another culture and somehow relate it to them -- THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU -- no matter what country/continent/culture is your focus. The little girl ponders about how her day would go if she lived in a culture so remote in lifestyle. It really makes you appreciate our conveniences, yet brings us to respect and reflect on how that must be to live so differently. But remember, we do have a tremendous amount in common with each other simply because we are human. Imagine what it would be like to live in someone else's shoes for one day! Then buy this book; it is truly a gem!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My third-graders love it!, March 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Masai and I (Paperback)

I use this as a trade book during our study of Kenya. It is a great tool for comparing our society with theirs. The text is age-appropriate and is enhanced by the beautiful illustrations. My students love to read it again and again!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book when comparing cultures., December 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Masai and I (Hardcover)

I use the Masai and I in my 6th grade classroom. It is the model for comparing cultures. Kroll catches the basic similarities and presents them in an appealing and educational fashion.