Masai of Africa FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature
The lifestyle and history of the seminomadic Masai are explored in this beautiful, informative nonfiction book. Color photographs accompany each portion of text to illustrate the concepts. Topics include the plants and animals of East Africa, wildlife preservation efforts, history of the tribe, tourism, coming of age in the tribe, cultural celebrations and life in the village. Each topic is covered in a double-page spread. The text is very simple, yet gives a great deal of information. A glossary of terms is included, as well as a list of resources for more information (books, videos, web sites, organizations) and an index. This is a very impressive and interesting book to include in the multicultural collection of any library or classroom. Part of the "First Peoples" series. 2002, Lerner, $23.93. Ages 7 to 12. Reviewer:Carol Lynch
School Library Journal
Gr 3-6-These books focus on the indigenous people of Australia and East Africa. Appealing cover photographs feature an adult and child and the pages are framed to create a photo-album look. The texts begin with information on the land, plants, and animals to set a framework for how people live before moving on to history and current cultural practices (home life, music and dance, crafts, language, and religion). Bartlett provides a fairly straightforward look at the treatment of Aboriginal peoples by the Australian government and the measures that have been taken to restore tribal rights, land, and relationships. The focus on Masai life centers a bit more on the land, animals, and early inhabitants of the area. Although the texts do not provide enough information for in-depth reports, the colorful pictures are intriguing. Unfortunately, there are no pronunciation guides. Libraries that need to fill collection gaps would do well to consider these titles.-Jeanette Larson, Texas State Library, Austin Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
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