ALA Booklist

Thembi, a child in Soweto, tells the story of the amazing day in April 1994 when South Africa held its first democratic elections. Thembi's great-grandmother, Gogo, old as she is, insists that she will vote: she has waited so long for this day, and she will vote, however far she has to walk and no matter how long she has to stand in line. Sisulu lives in Cape Town and worked at a polling booth during the election. There's an authenticity to this story, not only in the child's voice and idiom and in the election-day details but also in the sense of the past struggle to get there. Thembi and her parents are surprised that Gogo wants to go to the polling station: she hasn't left the yard for many years, not since the day when she stood in line for hours at the pension office, was shouted at by the official there, and came home very sick. Now it's different. Thembi goes with Gogo to the polling station, and the old lady is treated with respect. The pastel pictures, with bright movement against a dark background, express a strong sense of the place and the exultation in the community; at the center always is the close, smiling bond between the child and her great-grandmother. This story personalizes those unforgettable news pictures of people in long lines waiting for hours to vote for the first time in their lives. Children will see what democracy means. (Reviewed Feb. 15, 1996)

Horn Book

Thembi tells the story of how Gogo, her great-grandmother, leaves their house for the first time in years to be among the first black South Africans to vote in the 1994 elections. The entire township supports Gogo's effort, from the wealthy neighbor who sends a car to take her to the polls to the gentle election official. Expressive pastels in muted colors illustrate this hopeful story. A pronunciation guide is included. Glos.

Kirkus Reviews

The poignant story of a black South African gogo, or grandmother, who, after generations of struggle, votes in the historic democratic elections of 1994. Gogo shocks her granddaughter, who narrates, as well as the rest of the family when she expresses her wish to vote; exiled by the indignities of apartheid and the infirmities of old age (``Mandela is a young man compared to me!''), she hasn't left the house for years. The community rallies around her, and a local businessman sends his car and driver to take her to the polling station. The crowds applaud as she casts her ballot; once home, the narrator joins in the celebratory toyi-toyi (rhythmic dancing) that continues far into the night. Sisulu works information on voting into the narrative without overwhelming the fundamental story; through Gogo's determination, even readers who are unfamiliar with all the facts of South African apartheid will comprehend the significance of this historic event. Rich pastel illustrations illuminate the text, depicting with equal skill the landscapes of the country and the affection between a gogo and her granddaughter. An uplifting book. (Picture book. 4-8)"

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3--Set in South Africa in April, 1994, this tender story introduces readers to six-year-old Thembi and her gogo (great-grandmother). When the girl's father comes home with news of a date set for the historic elections, the family is shocked to discover that ailing Gogo is determined to vote, despite everyone's fear that she will not survive the trip. Their neighbors pitch in to make the expedition possible, and Gogo asks Thembi to accompany her. The child's voice is clear and straightforward in its inclusion of details that will hold the attention of youngsters, such as her responsibility for Gogo's "beautiful blue cloth bag" and the ultraviolet machine at the polling booth. The full-page pastel illustrations are powerful, alternating the dark interiors of a Soweto township home with sun-filled outdoor scenes. This is primarily the account of a child's warm relationship with her great-grandmother, and as such makes a worthwhile purchase. But if its context can be introduced, the book becomes a unique, inspiring story about passionate attachment to freedom and hope for democracy.--Loretta Kreider Andrews, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, MD