ALA Booklist (Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Amadi, an Igbo boy in sun-drenched Nigeria, sees no point in learning to read, until he sees a picture of a snowman in a book and is curious to find out more. He wants to learn about the far-off country where frozen rain falls from the sky world so different from his own d the chance to read about it fills him with joy. Children will enjoy reading about Amadi's life in the village, depicted in the earth-toned, intimate scenes. It's a nice reversal that young children will be able to grasp at looks exotic and faraway to one person is a place where someone else lives.

Kirkus Reviews (Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

<p>Snowmen are not often found in small towns in Nigeria, but Amadi discovers one in, of all places, a book! The elementary-grade boy can do his sums but hates his weekly reading lesson. He wants only to be a trader, an honorable job for an "Igbo man of Nigeria" as he thinks of himself, but his small-businesswoman mother knows that the world is changing and everyone needs an education. Hoping to escape his tutor in the marketplace, he spots Chima, an older boy, actually enjoying a book with a picture that Amadi can't identify. What could be so white and round and have a carrot for a nose? Know-it-all Amadi starts to change his attitude when he realizes that there are things outside of his village life that he wants to learn about. Tokunbo's palette contrasts the bright colors of people's clothing, both contemporary and traditional, with the light-brown muddiness of the village roads and houses in her vigorous paintings. Purposeful, yet without the heavy didacticism of some books on the topic of literacy, this tale shines a welcome light on cultural differences. (Picture book. 5-8)</p>

School Library Journal (Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Gr 1-4 Set in Nigeria, this contemporary story introduces an Igbo boy who doesn't see the value of literacy. When Amadi's mother tells him that Mrs. Chikodili is on her way to help him with his reading, he stubbornly declares, "I'll be a trader. I don't need to read to do business." He takes off for the market where he wanders by a bookstall and sees Chima, an older boy he respects, looking at a book. Amadi is mesmerized by an image on the pages, and Chima tells him about snow. Unable to get the idea out of his mind, Amadi returns later to look at the volume again, and is devastated when he sees Mrs. Chikodili buying it. Now that Amadi has a reason to readto find out about the world beyond his townhe is motivated to learn. When he returns home, there is a surprise from Mrs. Chikodili waiting for him. Amadi's experiences are genuine and come across naturally in the narrative. The vibrant illustrations depict the setting and bring richness and depth to the story. An important addition to any library, this offering fills a necessary niche for current-day stories from other cultures and focuses attention on reading as an important and satisfying accomplishment. Susannah Richards, Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic