In Our Village

Gr 5 Up—This is not your typical country book. It includes the expected facts and maps, but also gives an intimate tour of a village in Ethiopia. The brilliant, full-color photographs were taken by its young adult residents, and readers view their lives through the accessible narrative. Arranged marriages are still common, although many wish for a courtship. Almost everyone follows the Muslim faith, with religion directing daily prayers, holy times, and how to care for others. Coffee is the main crop, and villagers have learned how to tend the land on which the coffee trees grow. In turn, forming a cooperative to sell the beans is profitable and has provided money for school, improved housing, jobs for young people, and a new road for improved vehicle traffic to Boto. Beeswax and flowers are becoming important exports. While resources are great, poverty is even greater. Most children have no chance of receiving an education past eighth grade, and very few are able to graduate from high school due to the expense and necessity of helping family. But the writers feel optimistic and desire to become educated in order to return to Boto to help with education, government, and health care. Extensive photography makes the material clear and engages readers. While the focus is strictly on one small village, the text is highly informative and allows readers to "walk in the shoes" of young Ethiopians. Additional facts about the country are appended.—Nancy Baumann, University of Missouri-Columbia