Noel from Tanzania

Gr 1–3—Young schoolboy Noel provides a glimpse into his daily life in Tanzania. The friendly title begins, "Jambo, my name is Noel." Two other Swahili words, karibu (welcome) and asante (thank you), are also introduced. Noel is portrayed as a happy, energetic kid, though there are apparently "no other children where I live," a comment that is left unexplained. His home, where he lives with his parents, is modest but tidy. Noel takes readers through a few rooms, asking questions along the way ("Does it look like your bathroom?"). In addition to owning a cat, Noel and his family have cows, chickens, and goats—farm kids can relate. Noel's school and a weekly community auction of food and animals are also depicted. In school he studies math, reading, Swahili, and English. Each page displays a color photograph with a couple of sentences. The photos are often blurry or unfocused, but the text is large and generally accessible. The book closes with a basic map of Africa, highlighting where Tanzania is located.