Ossiri and the Bala Mengro

K-Gr 3—Ossiri and her family are Romani, nomadic people who make a living by recycling settled people's castoffs into useful things. Disappointed that her parents can't afford to buy her an instrument, Ossiri builds her own and sets about practicing. Like many budding performers, she finds her initial efforts are not appreciated, so she disregards warnings about the savage Bala Mengro ("hairy person") and takes off into the Lancashire hills to play. Fortunately the Bala Mengro loves Ossiri's music and rewards her with silver and gold. A greedy stranger who steals her instrument gets his comeuppance at the claws of the intimidating beastie, and Ossiri realizes that the purity of her passion protected her. This tale positively highlights the role of the Travelers in the ecosystem of the land and the modern economy. Tolson's richly colored illustrations, with touches of gold and red popping against a background of earthy greens and browns, are evocative of folk art tradition and greatly enhance the narrative. The lifestyle portrayed is particularly relevant in the context of maker culture, and the book would also serve as a useful springboard for discussions about cultural diversity and stereotyping.