Multicultural Books

Somewhere in Africa

Mennen, I., & Daly, N. (1992). Somewhere in Africa. USA: Dutton Children’s Books.

ISBN: 0-525-44848-9

Ashraf is an African boy who does not live in an area filled with lions, crocodiles, and zebras, but instead lives in a sunny city bustling with activity. Readers follow him through the city, where there are traffic lights, noisy cars, supermarkets, dancers dancing to marimbas and African drums, and finally into the big city library to renew his book. Throughout the book, the text and illustrations suggest that Ashraf is very connected with the city he lives in. He is very familiar with his surroundings, and this trip to the library is a daily experience for him. The illustrations also capture the essence of the of the city life in Africa. The illustrator uses great visual appeal for children using broad paintbrush strokes and primary colors. Interesting colors were also used to illustrate the effect of heat on the city, such as painting the sea as yellow and the mountains as red, thus capturing the children’s attention due to its uniqueness.

This book is ideal for 3 to 5 year-olds because it counters the myth that Africa are filled with lions and zebras with no cities. This allows the children to learn about the culture in Africa, and that there is much diversity in Africa. The illustrations are also displayed in an attractive manner that depicts the African city life with a short amount of text on each page. The story is not long, which allows the children to sit through the book without losing patience.

Provocations:

I can ask the children which country they are from and which countries they have been to, and see if they can describe anything about that country. This allows the children to communicate with each other and appreciate everyone’s culture and background. They will also have the opportunity to learn more about their friends’ background.

Another possible provocation would be to bring in pictures of cities from different countries. The children can admire the diversity of the different cities from different countries. They can look for similarities and differences between the different pictures. When I bring out the book afterwards, the children will be curious to learn about the cities in Africa.

Presenting the Story:

1) The children can go out on a walk around the city. I will bring the children to walk on the pavement, to take notice of the cars and traffic lights, walking along the alleys, jumping over its cracks, passing by shops, the supermarket, and finally passing by the library. I will narrate the story as we walk around the city, such as “Ashraf then noticed the traffic lights and noisy cars”, and point to the traffic lights and the cars to direct the children’s attention. With this method, the children can be a part of the story, which will be very exciting for them.

2) A felt story can be used. I will need a felt board, and the pieces will be made by me. The pieces will consist of a lion, a crocodile, a zebra, Ashraf with a blue book on his hand, a sun, a section of the road with cracks on it, traffic lights, a car, the frontal view of a shop, a fruit stand, a dancer, a flower, and finally, the library.

3) A cookie sheet can be painted, with one of the sides painted with the city with the roads, the sun, the fruit stand, the shop, the traffic lights and cars, and the library. The other side of the sheet will have the wild life painted on it, with the sun, the plains, and the trees. The magnet pieces will be Ashraf, a zebra, a lion, and a crocodile. The children will be interested to watch a story unfold with the city in the background and the magnetic Ashraf skipping along the city on the cookie sheet.

There is a spot in the story where I would stop and wonder with the children. I will stop right after the descriptions of the wildlife, and ask the children “If Ashraf does not live where the lions, crocodiles, and the zebras are living in, then where do you think Ashraf lives in?” This is an opportunity for children to think of many different possible places where a boy may live in. They can even be creative and imaginative. For example, a child may say “in space!” 

Extensions:

1) The children can listen to African music containing the musical instruments of the marimba and horn. They can also dance to the music, which is excellent time for them to move around and be active. Listening to the African music can also help children appreciate the diversity of different cultures and listen to the differences between African music and other styles of music that they are accustomed to listening to. If available, we can also bring in the marimba, horn, and other African instruments so the children play with them.

2) We can have all the children draw and paint out their version of a city on a very big piece of paper with African music playing in the background. The children collaborate together to create that city. After they have created, we can hang it up on the wall so the children can admire their work. This is optimal in practicing communication and cooperative skills. The children will develop important social skills through the activity. Furthermore, this activity can allow children to expand their creativity and explore the city life.

3) Because Africa is very diverse, I can bring in a book with lots of pictures and show the children the diversity of Africa. After that, I can ask the children that if they can live in Africa, which parts of Africa would they want to live in. Since Africa is diverse, the children may have lots of different selections to choose from. This discussion will allow children to express and share what they like and what they dislike. This is another activity that can help children develop their social skills.