Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
What's Cooking, Jamela?
by
Niki Daly
"Who could resist playful, imaginative Jamela?" -- School Library Journal
When Mrs. Zibi arrives to prepare the Christmas meal, Jamela decides to save Christmas, her chicken, from going into the cooking pot. She sets off with the chicken in her arms . . . and a trail of chaos follows. Suddenly it's Jamela, not the chicken, who is in hot water. But, as Jamela proclaims on Ch...more
When Mrs. Zibi arrives to prepare the Christmas meal, Jamela decides to save Christmas, her chicken, from going into the cooking pot. She sets off with the chicken in her arms . . . and a trail of chaos follows. Suddenly it's Jamela, not the chicken, who is in hot water. But, as Jamela proclaims on Ch...more
Hardcover, 36 pages
Published
October 8th 2001
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
40)
This was an excellent choice of a book to represent international literature. This story is a great way of sharing with students another country's culture, which in this case is South Africa. Children can see how Jamila and her family spent Christmas, seeing how their traditions are similar or different to how the holiday is celebrated in South Africa. It was cool to see how Jamila was given the job of taking care of their chicken, named Christmas, until they were to prepare it for their Christm...more
Jamela is an adorable girl, full of fun and spirit. And it’s obvious how much her family loves her and the townspeople think she’s adorable. The colorful illustrations show South Africa as happy and sunny, a place where even in a small backyard you can raise a chicken or grow squash. I also liked how Daly included words in the text like mielies, the Afrikaans word for corn, and aikona, which the glossary in the back defines as Xhosa and Zulu for No!
On one hand, this story shows how Christmas is...more
On one hand, this story shows how Christmas is...more
I wasn't expecting this to be a Christmas story! This reminded me of The Thanksgiving Turkey by Cowley. The little girl's job is to take care of Christmas the chicken, but she's not supposed to fall in love with it because it's their Chirstmas meal. She can't help herself and ends up falling in love anyway. When it's time to get the chicken ready, she runs away with it! When she's found and the chicken is found, the decision is made to go ahead with Christmas dinner without chicken! Yay!
I have to admit that I am biased. I LOVE Niki Daly's books. The ones that I have read are filled with such joy, spirit, and humor. This one is no different. As always readers learn much about African culture and traditions from both the vibrant and fun pictures and text. African words are in italics with a short glossary in the back. However, context explains the word on the page.
This fiction book is about a young African American girl named Jamela. In the story her mother decides to give a huge responsibility of fattening the chicken for their yearly Christmas dinner. Unfortunately the task does not go as Jamela planned. Later in the story she names the chicken and becomes her friend leaving her mother in a torn position. Good read for 3rd grade.
What’s Cooking Jamela is a fictional book about a South African girl who is given the responsibility of taking care of the chicken that will be eaten for Christmas dinner. The problem is that Jamela befriends this chicken and makes it into her pet. This book includes a few words and phrases used in South Africa. I would suggest for an individual reader. Or read aloud.
Great illustrations to accompany this multicutural book. This is the story of a little girl that becomes fond of the chicken that is supposed to be used for christmas dinner. As the time grows closer to christmas, the chicken grows larger and so does Jamela's hope to save her friend. She gets a great present for christmas-the chicken and dinner goes off without a hitch.
Multi-cultural book about a little girl from South Africa. She falls in love with the chicken, that was supposed to be for Christmas dinner. However, the mother realizes how much the girls loves the bird and saves it!
I think kids in the middle grades would like this story. Too sophisticated for little ones, and too simple for older kids.
I think kids in the middle grades would like this story. Too sophisticated for little ones, and too simple for older kids.
What’s Cooking Jamela is a fictional book about a South African girl who is given the responsibility of taking care of the chicken that will be eaten for Christmas dinner. The problem is that Jamela befriends this chicken and makes it into her pet. This book includes a few words and phrases used in South Africa.
Well, fortunately, not Jamela's chicken, that was supposed to be fattened up for Christmas dinner, but became her pet instead. The story and illustrations give readers a glimpse into a South African's family Christmas.
My favorite "Jamela" story from the incredible Niki Daly. Jamela's mother buys a chicken to fatten for Christmas dinner, but Jamela has other plans for her new pet.
A lovely Christmas tale. Gogo and Mama have plans for Christmas the chicken come Christmas day - but Jamela loves the chicken and plans her escape.
This is another cute book for the holidays. I recommend this for 1st-3rd grades.
A sweet story with a helpful glossary to understand the African words peppered throughout the text.
We love Niki Daly's stories and pictures that give us a beautiful visual of the life a little, somewhat mischievous, South African girl. We could relate to Jamela in this story, we wouldn't want to eat our friends either!
Nov 30, 2012
Aminta Merete
marked it as to-read
Oct 22, 2012
Alison
marked it as to-read
Feb 23, 2012
Nadine
added it
Jan 26, 2012
Igraine
marked it as auf-gar-keinen-fall
Nov 26, 2011
Brian
marked it as to-read
Nov 04, 2011
Jbondandrews
marked it as to-read
Sep 24, 2011
Sophie
marked it as to-read
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
