" If only Mma was here, Naledi wished over and over. . . "
Mma lives and works in Johannesburg, far from the village thirteen-year-old Naledi... read full description
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Nov 20, 2011
Will
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This story is about two children who live in a poor village in South Africa. Their mother works far away in Johannesburg and their father died from a disease caught in the mines. Their little sister is desperately ill and the two children decide to walk to the city to bring their mother home. The story tells of their awakening to the situation in their country of the appalling treatment of blacks by the rich white people. The children finally find their mother, but their troubles are not yet ove
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Aug 02, 2010
Erin
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While this short little novel was an interesting peak into living conditions in South Africa, I found it to be a little didactic. The story seemed somewhat unbelievable, as if the author wanted to show us about South Africa and this was simply the method she chose to use. The lack of consideration for how to get home again and the costs of eating and lodging in the city is maybe explained by the country upbringing of the children, but the story also suggests that the hospital was so outrageous
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Jul 12, 2009
Anna
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Don't underestimate this short and easy read.I actually almost have up on it because this first time I tried reading it I got confused by the characters and went to sleep! I tried again tonight and I read the whole thing in one sitting!
What's great about this book is that on the surface it's a simple story. A couple of black South African kids travel to the city in search of their mom because their younger sister is sick. Seems simple enough, right? Well, you get to know and begin t More...
What's great about this book is that on the surface it's a simple story. A couple of black South African kids travel to the city in search of their mom because their younger sister is sick. Seems simple enough, right? Well, you get to know and begin t More...
May 12, 2009
Jay
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Set in South Africa, Naledi, a thirteen year old girl and her younger brother travel from their small village 300 km to get their mother (who works in Johannesburg) because their baby sister is very ill. They get help along the way from a number of people. In the process, Naledi learns about Apartheid from first hand experiences and stories from her friends. The book ends with her determined to speak with the older children at school and learn more. I think the book was a bit unrealistic in
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Oct 03, 2011
Sara
rated it: 
I really enjoyed this book but wish it could have been longer!
It is set in South Africa at the time of the Apartheid and tells the story of two courageous young children Naledi and Tiro who are worried that their baby sister Dineo will die. So they set off from their village and travel to Jo'burg, determined to bring their mother back to care for their baby sister. It deals with the main theme of prejudice and racism as well as family, love and empathy. It is a really simple and hea More...
It is set in South Africa at the time of the Apartheid and tells the story of two courageous young children Naledi and Tiro who are worried that their baby sister Dineo will die. So they set off from their village and travel to Jo'burg, determined to bring their mother back to care for their baby sister. It deals with the main theme of prejudice and racism as well as family, love and empathy. It is a really simple and hea More...
Mar 30, 2009
Shel
rated it:
Naidoo, B. (1986). Journey to Jo’Burg: A South African Story. New York: HarperTrophy.
0064402371
Set in historical South Africa during the time of apartheid, Naledi and her brother Tiro worry about their sick younger sister. Certain that their sister needs a doctor, they decide to disobey their grandmother’s wishes and leave their small town to journey to Johannesburg where their mother works as a servant to get her help.
While on their journey the children are h More...
0064402371
Set in historical South Africa during the time of apartheid, Naledi and her brother Tiro worry about their sick younger sister. Certain that their sister needs a doctor, they decide to disobey their grandmother’s wishes and leave their small town to journey to Johannesburg where their mother works as a servant to get her help.
While on their journey the children are h More...
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Mar 03, 2010
Morgan
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Naleidi and her younger brother, Tiro, are worried about their baby sister who is very sick. They feel that the only person who can save her is their mother who worked and lived in Johannesburg more than 300 kilometers away. Their mother, Mma, worked far away due to the injustices in South Africa. Naleidi and Tiro leave their grandma and aunt to set off on a journey to Johannesburg to find Mma and bring her back. When they reach the city, they experience prejudice and see injustices against the
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Nov 02, 2010
Jacqueline
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Summary: A short, but engrossing journey of two siblings Naledi and Tiro, who journey from Johannesburg to Jo'Burg because their baby sister has become very ill. In Jo'Burg, they find their mother, who works for a white family. The brother and sister mature very quickly from their trip to and from Jo'Burg because they learn more about the world around them, what their peers are fighting for, and the realities that are forced upon them. The reading level is S (guided reading level), but the cont
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Oct 11, 2011
DubaiReader
rated it:
A children's book about Apartheit.
Originally written in 1985, this book was not historical fiction but a description of life as it was in South Africa at the time. The author wanted to teach young children about the unacceptable policy of Apartheit that separated Africans from Caucasians purely by colour.
The wealth was all in the hands of the 'Whites', while the labour was done by the 'Blacks' who worked long hours for little pay and lived under apalling conditions.
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Originally written in 1985, this book was not historical fiction but a description of life as it was in South Africa at the time. The author wanted to teach young children about the unacceptable policy of Apartheit that separated Africans from Caucasians purely by colour.
The wealth was all in the hands of the 'Whites', while the labour was done by the 'Blacks' who worked long hours for little pay and lived under apalling conditions.
More...
May 19, 2010
Jim
rated it:
this book will kick you in the gut. a couple kids hitch hike to johannesburg to tell mom to come home because their little sister is in the hospital. the kids, never having been out of their village don't know what racism is.
they learn.
written by a s. african exile and banned in s. africa, this isn't a fun book. especially when to tell kids "now let me tell you about bull conner and Woolworths and the sunset laws..."
should be available for at least fifth grade on.
they learn.
written by a s. african exile and banned in s. africa, this isn't a fun book. especially when to tell kids "now let me tell you about bull conner and Woolworths and the sunset laws..."
should be available for at least fifth grade on.
Oct 19, 2007
The other John
rated it:
This one is an incomplete book! It's one of my daughter's school books, written and set in the mid-1980s, when apartheid still infected the country of South Africa. It concerns the story of two children, who run away from their village to the city of Johannesburg in order to find their mother. It's a quick travelogue of some of the abuses black people were suffering at that time. Why I call it incomplete is that the ending is less than happy. There's no freedom won for the family or the nation,
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Oct 12, 2010
Liz
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The protagonists are 13 and 9 years old. It is a very gentle, easy book. I gave it four stars because I thought it might be a good book to introduce some aspects of Apartheid to very young children who don't know anything about it. If I were to rate the book for sheer readability, I'd give it three stars.
Apr 16, 2011
We are reading this book as an in-class novel but it's read independently. It is actually pretty good so far! This book is about to siblings, Naledi and Tiro, and their baby sister Dineo is very sick. Now they must go and tell their mother this, but there is one small problem. Their mother lives and works 300 miles away in Johannesburg. This book is about their trip to Jo'burg to rescue their sister. They go through all these obsticales to get there. They get caught stealing food, they loose the
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Jul 17, 2010
LeAnne
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shows injustice and the conflicting approaches of different generations. The desire of Africans to feed their families comes through loud and clear as well as the hope that it won't always be like this. Simple but effective writing.
Aug 26, 2011
Bossy Kiya (Jakiya)
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I like it it was good so far i like that theyre tring to go on a misson to save there little sister. They're taking a risky chance to met up with their mother . And so far on the way there people are helping them.
Apr 14, 2010
Christy
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For younger readers. About apartheid in South Africa. Two siblings travel from their remote village to Johannesburg in order to tell their mother (who is a maid to a white family) that their sister is ill.
Jul 27, 2011
Katie
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For my ELL 3 class. I think it will be interesting to teach: Apartheid, segregation, racism, values, discontent. Complex sentence structures, okay vocabulary.
Jul 26, 2011
Annie
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Deceptively slim, this is not a young children's book. Teaches about apartheid in South Africa. Could be used to draw connections to our own history.
Mar 08, 2010
Karen
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I liked this, especially since my son is in South Africa right now. I only wished it were longer. I read it in an hour, and wanted more. Much more.
Aug 08, 2010
Nicole
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Written for a very young audience. Didn't capture my interest although it adressed specific important themes in South Africa.
Mar 02, 2010
diis b000k iis a verry intrestiinq book dat tlkd about slavery iin africa andd da struqqle tooo osave their liil baby siister
Dec 06, 2011
Sara
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A story of two siblings' journey to find their mother and understand why life is set up like it is in South Africa.
Feb 09, 2010
Sonja
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This is a thin little book that makes me feel grateful to live where I do and to deal with the challenges I have.
Jan 04, 2009
Ann
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This book is 1 of the best books anyone can ever read it was so ood that i read it twice
