Okay, I was really excited about this book. I started reading this book, but about half way through it I had to put it down for a while. I love his writing style. This book is filled with beautiful prose, and vivid descriptions. It is very well-written. The only thing that is making this book difficult for me to read is the heavy use of dialect and foreign language. On one hand, it is necessary, as the short stories in this book take place in various countries of Africa; each with it's own unique language and culture. The use of dialect is important, because you are hearing the voice of the narrator-which makes the story more real. But I found myself feeling a little bit lost because I wasn't quite understanding some of the meaning. Because of this it was a slow read for me. I selected this book for my book club, but we never met-as we all had some trouble getting through it. I would still reccomend it. The stories are good, and the writing is beautiful. I guess maybe I didn't have the patience at the time to get through it all. I hope to pick it up again soon and get through it. The stories of these children, and the condition of their lives need to be heard.