Over the Green Hills

by Rachel Isadora

Ready for their visit with Grandma Zindzi, Zolani and his mother and his little brother Noma walk many miles across the Transkei countryside, loaded down with a sack of mussels, a goat, and a box of dried fish.

Genres: Picture Books, Africa, Family, Childrens, Cultural, Southern Africa, South Africa

Library Binding

Published May 1, 1992

About the author

Rachel Isadora is an award-winning children's author and illustrator. She has written children's books on multiple topics including ballet, life in America and Africa, and has illustrated several Brother Grimm tales in an African setting. She is most well-known for her Caldecott Honor Award book "Ben's Trumpet". She was a ballet dancer before she became an illustrator and children's writer.

Reviews

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in the early 1990s, Zolani and his mother set out to visit his Grandma Zindi in rural South Africa. Great story for building vocabulary in your children or students.

[Laura Stefanovic]

This book looked extremely interesting from the front cover; big picture on the front and very colourful.

This book is great for all young children, showing how families are supposed to take care of each other, and this message is reinforced throughout. Also, this book is very multicultural which is not very common in the books I have read recently, and is therefore lovely to see in this book.

On the journey Zolani takes on route to visit his grandmother, you get a glimpse of life in South Africa and this also teaches young children about international countries and cultures, as well as being able to make a world to text reference throughout this.

Children could do an English lesson relating to this book, maybe writing a diary entry to his grandmother telling her about his journey on the way to her house, and how he felt. This is an uplifting book and is one that made me smile.

[Cassie Zhang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Beautiful illustrations.

A story that follows a day in the life of a family in South Africa. A mother, her son, and her baby travel to visit the grandma.

A glimpse into a different kind of life from my own. The importance of family and community.

Plus, there’s a picture of mom breastfeeding the baby and it’s so NORMAL. Like. Yes.

[Emily A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shows life in a very different part of the world. Good family values.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm looking forward to reading this book to the kids. The tasks the characters engage in are relatable to children in rural Guatemala. I can use this book to teach setting, character, problem and first, next, last and retelling.
(First, they get a pumpkin. Next, they get wood. Next, they help a man with a pig. Then they see an ostrich. Then they buy a hen. Next Zolani gets a new book. Finally they arrive at grandma's. )

Comprehension check questions:
- Where are Zolani and his mother going? (grandma Zindzi's)
- Why did Zolani choose a different goat to go to grandma's?
- Do people sell dried fish in the market in Pana? (text to self connection)
- Where are Zolani and his mom going?
- How does Zolani feel about visiting grandma (excited, scared, happy?)
- What does the old man want?
-What is this man's problem?
-Why are there holes in the road?
-Why is the pig stuck?
- Does it rain here? Are there sometimes holes in the road here?
-When did Grandma live with Zolani (dry season)
-What did Grandma and Zolani like to do together?
-What kind of stories does Zolani like? (animal stories) What kind of stories do you like?
-Why is Zolani's mother sad?
-How does Zolani feel? How does Zolani's grandma feel?
-What happens in the beginning of the story? (Zolani travels to Grandma's)
-What is the problem in the story (Grandma is not there when they arrive)
-What happens at the end of the story (Grandma arrives)

new vocab
-rondavel (hut)
-mielies (corn)
-shore
-graze
-tide
-stuck
-heavy
-pennywhistle
- prickly
-chameleon

[Elsie]

In the book, Over the Green Hillsthe main character. Zolani is gathering up food for his mother and grandmother. Zolani searches for mussels that he will give his grandmother upon her arrival. The story is about Zolani and his journey to see his grandmother. This is a non traditional picture storybook because of the culture and names within the book. Zolani lives a very differnt life which would be interesting for other children to read about. The sentence structure of this book is longer than others which may allow for children from ages 7-9 to enjoy this. Understanding Zolani's journey will allow the reader to see how compassionate and loving Zolani and his family are.
This book will let the reader see how family matters and learn about family traditions across differing cultures. I would suggest a child read this with his or her family to then learn about their own family traditions.
When reading you can also pose a question to the reader about what they would choose to do in Zolani's shoes? Or how they would face the conflicts he faced along his journey. For example, " would you help the man with his pig that was stuck in the mud? Would you want to get all dirty? Do you think it would be fun to help a pig?" Questions that will get the reader thinking.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fact the author's note tells you exactly where in South Africa the story takes place (Mpame - a village in the Transkei) and tried to preserve some of the original language (rondavel) and (Mielies) for me is already a good sign that the writer is trying to share and preserve some culture signifiers of these people.

Each page is set as a wonderful, brightly-coloured and absorbing double-page spread in which the rich watercolours really highlight the warmth and tenderness of the South African people in the pictures. I enjoyed meeting the different people that Zolani encounters on his way to his grandmother and there is enough here to shed light on the landscape and its people without it being too obvious. Instead, this feels like a glimpse into a rural life in Mpame and it is a peaceful and beautiful one.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. I had read another book by Rachel Isadora that brings important culture concepts to light. However, I did not find myself liking this book either. The art work is beautiful yet the story line lacks a good kick to it. If I used this book or her other book about the Carribean, I would use the pcitures to talk about the cultures represented but leave the story telling or fact sharing to me or the students.

[Brian Cave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of Zolani and his mother's journey across a countryside for his grandmother's birthday. This is no simple trip. The journey through Transkei, a countryside in South Africa, where Zolani brings a bad of muscles on a goat. The muscles are a present for his grandmother's birthday. A good book to show how African-American heritage is, as well as South Africa.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are aspects of this picture book that I liked, including the beautiful illustrations and a rare instance of illustrating breastfeeding in a picture book, but the story and writing were lacking.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

the art...wow. the story is good, but having the glossary so small i needed a magnifying glasss to read it was annoying looking forward to reading more books by rachel isadora.

[Chelsea Kimmey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This text would be useful for helping children understand how different cultures live

[Natalie Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would work for reaching other cultures.

[Deb Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the illustrations and the author's choice of local plants, animals, and quite frankly, a different version of life in Africa than we usually read. Beautiful done.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book. It honestly gave me a different perspective to life in Africa than what is usually portrayed in the media.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story accompanied by pretty watercolors that capture place wonderfully.