Module 10 Book Review #2

[Katherine]

Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book
The second book I chose to write a review on for this week’s “nonfiction/information” was “Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book” written by Muriel Feelings and illustrated by Tom Feelings. This book has won the Caldecott Honor book award!”Jambo Means Hello” is a picture alphabet book, created to introduce kids to the Swahili language with the alphabet. Each letter is paid with a different word in Swahili, with its pronunciation included, as well as a short explanation of the meaning. This book is used by children around ages 4 through 8 years old. The pictures in this book are all in black and white, and engages the students as well, supporting the book’s educational purpose. There are multiple formats that this book can be used in, including a hard copy, e-book, audio book, and even read aloud on Youtube. Some strong literary elements in this story include an organized way of learning the Swahili language/alphabet. Some weak literary elements in this story would be that this story might not be engaging for someone who is fluent in Swahili, or for older readers. There is truly no set plot in this story, which would, in my opinion, make for a weak element in the story. When it comes to diversity within the story, it does provide insight for the reader on Swahili language as well as African culture. This book can help provide resources in the classroom for multicultural education as well as fostering an appreciation for different languages. I would say that this book is suitable for children ages 4-8, so between preschool years up to second grade, could benefit from this book! This could be used in the classroom on multiple accounts, for example, a language lesson, while learning the basics of the Swahili vocabulary, pronunciation, etc.