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Galimoto -
Karen Lynn Williams ; illustrated by Catherine Stock.
Contributor biographical information
Publisher description
New York : Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1990.
[32] p.: col. ill. ; 26 cm.
Annotations:
- Walking through his village, a young African boy finds the materials to make a special toy.
Best Books:
- Bulletin Blue Ribbons, 1990 ; Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books; United States
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Children's Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, 2006 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts, 1990 ; National Council of Teachers of English; United States
Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002 ; California Department of Education; California
Horn Book Guide:
- 1990 Fiction Rating 2, Superior, well above average.
Reading Measurement Programs:
Reading Counts-Scholastic
Interest Level 3-5
Reading Level 3
Title Point Value 2
Lexile Measure 520
Reviews:
- Brenda Randolph (Africa Access Review)
In eastern and southern Africa one often sees young boys fashioning scrap wire into ingenious little vehicles. This charming book captures the mood and spirit of this hobby. The setting is a small town in Malawi. The main character is Kondi, a young boy who wants to make a wire vehicle or galimoto like the big boys. As Kondi journeys about town in search of materials for his galimoto, we see snatches of town life. The town features a variety of housing, including picturesque thatched houses, sturdy brick dwellings, and houses with latticed windows and corrugated iron roofs. The adults in Kondi's town engage in a variety of activities such as fishing, marketing, storekeeping, and maize grinding. The muted water-colored illustrations which provide our window into Kondi's world are well done. One criticism voiced by a resident of the area was the uniform complexion of the people. Malawians come in different hues, a fact ignored by the illustrator. Another reviewer feared American children may assume incorrectly that children from Malawi and other parts of Africa don't have access to manufactured toys (see Afolayan's review in Our Family, Our Friends, Our World). My experiences with the book, however, mitigate against this criticism. Children have uniformly responded in a positive and enthusiastic manner to this story. They are fascinated by the wire cars and are eager to make their own. (Anansi) Rating: R -- Recommended. 1991, Lothrop, Unpaged, $12.88. Ages 4 to 8.Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1990)
In Malawi, a galimoto is a toy that a child makes from wire. (A note here explains that the word may come from "motor car," reversed and transformed.) Williams, who lived in Africa for several years, tells how Kondi searches and trades for enough wire to make one, in the process giving the reader a tour of his seaside village and its activities. Then he creates a galimoto shaped like a pickup (complete with a radio antenna) that he imagines using to carry maize to the city. Stock, who visited Malawi for her research, draws the reader into the story with her evocative double-spread watercolors. Not only an authentic picture of present-day Africa, this is also an attractive portrayal of self-reliant children who know how to meet their own needs through good-humored bargaining and ingenuity, happily absorbed in imaginative play. 1990, Lothrop Lee & Shepard, $12.95; PLB $12.88. © 1990 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, 1990)
Seven-year-old Kondi finds enough scrap material to make his own toy pickup truck. His perseverance and the pleasure he takes in his accomplishment are just two of the delights of this appealing story. The graceful watercolors give readers the flavor of life in the southern African country of Malawi. Review 3/90. Category: Fiction. 1990, Lothrop, 32pp.. Ages 5 to 9. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average. Subjects:
- Toy making--Fiction.
Africa--Fiction.
| Language | Call Number | LCCN | Dewey Decimal | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English (eng) | PZ7.W66655 Gal 1990 |
89002258 |
[E] |
0688087892 0688087906 (lib. bdg.) 9780688087890 9780688087906 |