First Come the Zebra

Children's Bookwatch, Oct, 2009

First Come the Zebra

Lynne Barasch

Lee & Low Books

95 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016

9781600603655, $18.95 www.leeandlow.com

"First Come the Zebra" is a beautiful, sensitively illustrated book about two young boys of Kenya from rival tribes. Albaani is a young Maasai boy who herds cattle every day. Haki is a Kikuyu boy who sells vegetables planted and tended by Kikuyu farmers. The two tribes are historic rivals for the resources of land, grass, and water. Despite their differences, Haki and Albaani find a way to cooperate in a crisis and gradually they become friends, even sharing joy in a game of mancala. Just as the animals who graze the grasslands share the wealth and resources of the land, Haki and Albaani begin to think of ways they can share their resources and work together rather than struggling uselessly against each other. "First Come the Zebra" is a hopeful fable of cooperative prosperity, and its precious text is brought to full realization by the delicate ink and watercolor illustrations. "First Come the Zebras" will appeal to children age 5 and up.