Light a Candle / Tumaini Pasipo Na Tumaini - by Godfrey Nkongolo & Eric Walters (Hardcover)

About the Book

This dual-language English and Swahili picture book is inspired by the founding of Tanzania, told through the eyes of a young boy who climbs Mount Kilimanjaro to signify the country's independence.

Book Synopsis

Co-written by Eric Walters and Godfrey Nkongolo, Light a Candle weaves non-fiction with fiction to tell the story of a boy coming of age in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro.

The son of the village's chief climbs the mountain against his father's wishes to fulfill a request of the country's first leader, Julius Nyerere, to light a candle on the top of the mountain and unify the mainland of Tanganyika and the islands of Zanzibar as one country, the United Republic of Tanzania.

This bilingual book includes full text in both English and Swahili.

Review Quotes

"This beautifully illustrated bilingual picture book combines simple language with complex ideas about freedom, peace, and independence...Would work well as an addition to any home, school, or classroom library, or as part of a writing unit working with themes of bravery, wisdom, and determination. Highly Recommended."

-- "CM: Canadian Review of Materials"

"This beautifully illustrated book brings history to life for the young reader. With a positive message of hope and community building, Light a Candle would be a welcome addition to classroom and library shelves."-- "Canadian Teacher Magazine"

"An informative story...Campbell's colorful and highly textured paintings capture the vastness of the terrain and the vibrancy of the characters' patterned clothing...The importance of freedom in Tanzania comes through clearly."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"This is an excellent choice for a Read Aloud at the elementary level. Opportunities abound because not only could it introduce a unit on multicultural studies but also a unit on how fiction often mirrors history and can be developed to tell an inspirational story."-- "Must Read Literature: K thru YA"