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July 20, 2006
TES review
Michael Thorn, editor of the children's book magazine Achuka, reviewed Sophie and the Albino Camel for the Times Educational Supplement last week.
Extract:
"The hardest readership to cater for falls between younger picture books and full-length novels: school years 2-4. These children are becoming independent readers, many of them gobbling short chapter books at the rate of one or more a day, while others, somewhat reluctant, need enticing material actively promoted.
Short fiction for newly independent readers performs so many important functions - hooking children onto the reading habit, widening vocabulary, broadening outlook, helping to understand relationships and emotions - it simply has to be well executed. Most importantly, it must be neither dull nor overtly didactic. Beware books that boast of their links to the curriculum or ones that make a self-conscious contribution to citizenship or PSHE.
Sophie and the Albino Camel, written by a missionary who lives among the Fulani herders in West Africa, is a pure adventure story about a girl on a dangerous journey who encounters various risks from snakes to murderous bandits. Sophie learns much about life and customs in the desert and about how to care for a camel from her guide Gidaado, a young storyteller. So too will readers grow in awareness of life in a faraway place. An exceptional short novel."
Sophie was also reviewed in the Northern Echo recently:
Strange but true: I heard this week that Sophie is to be published in Romania. Romanian word for camel, anyone?
Posted by sahelsteve at July 20, 2006 10:35 AM