Galimoto

by Karen Lynn Williams, Catherine Stock (Illustrator)

Overview

“A joy to read aloud.” —New York Times Book Review

Kondi is determined to make a galimoto—a toy vehicle made of wires. His brother laughs at the idea, but all day Kondi goes about gathering up the wire he needs. By nightfall, his wonderful galimoto is ready for the village children to play with in the light of the moon.

This Reading Rainbow book is a school and library favorite that offers a view of life in the southeast African nation of Malawi, one of the world's least-developed nations.

Karen Lynn Williams, the award-winning author of such books as Baseball and Butterflies and Painted Dreams (also illustrated by Catherine Stock) delivers a heartwarming tale of perseverance that is sure to delight children everywhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780688109912
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	08/21/1991
Series:	One World Friends and Neighbors Series
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	219,954
Product dimensions:	7.75(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.25(d)
Lexile:	520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

When Karen Lynn Williams was growing up in New Haven, Connecticut, her dream was to become the youngest novelist ever. At the age of ten, she formed a writing group with some of her friends. They would lounge around on pillows and in old stuffed chairs in her basement and write for hours. When Karen hadn't produced the hoped-for novel by the age of twelve, she gave up on her dream of early publication, but not on writing. Although it took longer than she initially thought it would, eventually Karen became the award-winning author of such books as Baseball and Butterflies (a novel) and Galimoto and Painted Dreams, both picture books illustrated by Catherine Stock. Karen Lynn Williams lives with her husband, Steven, and their children, Peter, Christopher, Rachel, and Jonathan, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Catherine Stock lives in New York City and France.

Editorial Reviews

A joy to read aloud. The story’s strength is in the subtly stated message that persistence and creativity can make dreams come true in spite of the odds.” — New York Times Book Review

“Williams’s gentle text and Stock’s soft watercolors capture the essence of life in a contemporary African village. Children from all corners of the world will warm to this tale.” — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

A joy to read aloud. The story’s strength is in the subtly stated message that persistence and creativity can make dreams come true in spite of the odds.

New York Times Book Review

An African boy collects scraps of wire to make a galimoto --a toy vehicle. In PW 's words, ``Williams's gentle text and Stock's soft watercolors capture the essence of life in a small African village. Children . . . will warm to this tale of a boy's persistence and not-so-small accomplishment.'' Ages 4-8. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 1-3-- When seven-year-old Kondi decides to fashion a galimoto (a generic term for various push-toys made from wires and sticks), his older brother is convinced that a small boy should not undertake such a difficult project. Besides, the elder brother reminds him, Kondi does not have enough wire to make a toy. Readers follow the clever boy through his small African village on his quest to obtain the precious material from adults and other children through persuasion and old-fashioned know-how. Although he encounters many obstacles in his search, Kondi's persistence is rewarded. Stock's bright watercolor illustrations energize this quiet tale. Readers will cheer Kondi as he sees his goal realized. A good read-aloud choice. --Denia Lewis Hester, Dewey School, Evanston, IL

School Library Journal