Remember when? May 20, 1990. Nearly 30 years ago. A half page in the New York Times Book Review this kind review by Patricia McKissack.
Imagine how surprised, honored and pleased I was…and still am.
See the review below.
May 20, 1990, Page 007042Buy ReprintsThe New York Times Archives
GALIMOTO
By Karen Lynn Williams.
Illustrated by Catherine Stock.
Unpaged. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books.
$13.95. (Ages 5 to 9)
Karen Lynn Williams explains in an author’s note that ”galimoto” (pronounced GAL-lee-mo-to) means car in Chichewa, the national language of Malawi, a small country in southeast Africa. ”It is also the name for a type of push toy made by children.” And that’s what this engaging story is about.
On the first page, readers are introduced to an industrious Malawian child ”with only seven years.” One day ”Kondi opened an old shoe box and looked inside. These were his things. They belonged to him. Inside the box there was a ball made of many old plastic bags, tightly wrapped with string. There was a knife Kondi had made from a piece of tin can and a dancing man he had made from dried cornstalks.”
Kondi wants to make a galimoto of his own, but he doesn’t have enough wires. What follows is a well-balanced questing tale about a spirited boy who refuses to be discouraged once he has set his goal.
Ms. Williams, who taught hearing-impaired children in Malawi for several years, is a skillful storyteller and uses language nimbly as Kondi searches for the bits of scrap he needs for his project. Her text, while precise, is smooth and lyrical – 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.
Continue reading the main story
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
IN MALAWI, A FINE LITTLE CAR AND HIS BOY
LEAD: GALIMOTO By Karen Lynn Williams. Illustrated by Catherine Stock. Unpaged. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books. $13.95. (Ages 5 to 9)
CONTINUE READING:
PUBLISH DATE
May 20, 1990
PAGE NUMBER
134
SUBJECTS
Book Reviews
Galimoto (Book)
Williams, Karen Lynn
That Little Book! Still going strong.