In an unforgettable novel that teems with authentic details of African culture and life, Cristina Kessler gracefully and heroically tackles one of the most important, most controversial issues for women of our time.- Philomel Books
School Library Journal...more reviews
Grade 7 Up-Jodie Nichols, 14, leaves California and accompanies her mother, a former Peace Corps volunteer, on her return to her old village in Sierra Leone to do fieldwork. The simple life, without modern conveniences and modern choices, turns out to be difficult and strenuous.
Two girls from the Sande Society (Secret Society)
The setting of this story comes alive; the early vivid jumble of details of sights and smells sorts itself out into a careful, clear description of a vibrant culture. Yet, the conclusion, which will satisfy readers, is too simplistic for the issue; Khadi later writes that she and her friends will not continue the age-old practice on their daughters. There is much to appreciate in this sensitively drawn picture of a faraway part of the world and readers will be left with much to think about in terms of cultural relativity. Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC
