Leigh's Reviews > Yasmin's Hammer
Yasmin's Hammer
by
by
Audience: 2nd – 5th grade, Bangladesh, humanitarian aid for children
Appeal: This story is based on actual events that the author has witnessed while traveling in South Asia. It follows the plight of a family uprooted by floods and forced to move to the city to earn income. This includes the two young girls in the family who must also work to help the family play for food and repair on their roof. The ultimate goal of the main character and her family is that both girls will eventually be able to attend school and learn to read. My favorite part of the story is when the main character, Yasmin, is able to buy a book to read, but as she and her family look at it that evening, they realize that none of them can read and that is when the change happens – you will have to read the book to learn what the change is about. A great book that might show children in developed nations how lucky they are to be able to get an education and learn how to read. The back of the book has several ways for the reader to help the children in these underdeveloped countries such as donations to UNICEF and Save the Children. The author also has recommendations on other books that can be read about Bangladesh as well as glossary that explains what some of the words mean as the author uses Bangla names and words throughout the book. The illustrations are a great asset to this book as they show the family’s journey from their rural home to the city to the jobs they work to try to earn enough money.
Award: 2010 APALA Picture Book Winner
Appeal: This story is based on actual events that the author has witnessed while traveling in South Asia. It follows the plight of a family uprooted by floods and forced to move to the city to earn income. This includes the two young girls in the family who must also work to help the family play for food and repair on their roof. The ultimate goal of the main character and her family is that both girls will eventually be able to attend school and learn to read. My favorite part of the story is when the main character, Yasmin, is able to buy a book to read, but as she and her family look at it that evening, they realize that none of them can read and that is when the change happens – you will have to read the book to learn what the change is about. A great book that might show children in developed nations how lucky they are to be able to get an education and learn how to read. The back of the book has several ways for the reader to help the children in these underdeveloped countries such as donations to UNICEF and Save the Children. The author also has recommendations on other books that can be read about Bangladesh as well as glossary that explains what some of the words mean as the author uses Bangla names and words throughout the book. The illustrations are a great asset to this book as they show the family’s journey from their rural home to the city to the jobs they work to try to earn enough money.
Award: 2010 APALA Picture Book Winner
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
June 25, 2012
– Shelved
June 25, 2012
– Shelved as:
children-s-literature
June 25, 2012
–
Finished Reading