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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Waiting for the Owl’s Call, written by Gloria Whelan and illustrated by Pascal Milelli. Sleeping Bear Press, HB Fenn. 2009. $22.95 ages 6 and up

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“We Turkomans have been scattered from one country to another. If we live among our enemies, we live in tents. If we live among our friends, we build houses.”

It is always interesting for children to read stories about other children of the world. It expands our focus and lets us live in another's shoes for one small space in time. Zulviya is an eight-year-Afghani girl who works long hours each day at the loom, between her cousin and her older sister. They continue the tradition of rug weaving that their mothers and grandmothers have also followed. Their days are long and tedious as they follow handed-down patterns. Zulviya is gaining competence with her weaving but has the ability to dream a new pattern while working on the old. She uses the beauty of the colors that surround her as she dreams a new pattern for the rugs being woven. It is in her imagination she is able to escape the drudgery of the long workday, and the endless sameness. She sees beauty in the colors of her world, from the remarkable greens of the trees and foliage to the deep brown of the walnuts used to make the dyes.

The illustrations use the bold, deep colors of the rug designs while also providing the beauty of the surroundings and of the children who work so hard, with no chance to go to school (a word they have only heard). This story brings to the forefront the plight of many children around the world who labor to provide wares for consumers far away. It hopefully will cause us to pause and think about them and, while doing so think about the part we play in such exploitation of youth. Perhaps it will remind us of the goodness in our own lives. In an afterword, the author talks about the world market for the rugs these children are making and our responsibility to help alleviate child labor in the world. It starts with one person, doesn't it?

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