Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
by Verna Aardema, illustrated by Beatriz VidalMs. Aardema has retold this Nandi tale following the rhythm of "The House That Jack Built." According to the description at the back, she's added the cumulative refrain that is one of the reasons I love this book. In this folktale, we see dry grass and parched cattle eased by rain when Ki-pat shoots an eagle-feather arrow into the rain clouds to pierce them open. As always, my children will love the illustrations full of animals.
I haven't finalized our homeschooling plan for next year, but I'm contemplating a trip around the world through books for brief lessons in geography and, if so, I'll include this book for Africa. I also have Off to the Sweet Shores of Africa: And Other Talking Drum Rhymes
with its delightful illustrations (by Julia Cairns) of West Africans dancing and celebrating and a helpful glossary, including a mini-pronunciation key (very helpful for the Mama reading aloud).
