In this fictionalized story about a real humanitarian problem facing
many countries in the developing world today, readers meet Mimi, an
ordinary girl from an ordinary family in Africa. When her younger
sister, Nakkissi, gets very sick after drinking unsterilized water from
the stream, Mimi learns firsthand how quickly things can go terribly
wrong. With no health care provider close by, her whole family must
travel on foot to a nearby village to see the one nurse who can provide
the medical care her sister desperately needs. Though Mimi is relieved
when her sister recovers, she wishes they could get a health clinic in
her own village. Several months later, it is Mimi herself who becomes
the catalyst to make her wish come true.
Author Katie Smith Milway, a former aid worker in Africa, has written
the best kind of global education book for children, filled with
information that engenders empathy and understanding. The picture-book
format with captivating artwork by award-winning illustrator Eugenie
Fernandes brings Mimi's story to life. Along with further information, a
glossary and a map, an addendum includes suggestions for how young
children can get involved, highlighting how inexpensive, easy-to-make
improvements can transform people's lives. This terrific book would find
many uses in elementary classrooms, including lessons on African
culture, African family life and the basic health care needs of people
everywhere. Most important, it offers opportunities for inspiring
discussions about compassion, volunteerism and making a difference in
one's own community and the larger world community.
