Travels of Igal Shidad/Safarada Cigaal Shidaad — Kelly Dupre

PreS-Gr 3 Nomad Igal Shidad, a well-known character in Somali folklore, is wise, clever, and sometimes foolish. In this story, a horrible drought has swept the land, and his family and animals are suffering, so he sets off to look for greener grass. As he walks, he prays to Allah to keep him safe and to give him courage to keep traveling through the night. A large ominous shadow stops him in his tracks and he seeks shelter behind a rock. He's sure it's a hungry lion. As morning dawns, Igal realizes that the shadow was really a tree stump and is at first angry with himself for being so foolish, but then he realizes that his prayers were answered and he continues his search for greener grass. The English text is fluid, lively, and descriptive. The Somali text reads smoothly as well. The lovely illustrations, painted in gouache, bring the story to life. The dusty tans and browns of the land contrast highly with the dark blue jewel tones of the night sky. As morning approaches, the luminescent sky shows brilliant streaks of reds, oranges, and yellows that radiate off the page. Igal, long and lanky, is dressed in flowing white fabric and looks small and vulnerable against the sweeping Somalian desert. His exaggerated facial expressions range from fear and surprise to indignation to complete joy. An entertaining read-aloud.-Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN