Book
Walking home
Record details
- ISBN: 9780385681575 (paperback)
-
Physical Description:
print
regular print
290 pages ; 21 cm - Publisher: Toronto : Doubleday Canada, [2014]
- Copyright: ©2014
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Refugees -- Kenya -- Fiction Brothers and sisters -- Fiction Young adult fiction Kenya -- Fiction |
| Topic Heading: | Teen Book Club Set |
Available copies
- 10 of 11 copies available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
- 0 of 0 copies available at Creston Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 11 total copies.
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
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- Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2015 February #1
According to a Kamba tale that Muchoki's mother told him, there is an imaginary string that, if you follow it, will always return you home. When the Kalenjin tribal political forces savagely destroyed their Kenyan hometown of Eldoret, Muchoki's father and extended family lost their livelihoods and their lives. Thirteen-year-old Muchoki, his little sister, Jata, and their sick mother walked for days to reach an "internal displacement camp" with rows upon rows of tents, little clean water, and less porridge. Following that trail of string after their mother dies of malaria, Muchoki, whose name means "the one who returns," and Jata set out on foot up the Rift Valley, down to Nairobi, through Kibera, along the Mombasa highway, to the town of Kikima. Throughout the perilous journey, there are times that the hope of that string seemed frayed with despair, and there is a harsh awareness that the children might not be welcomed on their arrival, since their mother left in disgrace, having married a Kikuyu and not a Kamba tribesman. With a meaningful narrative and vivid sense of place, Walters chronicles the children's bravery, the good and evil in people everywhere, and the inevitable homecoming. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2014 August #1
Thirteen-year-old Muchoki, his mother and his little sister live in a refugee camp after fleeing the intertribal bloodshed in their Kenyan hometown of Eldoret that took the life of their Kikuyu father. When their mother succumbs to malaria, Muchoki decides to set out on foot with 7-year-old Jata to reach their mother's relatives in Kambaland, a journey of over 200 kilometers. Canadian author Walters turns his firsthand knowledge of Kenya into rather standard, message-laden but adventuresome fare. On their journey, the children find individuals willing to help and who act out of kindness both in cities and in the wild. There's the requisite encounter with a lion and another with a Maasai warrior who defies the stereotype that Muchoki grew up with. Adults of a variety of tribes reinforce the idea that killing is always wrong, allowing Muchoki to grow beyond his urge to avenge his father's death. Unfortunately, nowhere does the author use a date to tie the story to actual events , a shortcoming for a first-person account based on the very real recent unrest in Kenya. Nonetheless, this is a solid story of hope prevailing over despair.With its dependable truismsâvariations on "the longest journey starts with a single step"âand its comforting message of the strength of family, this story should resonate with North American middle-grade readers. (Adventure. 9-13) Copyright Kirkus 2014 Kirkus/BPI Communications.All rights reserved. - Publishers Weekly Reviews : PW Reviews 2014 September #5
A church fire, the result of political violence in Kenya, killed Muchoki and his sister Jata's father, and landed the siblings and their mother in a refugee camp; rampant disease and a dearth of food and water are only a few of the threats they face. After their mother dies from malaria, Muchoki, 13, and Jata, age seven, embark on foot for her hometown of Kikima, in order to avoid being separated and sent to orphanages. Armed only with inspiration gleaned from Muchoki's friend Jomo and a Kamba tale about following a string all the way home, the two trek 100 miles through the wilderness. While readers will feel confident that the siblings will arrive at their destination, numerous menacing challenges, from lions to starvation, create suspense. Walters (The Rule of Three) walked the same route himself, an author's note explains (photos and videos from his journey, as well as context about malaria, Kenya's displacement camps, and more, are available on a companion website), and he captures the hope and need driving Muchoki and Jata through empathic writing and a brisk plot. Ages 10âup. (Sept.)
[Page ]. Copyright 2014 PWxyz LLC - PW Annex Reviews : Publishers Weekly Annex Reviews
A church fire, the result of political violence in Kenya, killed Muchoki and his sister Jata's father, and landed the siblings and their mother in a refugee camp; rampant disease and a dearth of food and water are only a few of the threats they face. After their mother dies from malaria, Muchoki, 13, and Jata, age seven, embark on foot for her hometown of Kikima, in order to avoid being separated and sent to orphanages. Armed only with inspiration gleaned from Muchoki's friend Jomo and a Kamba tale about following a string all the way home, the two trek 100 miles through the wilderness. While readers will feel confident that the siblings will arrive at their destination, numerous menacing challenges, from lions to starvation, create suspense. Walters (The Rule of Three) walked the same route himself, an author's note explains (photos and videos from his journey, as well as context about malaria, Kenya's displacement camps, and more, are available on a companion website), and he captures the hope and need driving Muchoki and Jata through empathic writing and a brisk plot. Ages 10âup. (Sept.)
[Page ]. Copyright 2014 PWxyz LLC - School Library Journal Reviews : SLJ Reviews 2014 November
Gr 4â7âMuchoki is only 13, but already carries a great burden of responsibility. After extreme violence breaks out in his village, those surviving members of his family are relocated to an unfamiliar and unwelcoming refugee camp. His burden, and dire situation, only grow as Muchoki has to assume responsibility for his younger sister Jata and lead them on a long walk to a place they hope to call home. Walters went to great lengths to gain insight and details for Walking Home, which come through in the text. The writing is concise and melodic, capturing the dialogue and attitude of Kenyans. The pacing feels rushed at times, jumping quickly through scenes and lingering in others, but the brevity does keep it ideal for middle grade readers. The book includes real-life issues such as violence, war, illness, and orphans, but also includes themes of hope, family, and generosity. A forthcoming digital companion to the book directs readers to additional material that will enhance the educational experience for young readers.âMegan Egbert, Meridian Library District, ID
[Page 108]. (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. - Voice of Youth Advocates Reviews : VOYA Reviews 2014 December
Muchoki is the man of the family, but he is not a man. He is barely thirteen years old. Revolution came to his small village, and once the smoke cleared, his father was dead, his mother was weakening with malaria, and his little sister, Jata, was getting along as best as she could in the refugee camp. He copes well by cooking, hunting, and doing what little chores there are to do in his small tent, but still hunger grips their bellies and an uncertain future plagues their minds. Soon things go from bad to worse when Muchoki's mother dies and the government threatens to send him and his sister to separate foster facilities for orphans. With little food and only a vague description of their mother's ancestral home, the two embark on a perilous journey across Kenya to family they have never met Written from a thirteen-year-old's perspective, the tale is told plainly but vividly. An easy read for a middle school student, the book will give insight into the plight of young people in camps across the world. The story may seem stale to teens in the upper grades, however, who may be looking for something with a little more insight into the causes of and solutions to the wars and famine that make refugee camps necessary.âShanna Miles 4Q 2P J Copyright 2011 Voya Reviews.
