Mama Panya's Pancakes

Title: Mama Panya’s Pancakes

Author: Mary and Rich Chamberlin

Illustrator: Julia Cairns

Picture book for ages (approximately) 5 and up

Rating: 5of 5 stars

Summary:

This book takes place in Kenya, Africa and is about a little boy and his mother. She decides to make pancakes one day but only has a little money yet the little boy asks all their friends to come over and join them. His mother then worries there won’t be enough but the boy isn’t worried at all.

Opinion:

This story is basically only a window book for me. I have no idea what it is like to live in an African village, walk to a market, have only enough money for one meal, and I cannot fathom the amount of determination and faith it takes to live like that. That lifestyle is so different from mine and seems so harsh yet this little boy never fails in his undying kindness and optimism. In a situation where it seems it would be very easy to become bitter and selfish he shows that kindness and selflessness are truly the attributes to possess. He shows that friends mean more than money and compassion is priceless.

The pictures in this book are fun and expressive. They are colorful and get you to really think about the Kenyan landscape and lifestyle. As most of my students will not be from Kenya or probably ever visit there I feel these illustrations really show what life in a different culture is like.

My favorite part of this book is at the end where it gives facts and information about living in Kenya. There are paragraphs on the people, schools, and general village life as well as pictures of native animals, maps, a short lesson on Kiswahili, the native language, and best of all, Mama Panya’s pancake recipe.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom, not only on my library shelf, but for all grades in genre studies and author/illustrator studies as well.