The main focus of this book is that it ties counting and the Swahili culture and language. Throughout the pages it has numbers and than translated to the Swahili language, but within those pages it depicts the lifestyle of African culture. It helps you pronounced the translation of those numbers as well. I would use this book to introduce a project in which students have to translate numbers in another language or math concepts. It is a great way to have diversity in the classroom, by learning cultures and languages other than English. This book can also be used in Social Studies and Science. In the picture it depicts different landscapes and teachers could use that to introduce landscapes of other countries or surrounding places. ( )

I really liked this book because of the way that it tied in African culture with learning to count in the language of Swahili. The introduction of the book starts off by informing the reader why it is important to know Swahili, because it breaks down language barriers in African countries. This was a great way to start out the book because it immediately made the reader feel as if they were in on something important. It would have been easy for the author to write the Swahili counting words and just draw pictures to represent those numbers on each page. This author though takes the opportunity to put a fact on each page that makes the reader more familiar with African culture which is so important. Finally, the illustrations in this book are phenomenal. The illustrations greatly enhance the story by making the reader feel as if they are right there in the action. Overall, this book allows readers to broaden their perspectives on what other cultures look like and what they languages they speak sound like.

Reading this book made me feel so smart and worldly as a kid.

Time Machine
4.0 out of 5 stars Moja Means One - a review, May 24, 2005

This is a lovely little book by a couple who have lived and taught in East Africa. They obviously loved the experience because they were inspired to produce this Caldecott winner.

Though the book was written with African-American children in mind, I believe all children can benefit from reading it. Each number is accompanied by a two-page grayscale drawing. The lack of color may be a problem for younger readers. My 3 year-old son, for example, was not interested in a second read-through. My 5 year-old daughter however was intrigued by how African culture (grantedly of the late 1960's) was different from our own. The counting was not of particular interest to us but all of the other aspects of non-urban African life were.

Pictures depicted are snowy Kilimanjaro, a children's game called Mankala, coffee trees, mothers carrying their babies on their backs (which we now do in the US), savanna animals, styles of dress, Nile river fish, busy market stalls, musicians and their instruments, and, at last, a storyteller entrancing young listeners.

My only complaint is that there is not more to this book: more beautiful drawings; and more explanations of the activities that are depicted. Still a nice book for children who seek an introduction to the broader world. ( )

I enjoyed this book very much. It was very informative about the people who speak Kiswahili as well as being a number book. I would read this book to a classroom that is learning about counting and I would incorporate a lesson plan to learning about the people in the book. ( )