Only a Pigeon

This is the book I choose to use as my multi-cultural book. It is written by Jane and Christopher Kurtz. This is a story about a young Ethiopian boy who raises pigeons in modern Ethiopia. In the story, the young boy , whose name is Ondu-ahlem goes to school, does chores, and plays with his friends. He is eventually challenged by another boy to see whose favorite pigeon will return to him faster. In the end Ondu-ahlem wins the challenge.
I really enjoyed this story. It is a simple story, but it is written by the Kurtz’s both of whom were of Ethiopian descent. It made the story much more believable. The raising of pigeons is a popular pastime in Ethiopia.
I learned something important in this story. I am use to seeing pictures of starving Ethiopian people. This is still happening in various parts of the African continent, there are also people who are not starving. I do not want it to sound like I believe the problems that Ethiopia had in 1985 have now been solved, they have not. I did learn that there is another part of Ethiopia where people are living their lives as they have done in the past. It should be noted that Ondu-ahlem is living a good life, he is not living a rich life style. It appears from the illustrations in the book that his family is not starving but is also not rich.
I would use this book for grades 3-7. I would use this book if I am discussing current events, or if the class is discussing different lifestyles or the continent of Africa. In terms of current events, the “Live 8” concerts organized by Bono (U2 lead singer) and Bob Geldoff were focused on the canceling of the debts of the developing world. This event took place last summer and so it is still on the minds of many people. This is an important topic that should be discussed with students so they understand that there are some huge problems existing in the world.