Free Galimoto (Reading Rainbow Book) Ebooks Online
Kondi is determined to make a galimoto -- a toy vehicle made of wires. His brother laughs at the idea, but all day Kondi goes about gathering up the wire he needs. By nightfall, his wonderful galimoto is ready for the village children to play with in the light of the moon.
Lexile Measure: 520L (What's this?)
Series: Reading Rainbow Book
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; Reprint edition (August 21, 1991)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0688109918
ISBN-13: 978-0688109912
Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 9.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #88,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #53 in Books > Children's Books > Geography & Cultures > Explore the World > Africa #318 in Books > Children's Books > Growing Up & Facts of Life > Friendship, Social Skills & School Life > Boys & Men
Age Range: 4 - 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool - 3
Galimoto provides a unique opportunity for teachers to link reading, cultural understanding and visual art. Young students enjoy trying to discover the meaning of "galimoto" while they hear the story as it is read aloud. The illustrations help them to see the similarities in the everyday lives of children and people everywhere. All people make art! Young children can use pipe cleaners to make their own "galimotos" after they learn the meaning from the story. The story and illustrations held the interest of my students and encouraged them toward future learning through reading and making art.
This book is set in the small Southern African country of Malawi, the country in which I spent the first 19 years of my life. This book is very dear to me because of its connection to my home. However, it is a good book in its own right. I can say that the language used in the book is authentic (galimoto is, in fact, Chichewa for car). The illustrations are also accurate. The book also has several plot elements which are great discussion points for parents or teachers. For instance, the main character has to make several deals with people to get the things he needs for his project. This provides a good lesson in compromise. The main character also shows planning by setting a goal and then following through the motions to reach his goal. Although the book is intended for smaller children, I think that it is a helpful book for older kids as well. I have read this story to my 7th graders, and it has prompted many discussions on other cultures.
As I prepared to visit Zambia to learn how communities are coping with the HIV/AIDS pandemic, I tried to help the children of our church understand what life is like in Africa. "You mean they are so poor nobody buys them toys?" Galimoto not only gives a realistic picture of life in a small African village, it celebrates the resourceful spirit of African children. Our young people were filled with wonder when I brought home a galimoto that I bought on a roadside in Zambia. They were eager to try their hand at creating their own galimotos.
I just attended a talk by a Peace Corps volunteer who spoke about how children in Ghana were resourceful about creating toys to play with. This book illlustrates that point. I hope that my students from Africa will enjoy this book.
"Galimoto" is a children's book about a little boy named Kondi from the Republic of Malawi who works hard to gather metal and scraps to make his dream toy - a galimoto (truck). Using his limited resources, Kondi uses wires and scraps of metal to build his toy, showing the naysayers they were wrong to doubt him. Good, story, great illustrations, and a fun read for various ages (My kids are three and four and a half). Highly recommended!
This little book pulls you into a youngster's life very different from the lives of our children and yet there were engaging elements any child would relate to...formulating an idea...treasure hunting...being wrongly accused...inventing something that functions...sharing the joy of it with others.
What I Like:*The illustrations are beautifully done. They have a spontaneous, almost snapshot quality with the line drawing you might find in a sketchbook.*It's good to have a children's book about a village setting. Great details about how people use certain materials or the gendered division of labor. The boy spends all day making a toy while his sisters grind maize, haha. Focus is still on the story, unlike some books which have a documentary or textbook feel to them.*My almost-two year old sits through the entire book because the text flows well and he can follow the pictures. Each page has multiple paragraphs, so this is an accomplishment on the part of the writer.Criticisms:*Some of the dialogue feels a little stilted or over the top. When the boy cuts in line to ask for parts for his toy, the women waiting to grind maize say angrily "You keep us waiting for a children's plaything. One cannot eat wires." This sounds like a cliche rather than what someone would really say. I haven't spent time in a village like this myself, so I don't know if the little hostilities in the book are normal or just the author trying to make more obstacles for her protagonist.--Mae Hodges
When I taught elementary school, I used this book constantly. I'm always reminded of Tom Sawyer as the young boy becomes very resourceful in trying to obtain the wire he needs to put together his push-toy. In the classroom, the book lends itself easily to critical thinking opportunities as kids are exposed to a unique and different world and way of life. It leaves many feeling grateful for what they have. And though the book's young hero leads a life so different from their own, children readily identify with the boy's up hill struggle to get what he wants. That, they all understand. It's a great read for home or school.Chris BowenAuthor of, "Our Kids: Building Relationship in the Classroom"(just a click away...check it out)
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