"A valuable work for early lessons on the environment and small-scale community action, and a reminder that one person can bring about change even in difficult circumstances."—School Library Journal

02/01/2019

Gr 2–5—As a young child in Cameroon, Tantoh Nforba loved to play in his grandmother's vegetable garden and was eager to learn how soil, water, and weather influenced the production of food. Although his friends teased him about his low aspirations, he was determined to become a farmer. A severe bout with typhoid fever brought on by drinking polluted water made him aware of the lack of available clean water to his countrymen. Nforba's passionate interest in sustainable farming, the environment, and clean water sources has resulted in the education of a growing number of local communities and farmers. He has organized village groups to dig wells, create organic farms, and reduce pollution. Bold full-color collage illustrations bring to life his home in Nkambe and the surrounding countryside, and photographs of Nforba and his family add to the reality of the inspirational story. The authors share African proverbs, both ancient and modern, that have motivated Nforba and his community. VERDICT A valuable work for early lessons on the environment and small-scale community action, and a reminder that one person can bring about change even in difficult circumstances.—Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, formerly at Trinity-Pawling School, NY

2018-11-12

An illustrated biography of Tantoh Nforba, a man who improves lives in Cameroon by helping communities access clean water and take pride in farming.

The book starts with promise: a collage of lush, sloping land with small black figures carrying water. "This is northwestern Cameroon. Green. Wet. Alive." Unfortunately, the pages that follow describe his career in an overlong and meandering present-tense narration. A young boy named Tantoh plays in the soil in his grandmother's plot and learns from her how to garden. Tantoh's father encourages his interest in farming, but his peers tease him with the nickname "Farmer" as a put-down. His older brother encourages him to excel in school so that he can get an office job and support the family, but Tantoh doesn't want an office job. He continues working the land, learning about it, and networking. Following college, he goes on to help his hometown create gardens and to help other villages locate clean water, build catchments to access it, and build reservoirs to hold water for times of drought. His work inspires many, and young people are no longer ashamed of farming. The simple beauty and variety of Zunon's images provide enough places for eyes to rest to carry readers through the text, the dappling of her papers adding texture.

Children may not eagerly embrace this earnest homage to a worthy subject, but those with long-enough attention spans will take in some gems. (authors' note, glossary, map, proverbs, photos) (Picture book/biography. 8-12)