Jambo Means Hello: A Swahili Alphabet Book

jambo means hello is an informational book that teaches basic Swahili words that correspond to each letter in the alphabet.The Swahili words listed are defined in English and presented with a pronunciation key. A passage describing African culture pertaining to that particular word is also on the same page.Muriel Feelings uses a double-page layout to provide the reader a chance to think about that Swahili word before the next one is presented. The black and white illustrations, that expand upon the text, are composed with white tempura paint, black ink and linseed oil. An author and illustrator biography as well as an introduction to Africa are other parts of the book worth reading. This Caldecott Honor book is fun and informative. It gives a good introduction to Swahili and some east African culture.This book provides the reader with detailed descriptions that influence further investigations of this foreign culture and language.

Words alone will not serve this book justice. This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. My soon to be 2 yr old daughter borrowed this book from our first trip to the library when she was only 14 months old. Of the 5 or 6 "children's books" we borrowed, this was the ONLY book she wanted to read. So, we read it over and over until we had to renew our borrowing time, then finally after a little searching over this last summer, we bought it used from an old library. It is now in our collection forever. The illustrations of course are the most exquisite, and the representations of the alphabet give any reader a taste of Swahili culture and pride. My daughter knows every word in this book, because it is part of her culture and the book is so enticing, she egged to learn more from this pair of author/illustrator. Needless to say, if my 2 yr old loves it, I'm sure it'll please other readers as well.

This Swahili alphabet books presents a Swahili word for each letter of the alphabet representing important aspects of East African life and culture, from the grand (e.g., "ibada means worship" or "uzuri means beauty") to the more commonplace (e.g., "embe is a mango" or "punda is a donkey"). The illustrations are in warm shades of black and gray and represent the diverse peoples and landscapes of the wide region of Africa where Swahili is spoken. The introduction describes where Swahili is spoken, including a map. This book is clearly written for outsiders and, as such, may be best described as a kind of social conscience book. Too often people in the United States speak of Africa as if it is a monolithic culture and this book may help to counteract that narrow perspective by honoring a variety of aspects of African culture. I especially like the scenes and activities portrayed in this book, from rural to urban, traditional to contemporary. My favorite page is "uzuri means beauty," with its description and illustration of two women, one with a crown of braided hair and the other with a shaved head and multiple pierced ears and its explanation that "Beauty means different things in different parts of Africa." The nicely written introduction reinforces this concept.

Originally published in 1974, "Jambo Means Hello" made waves when it first appeared. The book strives to present East African lifestyles for the viewer using a technique that produces the 24 letters of the Swahili alphabet. Each letter is the beginning of a word in Swahili, and the text and pictures illustrate how this word fits into the daily interactions of Eastern Africans. From the "A" of arusi (a wedding) to the Z of the zeze (a stringed instrument) the reader is given a series of interesting situations and illustrations. Now when this book first came out it was unique in its field. Since the 1970s, however, our standards for non-fiction picture books have risen a little and "Jambo Means Hello" is not necessarily the best book of its kind anymore. Looking at it today is an interesting exercise in changing perceptions. First of all, I'd like to commend author Muriel Feelings for her incredibly informative Introduction. Producing a map of Africa that clearly delineates the countries where Swahili is the primary language, she explains about the continent, the people, and the fact that Swahili hasn't a Q or X sound. The book then enters into the letters, accompanied by Tom Feelings's pencil and ink drawings. These pictures are entirely respectful of their subjects. People, objects, and the land itself are presented beautifully here. Though the illustrations are all black and white, you do not feel the lack of color is a loss of any kind. I haven't any problems with the illustrations of this book, but I do feel that the text is a bit outdated at times. First of all, the author makes rather grand sweeping statements about East Africans, lumping them all into a group and making it seem as if people from the Congo partake in the same ceremonies, customs, and dress as the people of Somalia. This is my primary problem with the book, but there are other small difficulties as well. For one thing, there aren't any signs of modernization or contemporary attitudes in this book, which is odd. Large cities and technological advances are pretty much ignored on the whole. Then there is the introduction's statement that this book is specifically for children of African ancestry, as if kids from other cultures wouldn't get anything out of this collection. Still, these problems aren't huge and a little well-placed modernization and editing could eliminate them altogether. Kids reading this book will delight to recognize such Swahili words as Rafiki (friend), remembering that charming monkey from "The Lion King". They'll enjoy the elegant sweeping pictures and depictions. An enjoyable (and greatly needed) book, this is certain to continue to garner fans as the years go by. Though bigger better books exploring the nature of Africa and its inhabitants exist, I recommend you at least give a glance to the charming, "Jambo Means Hello".

Following the idea that language cannot be separated from the culture that speaks it, this book introduces children to some basic words and customs of the people who traditionally speak Swahili. Any child interested in foreign languages, or perhaps just the names in the Lion King (taken from Swahili, Simba=lion, Rafiki=friend)will appreciate this simple introduction to another language and culture. Older children may even be motivated to learn more on their own. I highly recommend it.