The Day of Ahmed's Secret Trade Book

This book is an excellent choice for the study of multicultural issues in elementary school. Ahmed is a boy who lives in Cairo, Egypt and he uses a donkey cart to deliver cans of fuel. He is proud of the fact that he can handle the donkey by himself and carry the cans up the stairs unaided. The story is a chronology of one of his days delivering his goods. He recites the people he sees every day as well as the sights and sounds of the streets of Cairo. The time setting appears to be in the 1950's or 1960's. There are cars on the streets and they appear to be of that age. Ahmed and his father also briefly discuss the desert and the Nile River, the two geographical features that make Egypt what it is. This day is also a bit special for Ahmed, for when the day is done, he reveals the exciting news that he has been saving for his family, the fact that he can write his name. Ahmed is simultaneously an ordinary and extraordinary Arab boy, just like all other boys around the world. Children of other cultures will learn much from reading about him.

I came across this book at the Dearborn Arab-American Festival, the largest Arab festival in North America. And I'm so glad I did. Vivid illustrations, and an engrossing storyline. Heide reveals a very realistic Cairo street life, unknown to most Western adults, and here very easy for kids to relate to through the eyes of the young child, Ahmed. I smiled as I read and saw different scenes, like the rose-water man, and remembered walking through Cairo and seeing these very people. The scenes are gritty- not white-washed, yet also very relationally connected, with people caring for each other and showing true hospitality, the hallmark of Egyptian life. This child isn't a terrorist; it's a young child; it's real life. When he finally reveals his secret, it's the joy of a child first learning to read, just like any Western or American child. But he's also truly Egyptian- he presents his name in Arabic. After we read this, I and the children in the library learned to write our names in Arabic, and then we *had* to get some rosewater ice cream, in order to fully immerse ourselves in the book. If you can get ahold of it, I highly recommend!

An especially beautiful and thought-provoking book. The story transports us to Cairo, Egypt, where we are invited to observe a day in the life of a young Egyptian boy who sells gas canisters to help his family, all the while, harboring a secret. A must read if you are interested in learning about other cultures, and about the lives of millions of children around the world. The authors capture the culture, a sense of the language (poetic), the spirit of the people, as well as their philosophy of life. We even get some idea of the geography and history of Egypt; and all of this in a children's book. This is truly an wholistic piece of work. The illustrator does a marvelous job of capturing the sights and colors of Cairo. I have been so impressed by this book as to have recommended it to countless students and teachers in the school system where I teach. I have even been moved to write and thank the authors, who graciously responded. I would also highly recommend the authors' other two books in this trilogy of stories set in the Middle East: 'The House of Wisdom' set in ninth-century Baghdad, Iraq (poetic), and 'Sami and the Time of the Troubles' set in modern day Lebanon. [Read an interview with the authors in November 1999 issue of 'Book Links' magazine.]

I love this book because it conveys better than any book I've seen the magic of the breakthrough to literacy. The excitement of this working class boy who will now embark upon a whole new world because he has the first tool captures a precious moment in every child's life - and all this is accomplished with a text and illustrations that are bright and alive.

I loved this book. it is amazing. the words are lovely, the plot enchanting, and the illustrations are superb. if you can avoid it, don't let anyone tell you ahmed's secret until you can read it for yourself. it's well worth reading the whole thing to find it.