The Song of the Molimo: A Pygmy at the St. Louis World's Fair

I'm not a writer. But, clearly, Jane Cutler is. So, please excuse this quick, poorly written review.I got this book because I am directing a documentary about the 1904 World's Fair and thought the book might be interesting. My 9-year-old son asked if I would read it to him one night - like we had done when he was much younger. He absolutely loved it. When I had completed the first few pages, he said "this is a pretty good book". Every night he HAD to have me read more...To the point of him wanting to go to bed early (that NEVER happens) so that I could read "Molimo" to him. When his favorite movie, Harry Potter, came out on DVD, I was amazed to see him stop watching mid-movie because it was time to read "Molimo"! A few weeks later when I finished reading the last line and said "the end", the first words out of his mouth were "can we read it again?". We are currently on our third read through. If THAT's not a glowing recommendatin, I don't know what is!

I read this book to my two sons. Parts of it were too sophisticated for my six year old, but my ten year old really enjoyed it. He also read it at school. I appreciate the way Ms Cutler dealt with racism within the time frame of the story. She clearly conveyed the unquestioning attitudes of that time, and yet let Harry gradually realize what he was seeing didn't fit the 'facts' as they were presented by others. This was a good history lesson for my children. They not only learned alot about the St. Louis World's Fair, but also about common attitudes during that time, and the value of thinking for oneself.