Review of Animal Village

[Rashad Deniro Price]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Animal Village" by Nelda LaTeef.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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For a long time now, the inhabitants of the village of Zindair have been living peacefully, enjoying the abundance of food, water, and good leadership. Things begin to fall apart one particular year when rain doesn't fall and food and water become scarce. Amidst the hopelessness, a tortoise named Timba proposes an idea that could solve these problems. What happens if there is no positive result after days of experimenting with this idea? What will be the fate of this creature, especially considering her lowly status in the community, if the rest of the animals decide to revolt against her?

"Animal Village" is a children's story written and illustrated by Nelda LaTeef. The story contains animal characters, with a lion named Chief Zamboha as the leader of the kingdom. I liked how LaTeef narrated their coexistence and collective struggle for survival. It left me wondering how different this world would be if we adopted such a way of life. High-quality illustrations complement the story, and then a couple of proverbs are thrown here and there. I found the language very simple. I also appreciated the thorough editing done in this book; there was no grammatical error in it.

The positive values and rare wisdom contained in this story appealed to me the most. From the capacity of the tortoise, despite her low status and small stature, to the exceptional leadership of Chief Zamboha, down to the unfolding events following the drought and subsequent plague of hunger and thirst, there are important lessons that will positively shape children's mindset, empowering them to navigate the different phases of life and the realities they each come with. Timba's confidence, tenacity, and spirit of teamwork and forgiveness are exceptional and worth emulating.

I was impressed by the summary provided at the beginning of the story. It gets children acquainted with what to expect without revealing the major developments in the story. I also appreciated the note highlighting certain things about Africa. It offers children a quick learning session. The note provided at the end of the story helped me better understand what inspired this story, bringing me to the richness and uniqueness of African oral tradition. I had an uninterrupted, amazing experience reading this story!

I have no issues to report about this book, and I am excited to rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because of the gripping story, colorful illustrations, wise proverbs, and invaluable moral lessons. I recommend "Animal Village" to readers aged four and eight. The story offers a priceless fun and learning experience.

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Animal Village
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[Rishaunda Lynnette Britton]

This is such an interesting story with lots of lessons to teach children. This book will really add great values to children, especially by making them realize that no knowledge is a waste; if it's not needed now, it could be needed in the future. The character Timba is a practical example of this.