Peter, a white American, is entirely at home in a Malawian village. He slides down anthills in the hot sun, chews sugarcane with his friend Yekha, and runs with the goats. When he has to go to America with his parents, he feels displaced, and waits patiently until their joyful return to the village, where he is once again at home. Williams evokes Africa as the ultimate playground, a place of warmth, belonging, and freedom.
Cooper’s luminous paintings in oranges, yellows, greens, and blues contribute to this image, as they show Peter and Yekha playing against a background of shimmering heat. The warmth of that country is contrasted starkly with the cold of winter in America. Peter’s story tends to lose its flow in the descriptions of daily life. However, continuity is provided by frequent use of the phrase, “when Africa was home…” The book is successful as a read-aloud, but the print is also large enough for independent reading.
Reading level: age 4-7 years.