Selavi, That is Life: A Haitian Story of Hope
Grade 1-4–Landowne uses softly rendered, uncluttered pictures and simple text to tell the story of a homeless boy and his friends. The book opens with Sélavi's evocative words, "Not so long ago and not so far away, people with guns could take a family, burn a house and disappear, leaving a small child alone in the world." He joins other children living on the streets of Port-au-Prince and helping one another survive until repressive authorities force them to seek protection at a church meeting. Even the orphanage set up to help them proves unsafe when their murals are destroyed and their new home is burned down. Despite all the difficulties, the children continue to speak out about their needs, eventually establishing a radio station in a rebuilt orphanage. The book deals with complex issues over an extended period of time, so some story transitions are short on details. What does come through are the feelings of fear, anger, and solidarity that bind the youngsters together. A mix of full spreads and small, carefully sequenced illustrations that are varied in scale and tone helps tell the story. Photographs and lengthy endnotes from Landowne and Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat provide valuable background information.Sélavioffers a realistic view of children whose lives are sometimes disconcerting and sometimes hopeful. It will be useful in communities that serve Haitian-Americans, and libraries in which children are exploring issues of social justice.–Barbara S. Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CTCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.