A Kwanzaa Fable

School Library Journal

Gr 5-7--Freshman year in high school is a difficult time for 13-year-old Jordan, an African American teen who has always had good grades and been active in sports. His mother died many years ago, and now his father's fatal heart attack means that his grandmother will raise him and his younger siblings. He looses interest in family and school, and chooses new friends who encourage partying and theft. When he is accused of stealing, he realizes that his behavior does not follow the way of his heritage. He learns to apply the principles of Kwanzaa to his life. Talented actor Gregory T. Daniel reads this fable by Eric Copage, experienced author on Kwanzaa, with appropriate expression. He is careful not to let the sad passages become maudlin or overly dramatic. Changes in his voice enable listeners to differentiate the sex and age of the characters. The speed of his voice varies with the different moods of the text. Instrumental sound effects depict the passage of time, and vocal echoes add variety to the narration. Useful for Black Studies and classes dealing with character education in general, this story presents the moral of "right living."--Claudia Moore, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA