Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya by Donna Jo Napoli, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, Paula Wiseman book (Simon & Schuster), 2010, ISBN 978-1-4169-3505-6.
The story of a remarkable woman, Wangari Maathai, the FIRST African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, the FIRST woman in central or eastern Africa to earn a PhD, the FIRST woman to become the head of any department (in her case, veterinary medicine) at any university in Kenya. She taught the women of Kenya to "plant trees" and in doing so, restored strength and peace to her country and its people. The author states in the Afterword: "Maathai's work is the embodiment of the Kenyan notion of 'harambee'--the spirit of pulling together for the common good." Napoli does a wonderful job of conveying this sense of community in this beautifully written story of a very wise woman. Kadir Nelson's collages are colorful, interesting, and the perfect way to illustrate this simple, peaceful story. It's a strong reminder that one person can do one thing to make a big difference.
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