GUGU'S HOUSE

Written and illustrated
by Catherine Stock

CLARION BOOKS

It is summer and the dry season in Zimbabwe. There has been no rain for a long time. The village is dry and dusty. Kukamba is visiting with her grandmother. Gugo, her grandmother is an artist. She teaches Kukamba how to mix ashes and charcoal to make paint, how to make a brush from goat hair. They create many wonderful statues and paintings of zebras, elephants and birds. But the men and women of the village come home hot, dusty and tired. Crops and animals are dying because of the lack of water. One night the rains come. One by one the people come out of their houses to celebrate . There is dancing and singing. After several days of rain the sun comes out. Sadly, however, the paintings are washed away and the statues are piles of clay. Kukamba is crushed.

Gugu helps Kukamba realize that the paintings, and statues can be recreated. Ending can be a a part of a new beginning. That the seasons of nature are part of the cycle of life. It is good lesson.

The watercolor illustrations by the author are superb. . Renewal is an important concept for children to understand. The illustrations make the message of the story come alive.

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