The most beautiful village in the world

Mainstream sources of information don't provide many ways for us to visualize Afghanistan as anything other than a dusty, war-ravaged place of despair. And while there may be some truth to that, there is another side to this country and its people, which Kobayashi is intent on portraying in this first book of the Yamo's Village series. The fictional Paghman is a beautiful village filled with lush orchards of plums, apricots, and cherries. A boy named Yamo helps his family harvest the fruit, but misses his brother, who is away at war. Yamo gets to accompany his father to the market to sell the fruit. He is exhilarated and nervous, but with the help of his experienced donkey, manages to navigate the market and sell all his cherries. Readers are treated to beautiful visuals of colorful daily life, dramatic landscapes, and the relatable emotions of a boy just like any child anywhere in the world. For this reason, the war-related ending will come as a shock that adults should be prepared to scaffold.--Amina Chaudhri Copyright 2018 Booklist

This is the story of Yamo, a young Afghan villager who, in the absence of his soldier older brother, Haroon, gets to accompany his dad to the market to help him sell fruits.It is harvest season in the village of Paghnam, and for the first time young Yamo will tag along with his father to the market in order to help sell the cherry harvest. The task is not easy, and Yamo grows more and more disappointed. He has nobody to share his chagrin with besides Pompa, his donkey, carrying all the cherries. The pair's misfortune, however, is soon over: They have one customerand then twoand then threeand soon Yamo has sold everything he had but for one last handful to share with his dad. The latter is proud of Yamo and decides to reward him with a surprise. All is well for Yamo, his family, and the village of Paghnamuntil the war strikes, and it is all gone. Author/illustrator Kobayashi's vivid and colorful illustrations, together with detailed descriptions, effectively convey the lively nature of the village, highlighting the market's hustle and bustle while providing an appreciation of the deep love Yamo has for his dad, his absent brother, and even his donkey. The ending is abrupt, but details in both text (a man who lost his leg in the war) and illustrations (armed men with automatic weapons in some backgrounds) provide some foreshadowing without blunting the shock.A sweet story with an ending that too many children will know. (Picture book. 5-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.