Review by Booklist Review
Using the structure and rhythmic pattern of "The House That Jack Built," this ode to Ethiopian culture tells the story of the creation and use of an important cloth known as a Gabi. It starts at the very beginning with the planting of a cotton seed. Then, the story continues through farming the cotton, weaving the cloth, decorating it, and selling it in a store, where Genet purchases it as a gift for her husband, Girma. The Gabi is then shown being worn on special occasions, such as Easter and Christmas celebrations, and in the company of visiting friends, as well as being used as a blanket to cover Genet and Girma's children. Colorful full-page illustrations depict scenes from the story in a style reminiscent of Ethiopian embroidery. The artwork adds even more details about Ethiopian culture, food, family life, and celebrations to the explanations in the text. A glossary helpfully includes pronunciations for Amharic terms, and an author's note expands upon the Gabi's use and significance. A well-crafted homage.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3--With the cumulative rhyme scheme that echoes "Here Is the House that Jack Built," this story opens on a cottonseed about to be placed into the soil in close-up: "This is the cottonseed, oval and slight, hugged by the soil and warmed with light-- to sprout the Gabi that Girma wore." The hand that plants it is articulated, brown, and very careful; ladybugs on nearby plants seem to look on approvingly. As the story continues, the cotton plant grows under sun and rain, creating a snowy effect on hills as the cotton bolls split open; that's when readers meet the farmer, who will harvest the cotton, take it to be cleaned and turned into threads that will be woven into the Ethiopian cloth known as a Gabi. The cloth is decorated, goes to market, and is purchased by the good woman Genet, who delivers it to Girma, an elegant man who attends ceremonies in it but also shares it with children who use it as a tent. The story does not stick to the strict "Here is the House…" scheme but ebbs and flows with small details about weaving, or the trip to market; in this way children learn in-depth what a Gabi means from start to finish. A winsome piece of industry, charmingly told, and perfect for reading aloud. Tesfay's illustrations simply vibrate with color, movement, and details for children to pore over. VERDICT A glorious, too-brief glimpse of Ethiopia for elementary-age children, this will send them off to do further research on textiles and cultures.--Kimberly Olson Fakih
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The journey of an Ethiopian garment, from the literal seeds of its inception all the way to the people who wear it proudly. The Gabi, defined in the glossary as "a multilayered traditional Ethiopian cloth," starts out as cottonseed sown into the rich brown earth. Rich digital illustrations show the cotton sprouting and growing, a farmer plucking fluffy white fibers from the plant, and shemanes (the Amharic word for weavers) working the heddles and wooden treadles of the looms to produce workable textiles. Cumulative verse, similar to "The House That Jack Built," shows what a slow--but meaningful--process it is ("This is the cottonseed, oval and slight…to sprout the Gabi that Girma wore"). As the Gabi takes shape, with an amber and burgundy border woven into the white fabric, rhyming narration thoughtfully emphasizes the "brightness and light" that decorate the garment. At the marketplace, the Gabi sits alongside other wares before being bought by a woman named Genet, who gives it to a man named Girma. The authors place this purchase into cultural context, making it clear how important it is to Girma; he wears his Gabi on festive occasions and at church on Christmas and Easter, and he and a whole family of smiling and loving faces snuggle up under it on the couch. An illuminating tale of the love and care that go into creating this East African garment. (authors' note) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
