First Come the Zebra

Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College of Education Notable Children's Book, Smithsonian Skipping Stones Honor Award, Skipping Stones Magazine Story Telling World Award, Storytelling MagazineThe story of two young Kenyan boys, one Maasai and one Kikuyu, who find a way to overcome their traditional rivalries and become friends.One day when Abaani, a Maasai boy, takes his family's cattle out to graze, he is surprised to see a Kikuyu boy, Haki, tending a new fruit and vegetable stall alongside the road. The boys know of the traditional conflicts between the Maasai and the Kikuyu. They take an immediate dislike to each other. A short while later, as customers surround Haki's stall, a dangerous situation suddenly arises. Abaani calls to Haki, and together they act quickly. Little do the boys know they have also taken the first step in overcoming their differences and forging a path to friendship. Framed by the annual great migration of animals to Kenya, First Come the Zebra