"Young readers and listeners will follow Ndito on a joyous romp through the Kenyan countryside as she heads to school. Dressed in a uniform, she begins her journey running through her village, passing various inhabitants in their native dress. As she heads out on the savanna, she imagines being a number of animals, which are pictured, including a dik-dik, crane and flamingo. Van der Merwe, a South African artist, makes a promising picture book debut as her acrylic paintings fill the pages, bringing both the African countryside and the young protagonist to life. In her acknowledgments, Anderson points out how "Most children in the Kenyan highlands grow up running miles each day to get to school, and several have gone on to join the ranks of the fastest runners in the world." Even with the increasing number of multicultural titles being published, few have this book’s melding of illustration and text. Pair it with one of Hugh Lewin’s "Jafta" stories to take youngsters on a trip to a different part of the world." -- School Library Journal

"A small girl in the Kenyan highlands runs barefoot from her village home to school. The journey is a way to tell us about her place and her way of life, but it is an exciting world and the wild animals are a natural part of it. The simple, poetic words and the vital brown- and red-shaded acrylic paintings express Ndito’s exhilaration and her connection with nature and with people." -- Booklist

"both narrative and art paint an appealing portrait of an unusually vivacious heroine. Readers are sure to join Ndito in her enthusiasm." -- Publisher's Weekly

"The acrylic paints on canvas "talk" as much as the words about this young girl who runs to school in Kenya. Encourages excellence in women." -- American Bookseller

Ndito Runs 

Ndito Runs
by Laurie Halse Anderson,
Anita Van Der Merwe (Illustrator)

Reading level:
Ages 4-8
Hardcover - 32 pages (March 1996) Henry Holt
and Company;
ISBN: 0805032657 ;
Dimensions
(in inches):
0.42 x 10.35 x 8.38

ABA "Pick of the Lists"
Spring, 1996

Translated into Zulu,
Xhosa, Lesotho,
and Afrikaans

No Time for
Mother's Day

No Time for Mother's Day
by Laurie Halse Anderson,
Dorothy Donohue (Illustrator)

Reading level:
Ages 4-8
Hardcover -
32 pages (May 1999)
Albert Whitman & Co;
ISBN: 080754955X ;
Dimensions (in inches):
0.39 x 8.25 x 10.30

A refreshing story about Mother's Day features a terrifically thoughtful girl who comes up with just the right present. Charity, who is probably in first grade, hears from her teacher that there are two days until Mother's Day. She starts thinking about a gift, dismissing silly suggestions. The next day, she views her multi-tasking mother handling toast, dishwasher, phone, and microwave, maintaining a harried, frantic pace. Anxiety keeps Charity awake Saturday night till she thinks of the perfect gift. She unplugs the clocks and turns off ``everything that beeps or bleeps or buzzes.'' The clever and homey text is illustrated with comic scenes that exaggerate the mother's busy life withoutfor most households making it absurd. Charity's care in coming up with a present is subtly conveyed, making the lesson far more powerful. (Picture book. 5-7) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. From Kirkus Reviews

As time runs out before Mother's Day, Charity tries to think of the perfect gift. After watching Mom juggle household tasks with calls from the office, Charity has an idea: on Mother's Day, she stops all the clocks in the house (and unplugs the fax and anything ''that beeps or bleeps or buzzes''), giving Mom a day of unscheduled time. The illustrations for this pleasant story reflect the busy lives of Charity and her parents. Copyright © 1999 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved. From The Horn Book, Inc.

K-Gr 3-A pleasant offering for that special day. Charity is worried. There are only two days left until Mother's Day, and she can't decide on a present. Suddenly, it's Saturday, and things around the Chatfield house are hectic and noisy. Telephones are ringing, faxed messages are arriving, the dishwasher is noisy, timers are beeping, and Mom has dozens of errands to run. Worst of all, Charity's super-organized cousin has his gift selections all planned. However, in a moment of inspiration late that night, Charity devises the perfect gift for her mother: a day of peace and quiet, all to herself. The illustrations, done in ink and bright watercolors, have a light touch of humor, especially in the characters' expressions. A good companion to Jill Murphy's Five Minutes Peace (Magi, 1995), another humorous view of a mother in search of silence.-Roxanne Burg, Thousand Oaks Library, CA From School Library Journal