Module 11: 14 Cows for America

Summary

This is the true story of a Maasai student, Kimeli Naiyomah, living in New York City who witnessed the terrorist attack at the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.  The story details a visit back to his village in Kenya where he tries to explain what he saw to the other villagers.  The writer, Carmen Agra Deedy, successfully paints a picture in the reader’s head about the nature of the Maasai people and the illustrator, Thomas Gonzalez, manages to capture it in beautiful, colorful illustrations as well.  There is a warmth and kindness that comes across that helps you understand Kimeli Naiyomah’s deep love for his family and their community.  The reader learns that cows are treasured animals in the Maasai tribe and that they represent life, without them they might starve.  The cows are loved and respected like family members.  Naiyomah was deeply saddened by what he witnessed in New York City and he shares the story with the elders and then the remaining villagers.  He is moved to offer his only cow, Enkarus, in honor of those impacted by the terrorist attack.  He asks for the blessing of the elders, and is touched when they offer 13 more cows.  These cows, once blessed in a traditional ceremony, will never be slaughtered and will live long, comfortable lives.  The offering of a cow is substantial for any Maasai, and the symbolism of the gesture is a powerful statement about their feelings of compassion for others.

There is a two page note from Kimeli Naiyomah in the back of the book that gives a follow up to the story.  The 14 cows are flourishing under the careful watch of a Maasai elder.  They have calved and, as of 2009, number 35.  They still represent the strong connection that the Maasai feel for the people in a city that most of them can only imagine.

Deedy, C. A. (2009). 14 cows for America. Atlanta, Peachtree Publishers.

Impressions
Deedy's writing style reminds me of how poets write.  She chooses her words carefully so that even young readers can enjoy and understand the story.  Her words and the illustrator's drawings paint a vivid picture of Kimeli Naiyomah and the Maasai people.  The heart of the story is about one group's compassion and sympathy for another after a tragedy.   Naiyomah took the story of New York and 9/11 to his people in Kenya, and Deedy brought this powerful story to us.  I think it has the potential to inspire readers to learn more about the Maasai culture and traditions as well as the events of 9/11.

Professional Review

Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah is about to return home, to a small village in Kenya.  He has been studying to become a doctor in the United States. Amid a joyous homecoming, the children in the village ask if he has brought any stories.  He has only one: one that has "burned a hole in his heart."  Naiyomah was in New York City on September 11.  In gentle yet piercing present-tense prose, storyteller Deedy introduces readers to a young Maasai scholar who wants nothing more than to help a nation heal.  In Maasai tradition, cows are sacred, and Naiyomah asks the elders to bless his cow so he can offer it to grieving Americans.  In an incredible show of compassion and strength, other villagers join him.  Fourteen cows in all, from one tiny Kenyan village, prove that hope and friendship can cross all boundaries. Gonzalez's saturated paintings, glowing with oranges, reds, and browns, radiate a warmth that is matched only by the Maasai's generosity.  A stirring, heartwarming tale that made headlines when it happened--and is now, thankfully, preserved on the page for children.

Kirkus. (2009). [Review of the book 14 cows for America, by C. Deedy]. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/carmen-agra-deedy/14-cows-for-america/ 

Library Uses
This would be an excellent book for a discussion about author's purpose, imagery, symbolism, or cause and effect.  Inferencing skills can be used to discuss the actions of Naiyomah and the villagers, as well as the reaction of the Americans when they received the gift of 14 cows. There are opportunities for activities related to the study of cultures, geography, and government.