rafIki
productions
KENNY'S BOOKS
AFRICAN KINDOMS OF THE PAST
Simon & Schuster/Dillon Press, 1994 – 1996
The Western Sudan
Why did the kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay flourish in the western Sudan? Why did they eventually vanish? What traces of them remain today? Stories of kings whose praises are still sung, of wealth beyond imagination, of battles for power, of the coming of Islam, and of ancient trade routes spanning an entire continent illustrate the complex flow of events over 2,000 years of the region’s history.
The Guinea Coast​
Who founded the kingdom of Oyo? What drove the warring Ashanti to form a federation? Andy why did Benin go down in history as “The City of Blood”? Ancient stories and more recent eyewitness reports relate the series of historic events that built and destroyed these great kingdoms. Despite the ravages of the slave trade and the crushing pressures of colonialism, these stories live on, celebrated to this day in Africa and throughout the African diaspora.
West Central Africa​
For almost 400 years, the fate of west central Africa – now Angola – was driven by the slave trade. How was Afonso, king of Kongo, involved? Why was Beatrice Kimpa Vita burned at the stake? And how did Queen Njinga outsmart the Portuguese authorities? There are no longer kings and queens in Angola. But the tradition of resistance to colonial power continued well into the twentieth century.
Southern Africa
Gold, fertile land, and diamonds brought European invaders to southern Africa. What did they find in Monomotapa? Who lived to tell the tales of the notorious Zulu king, Shaka? And why did the Basuto king Moshweshwe retreat to his “Mountain of the Night?” These stories bring to light African, Dutch, and British rivalries throughout the region’s turbulent history.
NORTHEAST AFRICA
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Along the Nile River, the kingdoms of ancient Egypt and Kush flourished, leaving behind their stories, carved in stone. What mysteries still surround Hatshepsut’s reign as pharaoh? And how could Piye, the Nubian king of Kush, defeat almighty Egypt? Did Ezana, Ethiopian king of Aksum, deliver the final blow to the Kushite kingdom of Meroe? New research reveals fascinating details in the lives and times of these ancient rulers.
East Africa
Medieval chronicles relate how Muslims settled on the East African coast, known as Zenj, where the African-Arab Suaheli culture evolved. Here, Sultan Hasan ibn Ali founded Kilwa, gateway to the lucrative gold trade. How did Zenj survive two centuries of Portuguese invasions? And what brought Zenj traders to the kingdom of Buganda, where King Mutesa entertained European explorers? These stories illuminate the complex history of trade and settlement in the region.​
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ISABEL, FERDINAND AND FIFTEENTH CENTURY SPAIN
Benchmark Books/Marshall Cavendish 2001
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Isabel of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon – known as the Catholic Monarchs – ruled Spain in the fifteenth/sixteenth century during a period that bridged the medieval era and the Renaissance. Their reign is seen as one of the most significant periods of history both in Spain and in the rest of Europe and the New World.
Isabel and Ferdinand were extraordinary individuals who enjoyed a harmonious marriage. They united the many disparate kingdoms and provinces that made up the Iberian Peninsula in the fifteenth century, forming the bedrock for modern Spain. They reduced the power of the nobility in Castile while gaining almost absolute power for the Crown. The royal couple encouraged the arts and letters, and ushered in a new age of brilliance and prosperity for Spain. They also funded Christopher Columbus’s epic journey to the Indies, thus opening up the New World to European trade and exploration and affording Spain untold wealth in gold, silver and other goods from the Americas. The monarchs also initiated the Spanish Inquisition in an effort to cleanse Spain of so-called heretics. This category included Jews, who were expelled from Spain, and Muslims, who were driven from their last stronghold in the kingdom of Granada.
School Library Journal
Cynthia M. Sturgis, Lending Library, Milwaukee, OR
Gr 6-9-
Good-quality full-color photographs, reproductions, drawings, and maps combine with lucid texts to create informative and attractive research sources on ancient cultures. The Ancient Hebrews discusses the social and religious history of the Jewish people and its influence on modern Judaism, and touches on the relationship between present-day Israel and Arab countries.
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The Ancient Hebrews
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Benchmark Books / Marshall Cavendish, 1999.
“Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee.”
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According to Jewish tradition, this is the message that Abraham, the first Hebrew in recorded history, received from God some four thousand years ago. On this momentous occasion begins the recorded history of the Hebrew people.
Did Abraham – who is also considered to be the father of the Muslim people – really receive such a message? Did he and his family really exist? This book explores the many journeys of the Hebrew people and the evolution of their belief in one god. Many illustrations as well as clear maps, a timeline, a glossary of Hebrew terms and a bibliography help readers find their way through the complexities of Hebrew faith and history from Abraham to the present time.
Lawrance M. Bernabo, Duluth, MI, for Amazon Books
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The way in which “The Ancient Hebrews” volume of the Cultures of the Past series is different from others is that the illustrations are mostly paintings rather than archaeological artifacts, which is particularly telling as to what centuries of dispute over the Holy Land have done to such treasures. In this volume Kenny Mann basically provides a historical perspective on the people and history of the Bible.
Mann follows the standard five chapter format of the series in examining the history, culture, religion, daily life, and legends of the Jewish people: (1) In the Beginning deals with their history, from first arriving in the Promised Land to the triumph of the Romans; (2) A Living Faith covers their belief system, from God and the Prophets to the Torah; (3) The Tellers of the Tales provides a concise look at the Hebrew Bible and the Jewish tradition of religious scholarship as their cultural history; (4) The Universal Way examines the relationship between beliefs and society; and (5) Past,, Present, and Future deals with the legacy of the Hebrews from the idea of trade as a tool for survival in the Arab world to the nation of Israel. Obviously the chief attraction of this book for young readers is how it goes beyond the Bible to provide a look at the history and culture of the Hebrew people. The back of the book includes a time line of the history of the ancient Hebrews, a glossary, books for further reading, a bibliography, and an index.
I AM NOT AFRAID
A Bank Street Ready-to-Read Book, Level 2/Bantam Books, 1993
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This is an early reader for children ages three and up who are on their way to reading independently but who may need help. The story is a retelling of a Maasai folktale about how a young warrior teaches his younger brother to have courage. Richly illustrated with original drawings, the book affords readers a glimpse into both the culture and the landscape of the Maasai people of East Africa, while simultaneously addressing some universal issues of childhood.
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REVIEW FROM H-NET
Reviewed by Sarah Manyika (University of California, Berkeley)
Published on H-AfrTeach (September, 1998)
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‘I am not Afraid!’ is a story of two brothers who travel together while tending their cattle. There is no reference to a geographical or cultural setting in this story but the author’s note indicates that it is based on a Masai tale. The youngest brother, Leyo, is frightened when the river roars at him for “stealing” its water and when the tree from which he chops firewood accuses him of “stealing” its branches. Such conversations between humans and inanimate objects of nature are an accurate reflection of a style that is common in many Masai tales.
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Tipilit (the elder brother) shows Leyo how to take from nature without being afraid. He explains to Leyo that if he takes only what he needs and no more, he does not have to fear the river or the trees. Tipilit’s character exemplifies courage and bravery which are two character traits highly valued amongst the Masai. Leyo learns much from his elder brother on how to be respectful rather than fearful of nature. At the end of the story Leyo is caught by what the author describes as a nine-headed “demon.” It would have been more accurate for the author to refer to this nine-headed being by its traditional name of “oga” or to refer to it as a “one-eyed monster” rather than label it a “demon.” When Leyo is caught by the one-eyed monster, Tipilit once again comes to the rescue by fighting off the monster and showing no fear. The book concludes with Leyo modeling the fearlessness of his brother. The strength of this book lies in its exploration of the importance of respecting nature. Young children will also be captivated by the suspense that is created in the face of fearful events.
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(Wiseacre Books, 1995)
This is a collection of short stories about white women and their black servants in Africa. This beautifully produced, hand-made book is illustrated by Gabriele T. Raacke with evocative black- and- white drawings.
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Compiled and edited by Kenny Mann. Published by the People’s Decade of Human Rights Education (PDHRE), Manhattan, 2005.
This compilation of reports from human rights educators and practitioners all over the world emphasizes the importance of human rights education at the community level. It argues that individuals must be aware of their human rights to effectively claim them and participate in collective action. The report advocates for a framework that motivates citizens to learn, understand, and act in accordance with human rights and dignity. A handbook for human rights practitioners in the field. Download the entire book for free when you click on the title.
