Masai and I

by Virginia L. Kroll, Nancy Carpenter (Illustrator)

In school one day, a little girl named Linda learns about East Africa and a tall, proud people called the Masai "If I were a Masai"' Linda wonders, "would I live in an apartment building the way I do now? Would I have a pet hamster of a new pair of sneakers? What would my family be like if I were Masai?"

Linda's observations celebrate things that are different and theings that are the same, as her imagination opens the door to a place where Masai might be I, and I, Masai.

Genres: Picture Books, Africa, Childrens, Cultural, Family, Fiction, Kenya

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Kroll has written numerous children's books since her career started in the mid-80's. Her first book was published in 1992. She started writing when she had her fourth child. Before that, she taught elementary school in Buffalo, NY. She also has written a number of books under the pseudonym Melrose Cooper to mask her tremendous output in so short a time.

Reviews

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

What would it be like to be Masai, a native of southern Kenya or northern Tanzania?

[Anne Mukendi]

Masai and I is a fiction book written by Virginia Kroll and Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. The style of the book is very simple and easy to read. In this book, the main character compares her own life with what she has learned in school about East Africa and its inhabitants. I like this book because the main character attempts to put herself in someone else’s shoes. The artwork throughout the book is realistic and warm. Another thing that I enjoyed about the book is the comparison of western scenes to masai scenes. The way that the author changes the scenery without losing the message is so beautiful to me. I just love the way the main character tries to understand another culture. I believe this book is appropriate for 2nd grade students and im not sure if they would be very interested in the book.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda learns about East Africa at school and about the Masai people who live there. She feels a connection to these people and this way of life and for the rest of the book compares her experiences to what they would be if she were Masai. This book shares this theme of similarities and difference with Mirror by Jeannie Baker where two lives are shown but there are more similarities than differences.

Its exciting to read a book that represents BAME so well where the main character and her story represents these people but also doesn’t make a big deal out of it - whereby there are offered a fair representation without over dramatising features and making the whole book about the fact they are BAME but focuses on experiences and excitement instead.

I love how the images show Linda as she is but also how she imagines herself to be if she lived in Africa.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite part of the book is the end where the young woman looks in the mirror and loves her reflection.

[What April's Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustration on each page show Linda's life in a city and what it would be like if she lived with the Masai tribe in Africa. We very much enjoyed this book.

[Vincent Nyariki · Rating 5 out of 5]

allow me to read the book

[Rhiannon Hancox · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I instantly liked about this book is that it isn’t the stereotypical white character comparing themselves with stereotypical poor, ethnic minority characters. It is a young, ethnic minority girl who lives seemingly in a city and she learns about East Africa. She feels a connection to this and it excites her. For the the rest of the day she thinks about all the activities she does and how the Masai people would do it too. She seems to love the way that they live and is very respectful towards them. The differences between her and then are not always wealth related which is refreshing, for example, sometimes it is about relationships and family. This book is worth reading and most definitely worth sharing with children, especially those who need to see BAME representation in books.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl compares her life in the U.S. to what it might be like if she were a member of the Masai after learning about them in school. It's an unusual book, but the writing is structured well and the idea is interesting. It's not a typical topic for a picture book, so it leads me to want to try some writing activity with it. It would be a good book to use as a model in the classroom. Well done.

[Faloni © · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masai and I by Virginia L. Kroll beautifully weaves a story of self-discovery as a little girl imagines her life among the Masai people of East Africa. 🌍✨ With vivid illustrations and thoughtful prose, it bridges cultural understanding while celebrating identity and dreams. Perfect for sparking conversations about diversity and empathy in young readers. 📚❤️

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[Stephanie Littig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Linda compared the goings on of her every day life with what it would be like if she were Masai. I liked how the pages showed this as well. They blended well together. The illustrations were beautiful too. The final page was a lesson of loving the skin we are in. Great multicultural book.

[Maeve · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl learns about the Masai people and their traditions and customs; and she compares those to the traditions and customs in her life.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An African-American girl in the USA compares her life with that of a Masai girl her age living in Africa.

[IUS F19 Keisha Levi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Culturally diverse book-Africa.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Masai and I is a fictional children’s book written by a former teacher named Virginia Kroll whose fifth-grade class inspired her to write the book. The main character is a young girl named Linda who learns about East Africa in class and begins to question what life would be like if she lived in East Africa, among a people called the Masai. A teacher can use this book as a text-to-world read about environmental literacy, and bring the East African environment to life, one illustration at a time. A teacher could ask students to imagine what their life would be like if they lived in a different environment; students can read up on it, and describe the findings of cultural differences to the class. The author, Virginia Kroll was raised by her parents to respect all people which created an adult fascinated by lifestyle, appearances and cultures. The author and illustrator seamlessly portray an American girl’s family and lifestyle with a East African girls' family and lifestyle. The contrast and collaboration of the young ladies is meaningful and culturally responsive.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book donation from Migrant Even Start in Portland, Maine. This would be a good book to continue discussions on empathy - i.e. how are we the same? It would pair well with "the wind blows" game I use to encourage children to see how they are the same as their peers. You could have students complete a Venn diagram to show the differences between the little girl living in NYC and how she would live if she were still in East Africa by discussing differences in housing, food, water, dessert, after supper playtime, sleep, morning routine and pets. This would be the whole group activity. Next you could pair students together to complete a Venn Diagram together. Students could talk about how their houses are the same and how they are different, how the food they eat is the same and different etc. using Venn Diagrams. I'm definitely going to share this book with my class.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Review: Children's Literature
Prompted by the "tingle of kinship" she felt when she learned about East Africans in school one day, an elementary grader compares her daily customs with those of the people she studied, in Virginia Kroll's Masai And I. Were she Masai, she muses, she'd do many things differently: sleep on cowhide on the bare earth, eat with her mom and other women apart from the men and boys, live among the African animals she sees in the Zoo, and more. Nancy Carpenter's oil and color pencil paintings vivify the wistful musings of a young African-American, entranced by the discovery of a heritage she might share.

Recommendation: 6-8 Years

Notes: Information on East Africa, written by a teacher

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful! I love how Kroll highlighted several normal events and circumstances in Linda's day, then compared them to life as Masai. And Carpenter's illustrations blend seamlessly from one page/culture to the other.

As an elementary school teacher, I see this book as an engaging read-aloud and a wonderful introduction to comparing and contrasting.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

"That day at school, we learned about East Africa and a tall, proud people called the Masai. I feel the tingle of kinship flowing through my veins." And with this, Linda imagines her life in Africa - comparing it to her urban upbringing in America. A nice cross-cultural narrative, ending with: "I come home and stare at my reflection in my bedroom mirror... smooth brown skin over high cheekbones and black eyes that slant up a little when I smile. I like what I see. I tingle again with that feeling about kinship. I would look just like this if I were Masai."

[Emily Conradi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a touching story about a little girl discovering her East African heritage. She takes us through her day comparing commonplace activities and encounters in both a Western culture and in an East African culture.

This would be a book to use when thinking about expanding the cultural horizons of 2nd graders. Though they may not grasp the spatial relationship between here and East Africa, they will start to realize that not everyone lives as they do.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, dreamy illustrations about a young girl talking about her own life, then comparing what would be happening in the same circumstances if she were part of a Masai village community. For example, her Mama says to come home when the streetlights go on, but if she were Masai, she would stay out until "the bats' caves echoed with empty silence'. Beautiful language.

[Krupal Morjaria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Masai and I is about a little girl who learns about the Masai in her class. Many children do not know a lot about other cultures, therefore this book illustrates that it is very important to learn about a culture that is different from yours. The book teaches you about being open-minded and accepting different cultures.

[Christopher Skelskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has great illustrations that help to meld the story of an American girl and her African American counterparts. The kids noticed how the two stories were brought together by the words and the pictures. It really helps kids to think about what it might be like to live in a different part of the world.

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this read for home and for the classroom. It not only presents African culture in a way that is close and human, but also supports self-esteem in african american children. What the protagonist sees in the Masai and in herself is beautiful, and she would not want to change a thing. Very, very valuable message that I can't stress enough.

[Brent Rogers · Rating 1 out of 5]

Linda learns about East Africa and a group of people called the Masai. If I were a Masai"' Linda wonders what her life would be like if she were Masai. This book is about accepting other beliefs and respecting different cultures.

[Whirl Girl]

This story compares the lives of an African-American girl and a Masai girl. I thought the concept might be a little advanced for The Whirl Girl right now, but great in a year.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A skillfully done tale that compares and contrasts life in America with life as a Masai girl in Africa. An excellent way to teach a new culture, in a thoughtful and engaging way.

[Nichola Arnott · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book