What do you think?
Rate this book
No Condition Is Permanent
After moving to Sierre Leone, Jodie meets a local village girl, Khadi, who quickly becomes her best friend, yet one night, the quiet village becomes chaotic in dance and Khadi suddenly goes missing which leaves Jodie to worry and wonder about where she could be.
183 pages, Hardcover
First published January 10, 2000
2 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Read
September 5, 2024 14 year old Jodie Nichols is living in California with her mother after her parents divorce. She has moved around the country quite a bit, but the next place she moves will be very different. Her mother, who is a former peace-corps volunteer, needs to return to her old village in Sierra Leone, Africa. This comes as a shock to Jodie, who of course is not happy to leave her home and friends in California, to live in a remote village with no electricity, no plumbing, and no air conditioning.
When they arrive in the small village, it is a major culture shock for Jodie, and of course, she sticks out like a sore thumb because she is the only poo-mui, white girl. The first thing that Jodie notices is that all of the girls are topless, and no one thinks anything of it. The second thing she notices is that all of the huts are very small, and made of mud and rocks. Jodie absolutely hates her first few days she spends in the village, everyone giving her weird looks, her not knowing the language, and the main problem is that she doesn’t know how to do the everyday tasks that she needs to do. Then, one of the village girls comes up to her, her name is Khadi and she starts teaching Jodie how to do the everyday tasks. In those first few weeks, Jodie really starts to get the hang of everyday life in the village, and she and Khadi become very close friends. They are both helping each other, Khadi helps by helping to teach Krio- the village's native language- to Jodie, and helping Jodie learn how to do the chores. On the other hand, Jodie tries to teach Khadi how to read and write.
Everything is going super well between Jodie and Khadi, and Jodie is also starting to love the village and enjoy her life there. Then, one night something strange happened. One of the village’s elders starts a beat on her drums and all of the village women start to dance. Jodie starts to worry not because of the music and dancing, but because she has no idea where Khadi is. The first person Jodie spots is her mom who is dancing along to the music with all of the women. Then, all of the village girls who are around Khadi’s age come out in a line -topless and oiled up- and start to dance with the music. All of the girls have huge smiles on their faces and Jodie is having fun, but also wondering why they are all doing this. During the dance, Jodie looks over at her mother again and she has a very worried look on her face, and Jodies starts to worry as well. That night, Jodie asks her mother what happened out there, and why she looked so worried. Her mother doesn’t tell her anything except for this, “ ‘Tell you what, if “it” becomes an issue, then I’ll get to “it” with you too. With any luck though, you won’t have to know about “it.” ‘ “ (Kessler 59). This only made Jodie feel more frightened about what was to come.
For a while after that night everything was back to normal for the village, although not for Jodie. She wanted to ask Khadi what that night was all about, but she was always too scared. Finally, one day Jodie mustered up the courage to ask Khadi about it. Khadi was very secretive and didn’t really tell Jodie anything, and that made her feel frustrated. The next few days they didn’t speak, but after a while, they were back to being best friends. As more time passes, Jodie starts to get a weird feeling that something is about to happen. She goes to bed and tries to think that everything is normal, and will stay normal. Little does she know, everything is about to change. “ The next morning was the first time Khadi disappeared” (Kessler 85). First thing in the morning, Jodie goes to meet up with Khadi so they can go and get their water together, but Khadi isn’t there, and Khadi always shows up. This resparks the feeling of worry in Jodie, but she tries to let it go, she decides she can’t let it go when she doesn’t see Khadi at all that day.
No Condition Is Permanent is a book that can be read at all ages. It is a story that tells the sad truths about the world, but also the positivity of amazing friendships that can be built in the most unlikely of situations. Throughout this story, Jodie grows so much as a person, but she also helps other people grow. At the beginning, she didn’t want anything to do with the village or how they lived their lives, but by the end, she was longing to go back to a place that she had begun to call home, before she spoiled it all.
When they arrive in the small village, it is a major culture shock for Jodie, and of course, she sticks out like a sore thumb because she is the only poo-mui, white girl. The first thing that Jodie notices is that all of the girls are topless, and no one thinks anything of it. The second thing she notices is that all of the huts are very small, and made of mud and rocks. Jodie absolutely hates her first few days she spends in the village, everyone giving her weird looks, her not knowing the language, and the main problem is that she doesn’t know how to do the everyday tasks that she needs to do. Then, one of the village girls comes up to her, her name is Khadi and she starts teaching Jodie how to do the everyday tasks. In those first few weeks, Jodie really starts to get the hang of everyday life in the village, and she and Khadi become very close friends. They are both helping each other, Khadi helps by helping to teach Krio- the village's native language- to Jodie, and helping Jodie learn how to do the chores. On the other hand, Jodie tries to teach Khadi how to read and write.
Everything is going super well between Jodie and Khadi, and Jodie is also starting to love the village and enjoy her life there. Then, one night something strange happened. One of the village’s elders starts a beat on her drums and all of the village women start to dance. Jodie starts to worry not because of the music and dancing, but because she has no idea where Khadi is. The first person Jodie spots is her mom who is dancing along to the music with all of the women. Then, all of the village girls who are around Khadi’s age come out in a line -topless and oiled up- and start to dance with the music. All of the girls have huge smiles on their faces and Jodie is having fun, but also wondering why they are all doing this. During the dance, Jodie looks over at her mother again and she has a very worried look on her face, and Jodies starts to worry as well. That night, Jodie asks her mother what happened out there, and why she looked so worried. Her mother doesn’t tell her anything except for this, “ ‘Tell you what, if “it” becomes an issue, then I’ll get to “it” with you too. With any luck though, you won’t have to know about “it.” ‘ “ (Kessler 59). This only made Jodie feel more frightened about what was to come.
For a while after that night everything was back to normal for the village, although not for Jodie. She wanted to ask Khadi what that night was all about, but she was always too scared. Finally, one day Jodie mustered up the courage to ask Khadi about it. Khadi was very secretive and didn’t really tell Jodie anything, and that made her feel frustrated. The next few days they didn’t speak, but after a while, they were back to being best friends. As more time passes, Jodie starts to get a weird feeling that something is about to happen. She goes to bed and tries to think that everything is normal, and will stay normal. Little does she know, everything is about to change. “ The next morning was the first time Khadi disappeared” (Kessler 85). First thing in the morning, Jodie goes to meet up with Khadi so they can go and get their water together, but Khadi isn’t there, and Khadi always shows up. This resparks the feeling of worry in Jodie, but she tries to let it go, she decides she can’t let it go when she doesn’t see Khadi at all that day.
No Condition Is Permanent is a book that can be read at all ages. It is a story that tells the sad truths about the world, but also the positivity of amazing friendships that can be built in the most unlikely of situations. Throughout this story, Jodie grows so much as a person, but she also helps other people grow. At the beginning, she didn’t want anything to do with the village or how they lived their lives, but by the end, she was longing to go back to a place that she had begun to call home, before she spoiled it all.
September 6, 2024
“Remember, Jodie, No Condition is Permanent.” This is a quote from a very interesting book called no condition is permanent written by Christina Kessler. It is about a girl, Jodie, who is reluctant to move from her home in America, to Africa, even though her mom reassures Jodie it will be amazing. Jodie really struggles to adjust to how different Africa is than America, and also struggles to make friends. Jodie is torn because her mother is having the time of her life, when all Jodie would like to do is go home to America. She then meets a girl named Khadi, the two girls become inseparable. Jodie’s life turns around. Khadi helps Jodie to learn and adapt in Africa, and in return, Jodie expresses her gratitude for Khadi by giving her the greatest gift she could ever give– “Don’t you see? I'll teach you to read and write. It be de best gift, one sistah to her finest sistah. Please let me–du ya?”– the gift of being able to read and write.
I have to admit that the beginning of the book felt very slow, and it was a little hard to get into. There was no real action in the beginning, and it felt as though the author went into too much detail about the background information. For me, I enjoy when books grab my attention at the beginning of the story, and I know many others feel the same way. No condition is permanent struggled to pick up in action until after Jodie had moved to Africa, settled in and met Khadi. However, after continuing to read I found myself becoming more and more engaged with the story. I loved the heartwarming pieces about Africa strengthening Jodie and her mother’s relationship, as well as the bond between Jodie and Khadie. I really enjoyed how no condition is permanent reminded the reader that no condition really is permanent, and everything can change!
While the beginning of the story started off slow, I feel the opposite way about the ending. For as much build up as no condition is permanent had in the beginning, the ending was very quick! My personal opinion is that everything happened so quickly all at once. I was slightly confused reading the ending because of how much was happening so fast. Changing the ending by slowing down the pace, and explaining each event a little more in depth could help the book improve, and also help balance the slow beginning and fast-paced ending.
I feel as though this story was a beneficial and fun way to learn more about the hidden pieces of culture in Africa. I would find myself reading in amazement at some of the facts that were buried into the book. Even though the book was very educational, Some of the topics discussed in this book are very serious, and wouldn’t be for everyone. This makes me think that no condition is permanent’s purpose was to raise awareness to that cause, which is maybe why it started off a bit too slow. I definitely wanted to know more about the Secret Society mentioned in the book, so I would have loved for the book to maybe have gone into more detail, or leave ways to learn more about it in the author's note.
Overall, I would say this book is a good book for people looking for an interesting, but educational story about different kinds of relationships, but also people who have a higher maturity level based on topics discussed in no condition is permanent. I definitely recommend it!
I have to admit that the beginning of the book felt very slow, and it was a little hard to get into. There was no real action in the beginning, and it felt as though the author went into too much detail about the background information. For me, I enjoy when books grab my attention at the beginning of the story, and I know many others feel the same way. No condition is permanent struggled to pick up in action until after Jodie had moved to Africa, settled in and met Khadi. However, after continuing to read I found myself becoming more and more engaged with the story. I loved the heartwarming pieces about Africa strengthening Jodie and her mother’s relationship, as well as the bond between Jodie and Khadie. I really enjoyed how no condition is permanent reminded the reader that no condition really is permanent, and everything can change!
While the beginning of the story started off slow, I feel the opposite way about the ending. For as much build up as no condition is permanent had in the beginning, the ending was very quick! My personal opinion is that everything happened so quickly all at once. I was slightly confused reading the ending because of how much was happening so fast. Changing the ending by slowing down the pace, and explaining each event a little more in depth could help the book improve, and also help balance the slow beginning and fast-paced ending.
I feel as though this story was a beneficial and fun way to learn more about the hidden pieces of culture in Africa. I would find myself reading in amazement at some of the facts that were buried into the book. Even though the book was very educational, Some of the topics discussed in this book are very serious, and wouldn’t be for everyone. This makes me think that no condition is permanent’s purpose was to raise awareness to that cause, which is maybe why it started off a bit too slow. I definitely wanted to know more about the Secret Society mentioned in the book, so I would have loved for the book to maybe have gone into more detail, or leave ways to learn more about it in the author's note.
Overall, I would say this book is a good book for people looking for an interesting, but educational story about different kinds of relationships, but also people who have a higher maturity level based on topics discussed in no condition is permanent. I definitely recommend it!
September 5, 2024
Africa is a beautiful country. It has diverse animals and different cultures, but in some parts they aren’t as caught up on technology as the United States. It’s a chore just to get food and water, and someone born American might take a bit to adapt to such a different lifestyle. This is exactly what happens to the main character, Jodie, in the novel No Condition is Permanent, by Cristina Kessler.
Jodie is a regular teenager. She lives with her mom, goes to school, and hangs out with friends. She’s typical. Her mother is quite the character. Spunky, eccentric, energetic. She loves to explore. One day she tells Jodie that they will be moving to Africa for several months so that she can study there. She is especially excited because she had studied there before in her younger years. Jodie is not as ecstatic as her mother. She doesn’t want to leave her friends, her home, her way of life. Even after they get there she doesn’t have much enthusiasm, because it’s hot and the clothes are different and there’s not as easy access to necessities. She decides that it’s going to be a long few months. That is until she meets Khadie. There is such a special bond between them, it’s like they became best friends just by looking at each other. “We smiled at each other, and something inside clicked. I knew, I just knew somewhere deep inside, that here was a friend and that we were going to be tight,” Kessler 48. This is especially symbolized by the fact that they don’t even speak the same language. This is when Jodie decides that things are starting to look up.
But not everything is perfect. The village seems to have a secret. They are welcoming towards Jodie and her mother, but only to an extent. Since they are the only white people in the village, there’s bound to be things they miss out on. This causes a rift in the friendship, because Khadi knows something that Jodie is not allowed to know. “‘No, let me say that a different way, it’s off limits to you and me. A place where poo-muis cannot go,’” Kessler 87. Poo-mui means to be a white person, and this quote is of Jodie’s mother explaining to her that she is not supposed to know what goes on, the village’s secret.
All in all, I would say this is a good book for learning about practices, cultures, and even bits of the languages in Africa that may be different to U.S. traditions. It’s not difficult to read, but some of the topics discussed may be too heavy for a younger audience. I do think that it is a good way of educating, but the plot is also enjoyable as there is romance, sneaking around, mystery, suspense, friendship, and many more interesting aspects that make this a good young adult novel.
Jodie is a regular teenager. She lives with her mom, goes to school, and hangs out with friends. She’s typical. Her mother is quite the character. Spunky, eccentric, energetic. She loves to explore. One day she tells Jodie that they will be moving to Africa for several months so that she can study there. She is especially excited because she had studied there before in her younger years. Jodie is not as ecstatic as her mother. She doesn’t want to leave her friends, her home, her way of life. Even after they get there she doesn’t have much enthusiasm, because it’s hot and the clothes are different and there’s not as easy access to necessities. She decides that it’s going to be a long few months. That is until she meets Khadie. There is such a special bond between them, it’s like they became best friends just by looking at each other. “We smiled at each other, and something inside clicked. I knew, I just knew somewhere deep inside, that here was a friend and that we were going to be tight,” Kessler 48. This is especially symbolized by the fact that they don’t even speak the same language. This is when Jodie decides that things are starting to look up.
But not everything is perfect. The village seems to have a secret. They are welcoming towards Jodie and her mother, but only to an extent. Since they are the only white people in the village, there’s bound to be things they miss out on. This causes a rift in the friendship, because Khadi knows something that Jodie is not allowed to know. “‘No, let me say that a different way, it’s off limits to you and me. A place where poo-muis cannot go,’” Kessler 87. Poo-mui means to be a white person, and this quote is of Jodie’s mother explaining to her that she is not supposed to know what goes on, the village’s secret.
All in all, I would say this is a good book for learning about practices, cultures, and even bits of the languages in Africa that may be different to U.S. traditions. It’s not difficult to read, but some of the topics discussed may be too heavy for a younger audience. I do think that it is a good way of educating, but the plot is also enjoyable as there is romance, sneaking around, mystery, suspense, friendship, and many more interesting aspects that make this a good young adult novel.
November 25, 2007
What do you do when you're an anthropologist and you strongly feel that a people's custom (in this case, female circumcision) is wrong and even dangerous? Great book-- takes place in Sierra Leone.
March 16, 2010
So so. Good plotline, but I didn't like the way it was written.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews