What's Cooking, Jamela?

Jamela #2

by Niki Daly

Mama plans a chicken dinner for Christmas Day, and she gives Jamela the job of fattening up their chicken. But seeing how happy Jamela is with her hen, she wonders just how she'll get it away from Jamela and into the pot. Smelling trouble, Jamela sets off the day before Christmas with the chicken in her arms and a trail of chaos follows - in the street, in the taxi, and even in Miss Style's hairdressing salon. However, as everyone agrees, you can't eat friends, and Christmas Day brings Jamela a delicious meal and the best present of all! Following the success of Jamela's Dress, this new Jamela book features the same delightful characters set in a South African township.

Genres: Picture Books, Christmas, Africa, Childrens, Cultural, Food, Holiday

Paperback

First published September 6, 2001

About the author

Nicholas "Niki" Daly, South African illustrator and children's book author.

http://www.childlit.org.za/ndaly.html

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the search for winter holiday books from other cultures, What's Cooking, Jamela? is truly a gem. It forgoes any formal setting of the scene, and instead sets the readers straight into Jamela's South African township world. It presents this world vividly, and small touches like the dolls and figurines of the creche Jamela sets up give readers perspective into the place and culture of the book, perfectly illustrating how one can show one's readers a setting just as effectually as one can tell it. The kids at my library ate this one up, and the smattering of South-African vocab words did nothing to slow down the pace of the book. The pace really is perfect, building, reaching its climax, and leaving enough mystery once it is resolved to keep readers interested to the last page. I recommend reading this to even the toughest group of kids, and Daly's presentation of a heroine every kid can emphasize with in a world unfamiliar to many of them provides true insight into familiar experiences that can occur even in the most unfamiliar places. Daly never neglects her cultural setting, even as she renders it familiar, a balance few author/illustrators could pull off.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent choice of a book to represent international literature. This story is a great way of sharing with students another country's culture, which in this case is South Africa. Children can see how Jamila and her family spent Christmas, seeing how their traditions are similar or different to how the holiday is celebrated in South Africa. It was cool to see how Jamila was given the job of taking care of their chicken, named Christmas, until they were to prepare it for their Christmas meal. Many students would probably think that is a bit crazy, as most people in the US don't think of chickens as typical pets and don't think of having a live animal and then having a family member kill it so they can enjoy it. Thankfully, Jamila fell in love with her chicken, so they decided to have something else for their Christmas meal.

[Carol Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jamela is an adorable girl, full of fun and spirit. And it’s obvious how much her family loves her and the townspeople think she’s adorable. The colorful illustrations show South Africa as happy and sunny, a place where even in a small backyard you can raise a chicken or grow squash. I also liked how Daly included words in the text like mielies, the Afrikaans word for corn, and aikona, which the glossary in the back defines as Xhosa and Zulu for No!

On one hand, this story shows how Christmas is celebrated by another culture in another place. But it also shows that no matter where you are Christmas is

"a time to celebrate baby Jesus’ birthday with a nativity play at school. Christmas also meant Christmas presents and getting together with the family."

[Amy Stipp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting this to be a Christmas story! This reminded me of The Thanksgiving Turkey by Cowley. The little girl's job is to take care of Christmas the chicken, but she's not supposed to fall in love with it because it's their Chirstmas meal. She can't help herself and ends up falling in love anyway. When it's time to get the chicken ready, she runs away with it! When she's found and the chicken is found, the decision is made to go ahead with Christmas dinner without chicken! Yay!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great illustrations to accompany this multicutural book. This is the story of a little girl that becomes fond of the chicken that is supposed to be used for christmas dinner. As the time grows closer to christmas, the chicken grows larger and so does Jamela's hope to save her friend. She gets a great present for christmas-the chicken and dinner goes off without a hitch.

[Katelyn Warner · Rating 3 out of 5]

What’s Cooking Jamela is a fictional book about a South African girl who is given the responsibility of taking care of the chicken that will be eaten for Christmas dinner. The problem is that Jamela befriends this chicken and makes it into her pet. This book includes a few words and phrases used in South Africa. I would suggest for an individual reader. Or read aloud.

[Sharonneika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fiction book is about a young African American girl named Jamela. In the story her mother decides to give a huge responsibility of fattening the chicken for their yearly Christmas dinner. Unfortunately the task does not go as Jamela planned. Later in the story she names the chicken and becomes her friend leaving her mother in a torn position. Good read for 3rd grade.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Multi-cultural book about a little girl from South Africa. She falls in love with the chicken, that was supposed to be for Christmas dinner. However, the mother realizes how much the girls loves the bird and saves it!

I think kids in the middle grades would like this story. Too sophisticated for little ones, and too simple for older kids.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I am biased. I LOVE Niki Daly's books. The ones that I have read are filled with such joy, spirit, and humor. This one is no different. As always readers learn much about African culture and traditions from both the vibrant and fun pictures and text. African words are in italics with a short glossary in the back. However, context explains the word on the page.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

We love Niki Daly's stories and pictures that give us a beautiful visual of the life a little, somewhat mischievous, South African girl. We could relate to Jamela in this story, we wouldn't want to eat our friends either!

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, fortunately, not Jamela's chicken, that was supposed to be fattened up for Christmas dinner, but became her pet instead. The story and illustrations give readers a glimpse into a South African's family Christmas.

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jamela become friends with the chicken she is raising for Christmas dinner. (Having done this with turkeys as a child, I totally understand her point of view!) Can Christmas (what she name her chicken) be saved!?

Cute illustrations.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite "Jamela" story from the incredible Niki Daly. Jamela's mother buys a chicken to fatten for Christmas dinner, but Jamela has other plans for her new pet.

[Jack Kirby and the X-man · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely Christmas tale. Gogo and Mama have plans for Christmas the chicken come Christmas day - but Jamela loves the chicken and plans her escape.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another cute book for the holidays. I recommend this for 1st-3rd grades.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story with a helpful glossary to understand the African words peppered throughout the text.

[Karen Walton · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Set · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book shows the African culture through the way of living, fashion, interior and exterior design and many vocabulary words. I know that I befriended a turkey when I was little and then it was on my thanksgiving table after I watched it get slaughtered in my backyard. I understand that children make connections with animals as children but what I don't like is that the moral of the story is to become a vegetarian in order to not kill animals for their meat. I guess that vegetarian parents might want to show this book to their children but children that eat meat might become a little traumatized or get confused with the lesson if the parents don't actually plan on becoming vegan.

[Bee (BacchusVines) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork is so fun and full of expressions! I love that Niki Daly gave all the women in this story different body types, hair, and facial features. I absolutely enjoyed Jamela's personality and the nativity scene. And it's set in an South African Township, so there's plenty to admire in the background.

[Hilary Petersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this would be a great time to read during Christmas time for students to learn about how another culture celebrates Christmas. I like how the author included words from other languages so readers can learn more about the culture.

[Kevin Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book because it introduces me to culture very different from my own, is an entertaining story, and has very well done illustrations that I can look at and break down. I have never experienced a warm weather Christmas and it was fun to read about it.

[Bern · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very homeschool thing happened when my son and I read this book: it led to questions about how a chicken would be killed for the pot. This curiosity led to us spending some time learning about the famous headless chicken Mike who lived for 18 months and the festival held in this chickens honour.

[IUS F19 Katelyn Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading about Jamela and her quest of saving her chicken from becoming Christmas dinner.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting story about Christmas traditions in Africa and a little girl who raises a chicken for Christmas dinner, but her mother ends up giving it to her sa gift since she's grown fond of it.

[Lea Kielsholm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Virkelig sød sydafrikansk børnebog om en pige og hendes høne!
Giver et fint indblik i hvordan man fejrer jul i et andet land end Danmark. Meget fine illustrationer.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute. I don't think I have read a Jamela book before and I'll definitely seek out more!

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our copy is titled “Yebo, Jamela” and it’s a great Christmas story. We loved the illustrations.

[wildct2003 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story

You can’t eat friends!

[Madison Taylor]

This was a good book, I enjoyed the culture mixed into the book.
This book is about Jamela and her family getting together for Christmas. Her mother is supposed to cook a chicken for Christmas dinner, but Jamela helps to raise the chicken and cannot imagine cooking the chicken named Christmas for dinner! She tells her mom she cannot eat friends, so her mother gives Jamela the chicken as a Christmas present.
This book has african words and cultural things throughout and would be wonderful to use to introduce and talk about african culture.