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Adi of Boutanga: A Story from Cameroon
A coming-of-age story for middle grade readers, set among the Mbororo people of central and western Africa.
Thirteen-year-old Adi lives in west Cameroon, where she loves swimming in the river, making dolls for her little sisters, and writing new words in her notebook at school. But one day Adi’s hands start to shake with terror. Uncle Amadou—the most powerful member of her family—has declared that Adi is old enough to get married. Mom cries softly under her hijab, but Dad “Don’t worry.” He knows a place where Adi can live and learn without fear…
Translated from the original French by the author, Adi of Boutanga is a memorable portrait of a girl and her family forging a path toward a brighter future. This richly illustrated book will open lasting conversations about gender equality, family relationships, and the liberating power of education. In the back matter, readers can explore an author’s note, a glossary of cultural terms, and other resources about the real Adi and her experiences.
Thirteen-year-old Adi lives in west Cameroon, where she loves swimming in the river, making dolls for her little sisters, and writing new words in her notebook at school. But one day Adi’s hands start to shake with terror. Uncle Amadou—the most powerful member of her family—has declared that Adi is old enough to get married. Mom cries softly under her hijab, but Dad “Don’t worry.” He knows a place where Adi can live and learn without fear…
Translated from the original French by the author, Adi of Boutanga is a memorable portrait of a girl and her family forging a path toward a brighter future. This richly illustrated book will open lasting conversations about gender equality, family relationships, and the liberating power of education. In the back matter, readers can explore an author’s note, a glossary of cultural terms, and other resources about the real Adi and her experiences.
60 pages, Hardcover
Published April 15, 2025
19 people want to read
About the author
Alain Serge Dzotap
22 books2 followersAlain Serge Dzotap is a Cameroonian children's author and poet. Born in Bafoussam, he started to write poetry after devouring book after book from the city library. Today he promotes literacy across Cameroon through workshops, school visits, and his publishing house Les Bruits de l'encre. Alain's books have received the Saint-Exupéry Valeurs Jeunesse Prize and have been included in the International Youth Library's White Ravens catalog. In 2016, Alain was recognized with Cameroon's medal of knight. The Gift is his first book published in English.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 25, 2025
A short and beautiful story based on a real girl in Cameroon. Excellent middle grades book!
June 27, 2025
Adi is a girl who lives in a village in Cameroon. Cameroon is located in Central Africa. Thirteen-year-old Adi is a big sister to six siblings. The author, also born in Cameroon, shares this story about a real girl named Adi that he met at Mama Ly’s school. Adi lives in a small, nomadic village in Cameroon and even attends school. But when something happens, she is forced to move away from her family and start a new school.
Although this is a fictional story, it is based on the real-life story of Adi, who was nearly forced to marry a man in the village at the age of 13. The author explains Adi’s fear so accurately, and the descriptions of her family’s feelings of helplessness to her uncle’s demands. Instead, her parents sent her away to Mama Ly’s school in Boutanga to escape what had always been done in their tribe. Even though Adi has to leave her family and is very scared about going to a new place, she knows this is the best thing for her because she has seen what happens to the other young girls forced into marriage.
At Mama Ly’s school, Adi makes new friends, learns new games, and most importantly, she finds that words have power. By the end of the story, Adi is 22, in love, and dreaming of what she will teach her daughter someday.
The end of the book includes an author’s note about the author’s reason for writing this story about Adi. Several pages include facts about Cameroon, the people in the story, such as Mama Ly and her school, and a glossary of terms that explains cultural words like dowry, Ndop cloth, and Sorrel juice.
It’s important for kids to learn about other cultures and what kids their age might be like in different parts of the world. This story is more appropriate for older elementary-aged kids due to the length of the story and subject matter. The illustrations show a much different, yet accurate, depiction of life in Cameroon. This book was translated from French by the author and reads easily without issues related to translation.
Adi’s story is compelling and shows a strong, independent girl whose family stood up against cultural norms to protect their daughter. Now, as an adult, Adi plans to do the same for her daughters, too.
Although this is a fictional story, it is based on the real-life story of Adi, who was nearly forced to marry a man in the village at the age of 13. The author explains Adi’s fear so accurately, and the descriptions of her family’s feelings of helplessness to her uncle’s demands. Instead, her parents sent her away to Mama Ly’s school in Boutanga to escape what had always been done in their tribe. Even though Adi has to leave her family and is very scared about going to a new place, she knows this is the best thing for her because she has seen what happens to the other young girls forced into marriage.
At Mama Ly’s school, Adi makes new friends, learns new games, and most importantly, she finds that words have power. By the end of the story, Adi is 22, in love, and dreaming of what she will teach her daughter someday.
The end of the book includes an author’s note about the author’s reason for writing this story about Adi. Several pages include facts about Cameroon, the people in the story, such as Mama Ly and her school, and a glossary of terms that explains cultural words like dowry, Ndop cloth, and Sorrel juice.
It’s important for kids to learn about other cultures and what kids their age might be like in different parts of the world. This story is more appropriate for older elementary-aged kids due to the length of the story and subject matter. The illustrations show a much different, yet accurate, depiction of life in Cameroon. This book was translated from French by the author and reads easily without issues related to translation.
Adi’s story is compelling and shows a strong, independent girl whose family stood up against cultural norms to protect their daughter. Now, as an adult, Adi plans to do the same for her daughters, too.
March 7, 2025
A strong piece, that is a touch awkward in structure, but highly effective in emotion. It's about a girl who loves all her little siblings, and who is very much a part of her family – but practically as soon as she's starting to mature, an uncle character wants to sell her off as a child bride. There is going to have to be a bad sacrifice, at least – and here that's the girl giving up her place in school, and in her family, just to have the freedom to live as a girl should.
The end matter discusses Cameroon and the situation there at great length – so it should, for this Adi was a real girl and there are countless others in the same boat as her. What it doesn't do is go into the whole thing about girls getting wedded off for dowries when they've barely had their second menses, and certainly there's no finger-pointing at this being an Islamic idea. It's just a nasty habit, these pages would imply, with no actual cause that might, you know, actually be stopped. And so you can move as many girls as you can, as in this colourful volume – but the intent to keep them tied down as married juveniles? That stays in the same place, right in the culture.
So this is shooting at the wrong target, but it's a pretty arrow. The text is often in just a small window of blank page, with the rest given over to a traditional, local pattern of colour. The artwork has the earthiness of the country and her people. I did have a hiccup about how much of this was a back-story, for things aren't entirely A-B, but the earnestness of the creators and the obvious hellishness of Adi's plight does make for a justifiably intense piece of drama for those ten and up.
The end matter discusses Cameroon and the situation there at great length – so it should, for this Adi was a real girl and there are countless others in the same boat as her. What it doesn't do is go into the whole thing about girls getting wedded off for dowries when they've barely had their second menses, and certainly there's no finger-pointing at this being an Islamic idea. It's just a nasty habit, these pages would imply, with no actual cause that might, you know, actually be stopped. And so you can move as many girls as you can, as in this colourful volume – but the intent to keep them tied down as married juveniles? That stays in the same place, right in the culture.
So this is shooting at the wrong target, but it's a pretty arrow. The text is often in just a small window of blank page, with the rest given over to a traditional, local pattern of colour. The artwork has the earthiness of the country and her people. I did have a hiccup about how much of this was a back-story, for things aren't entirely A-B, but the earnestness of the creators and the obvious hellishness of Adi's plight does make for a justifiably intense piece of drama for those ten and up.
May 6, 2025
Adi is a 13-yr old who loves to laugh. She lives with her parents and six siblings, and tells us this story. They are the Mbororos of Cameroon, traditionally nomadic herders, but for now they are living in a village. One day her uncle Amadou comes to visit and he says it’s time for Adi to get married. Since he is the eldest in the family, her parents feel they should comply. Luckily they think of a scheme: they’ll send her to Boutanga to live with a French-Cameroonian couple who take in young girls and continue their education. At first Adi worries about leaving her family, but comes to love Mama Ly and her husband. At the end, she is 22 yrs old, ready to get married to someone she loves, and looking forward to a career in writing.
This short story (56 pages) packs a punch, especially since we learn in the endnotes that the author modelled the protagonist after a real life girl. The author is Cameroonian and cares deeply about fair education and free life choices for young girls. The narration feels realistic, and we really get a sense of Adi’s world of friends, school, family and her everyday joy. The frequent lovely oil-painted illustrations lend a muscular, warm feel to the characters and setting, anchoring it in warm oranges and reds. The endpapers and pages with text are graced with beautiful patterned designs. I think this story is a great window into another culture and would resonate with upper elementary and teen readers. It’s also a good choice as a high/low text. Besides the author’s notes, there is also a glossary, and together they give a good background on life in Cameroon.
This short story (56 pages) packs a punch, especially since we learn in the endnotes that the author modelled the protagonist after a real life girl. The author is Cameroonian and cares deeply about fair education and free life choices for young girls. The narration feels realistic, and we really get a sense of Adi’s world of friends, school, family and her everyday joy. The frequent lovely oil-painted illustrations lend a muscular, warm feel to the characters and setting, anchoring it in warm oranges and reds. The endpapers and pages with text are graced with beautiful patterned designs. I think this story is a great window into another culture and would resonate with upper elementary and teen readers. It’s also a good choice as a high/low text. Besides the author’s notes, there is also a glossary, and together they give a good background on life in Cameroon.
March 1, 2025
This book has so many elements I love: an author bringing his culture to readers outside of Cameroon, a book that addresses early marriage and the challenges faced even by parents who don't want this for their daughters, and the illustrations by Marc Daniau which are so full of action and life. My only complaint: the book felt more like a picture book for older kids, not a middle grade novel. I think Adi's story and all she was thinking and feeling could have been fleshed out into a longer novel for 10-12 year olds. I definitely wanted to read more about her.
Review based on a digital ARC received through NetGalley.
Review based on a digital ARC received through NetGalley.
January 17, 2026
Lots of vibrantly colored pictures/patterns and the brevity of the story made me think this would be a read-alike to the "Too Small Tola" stories set in Africa and aimed at early-elementary kids. Yet the primary problem in this story is about young girls being forced into marriages, which I would give more to older elementary schoolers. The back-matter also clarifies that the main character is 13, and gives further information about Cameroon
December 28, 2025
Beautiful reflection on words, learning to read. Fresh similes. A story of a girl whose uncle wants to marry her off. Her Mom and Dad decide to send her away to a school so she will not be in forced marriage. Set in Cameroon. Also talks about economic problems- of people constantly changing jobs.
September 30, 2025
This is an accessible story about the importance of education and the all-too-common theft of girls for other cultural purposes. Backmatter offers additional context and a glossary.
November 4, 2025
The interesting thing about this book is figuring out the target age range. The format - colorful illustrations, short story with simple words - seem to be geared towards young children. But the subject matter - a girl leaves home to escape child marriage - seems more appropriate for teens. I'd probably use it for an in-between age group, perhaps 10-12, as an easy read with hard topics to discuss. I don't have anything against this book - the illustrations are lovely and the prose sounds nice too - but it's not my favorite either.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews