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Daughter of the Leopard: True Stories From a Samburu Maasai Girlhood
"Get It"; "An immersive and informative memoir of a girlhood in Samburu County." --Kirkus Reviews
A stubborn, precocious young girl is caught in the front line of the clash of cultures, as her remote tribe confronts new modern possibilities.
In 1970s Kenya, modernity's edge has finally made it up the hills to the Samburu tribe's secluded highland home. As her family reckons with new challenges to their ancient ways, young Monique chases belonging and her dreams. She sees her path towards independence, and away from being sold in young marriage. But with danger all around, it will take all of her grit, allies, and luck to stay on her chosen path, and to survive.
Real-life stories of a remarkable childhood, filled with humor, beauty, calamity, and featuring pre-electricity traditional village life, outlaws and bandits, magnificent wildlife, a crazy cow, a traditional healer grandfather, rescues and escapes, mean “Granny Ears” and her rhino-hide belt, Catholic boarding school, and much more.
Reader age 14+: some mature themes and some cursing
A stubborn, precocious young girl is caught in the front line of the clash of cultures, as her remote tribe confronts new modern possibilities.
In 1970s Kenya, modernity's edge has finally made it up the hills to the Samburu tribe's secluded highland home. As her family reckons with new challenges to their ancient ways, young Monique chases belonging and her dreams. She sees her path towards independence, and away from being sold in young marriage. But with danger all around, it will take all of her grit, allies, and luck to stay on her chosen path, and to survive.
Real-life stories of a remarkable childhood, filled with humor, beauty, calamity, and featuring pre-electricity traditional village life, outlaws and bandits, magnificent wildlife, a crazy cow, a traditional healer grandfather, rescues and escapes, mean “Granny Ears” and her rhino-hide belt, Catholic boarding school, and much more.
Reader age 14+: some mature themes and some cursing
- GenresBiography
288 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 26, 2025
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13 people want to read
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November 26, 2025
What a fascinating look into the life of Monique, a girl who grew up in the Maasai tribe in Kenya. I have had the pleasure of meeting her and I had no idea of the ordeals that she went through as a young girl. What a courageous girl! So full of intelligence and grit. This was truly inspiring!
Displaying 1 of 1 review