Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book

by Muriel Feelings, Tom Feelings (Illustrator)

A companion to the Caldecott Honor Book  Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book  

Jambo Means Hello  introduces children to the Swahili alphabet with helpful pronunciation keys, while presenting East African culture and lifestyles through an easy-to-understand narrative and vivid illustrations.  

A Caldecott Honor Book

* “A lyrical song of Swahili life.”— School Library Journal, starred review

Genres: Picture Books, Africa, Childrens, Nonfiction, Cultural, Language, Geography

56 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

* Attended the Philadelphia Museum School of Art and the Los Angeles State College.
* Taught Spanish and art in elementary and secondary schools in Philadelphia and New York
* Taught art at a boys’ school in Kampala, Uganda
* Trained teachers in Guyana, South America
* Director of Pan African Studies and Community Education for the African American Studies program at Temple University

Award include:
*American Library Association Notable Books for Moja Means One: A Swahili Counting Book and Jambo Means Hello: A Swahili Alphabet Book, 1972;
*Caldecott Medal runner up for Moja Mean One, 1972;
*American Book Award nomination for Jambo Means Hello, 1982.

Read more:
* http://www.answers.com/topic/muriel-l...

* http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palit...

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This alphabet book gives a nice introduction to Swahili and the predominant language of Africa. The first thing I noticed was that it seemed easy to pronounce the words as they sound the way they are spelled. It could be they are the easy words. The next thing I noticed was the Lion King named characters after some of these words. Rafiki means friend.

The artwork is beautiful. In the back he explains how he used pencil drawings and then overlaid them with ink work and they took pictures in it. I am not an artist, so it is something complicated like this. It is beautiful artwork. I appreciated the beauty of this book.

The kids thought this was very interesting. They felt like they were learning a different language with some of these words. It's too bad goodbye is not a word in here because they were saying Jambo for hello and goodbye.

[Faloni © · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good overview of the alphabet in Swahili for beginning readers. Students like to practice listening for new sounds in words, it is fun to do that!

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Muriel and Tom Feelings' Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book is of course presented and appears in a traditional abcedarian format (but minus the letters Q and X, as they do not exist in the Swahili language), this is most definitely NOT a book meant to be used with and for young children first learning and practicing their letters, as no, Yambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book seems to be first and foremost conceptialised to introduce children, and not really toddlers either, to twenty-four Swahili words (for the most part various nouns and a few common expressions which are also presented with an appreciated pronunciation guide, as well as relevant cultural information and details, such as the roles played by mothers, fathers and children, the importance of respect for ones' elders, farming practices and so on and so on).

And while for the most part, I have indeed very much enjoyed the cultural information author Muriel Feelings presents and features, as someone who has always been very much interested in and intrigued by the various and different languages of the world, I really do wish that since in the introduction, the author makes a point of declaring that Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book is meant to introduce Swahili words in particular, is meant to introduce Swahili as a language, as probably the most common and widespread language of Africa, that at least one part of the information shown in the different letter sections, on the specific and individual words, had been about their various linguistic backgrounds, had been with regard to the specifics of the Swahili language as a linguistic construct. And sadly and indeed, not really ever having this included, this does at least for me kind of lessen the language teaching and learning potential of Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book, as the words uttered and used in a given language have both cultural and language-based grammatical, syntax and the like significance, and both are (at least in my opinion) of equal and the same importance (for example, the Swahili word shown in Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book for school, shule, is both pronounced and spelled almost exactly like the German word for school, Schule and it indeed would have been a wonderful linguistic addition for the author, for Muriel Feelings to have investigated and shown if there are indeed linguistic and perhaps historic correspondences here).

And finally, while I have both appreciated and definitely much enjoyed the detailed and informative author's introduction of Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book, there are nevertheless two rather problematic and yes much annoying bones of contention for me. Firstly, Muriel Feelings absolutely should have included a bibliographical list of books for further reading and study, both on East African culture AND on Swahili as a language (perhaps even a few detailed grammar and syntax tomes for those of us interested in how Swahili actually works as a language, what its grammatical rules are and such). And secondly (and here I am in fact somewhat majorly personally annoyed and frustrated), why does the author, why does Muriel Feelings make the claim that Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book is primarily for children of African ancestry to discover the Swahili language? Nothing wrong with this in and of itself, I guess, but discovering and studying global languages, including the diverse languages of Africa, is something for EVERYONE AND ANYONE, and for the author to categorically make a statement, to pontificate that Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book should mostly be for children of African origin and ancestry, well, as someone who loves languages and is interested in diversity, culture and promoting the learning of as many different world languages as possible, I for one, have felt rather taken aback if not even a bit insulted.

Now with regard to Tom Feelings accompanying Caldecott Honour winning illustrations, while they are truly and indeed expressive and detailed (and give an appreciated realistically imaginative visual portrait and representation of East African culture), I do wish that the colour schemes used had not just been various shades of blacks, whites and browns (that they had also included reds, yellows, greens and blues). For while I have been both willing and very much able to appreciate and even rather enjoy the illustrations (and have truly found the information on how Tom Feelings' art was created of much interest), for my own aesthetic tastes (for my own eyes), there is simply not enough colour and thus not enough liveliness and brightness to consider Feelings' pictorial renderings as in any way personal favourites (although I do agree that they are adept, descriptively bold and provide a both adequate and even lovely complement to Muriel Feelings' verbal descriptions and explanations of the twenty-four Swahili words presented in Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book).

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautifully illustrated book. With over 5 million people speaking Swahili and over 135 million speaking it as a second language, I thought this an appropriate book for children.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Swahili alphabet with each letter paired with a Swahili term and it's meaning.

I hadn't read this one since childhood. I remember I wasn't impressed as a child, probably since the illustrations are mostly black and white. As an adult I appreciate the illustrations and the information much more. Definitely read the note in the back on the illustration process used in this book. It is super complicated! Definitely think now Feelings deserved that Caldecott honor. But taking into consideration the opinion of my younger self, the target reading group of kids is probably middle grades. Q and X are skipped in this book, as is noted in the author's informative note at the beginning (read that too). Q and X don't appear in the Swahili language, so the author chose to skip them. The intro talks about the prevalence and importance of the Swahili language. The words chosen help give a picture into some of the culture and traditions of the many peoples who speak this language. A great book to pick when doing multicultural studies or when studying Africa. Don't necessarily pick this one when studying the alphabet since two letters are missing by English standards.

[Contemplative · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Caldecott Honor Book would be an enhancement for a geography lesson about Africa. It gave simple Swahili words to pronounce pertaining to the alphabet as well as tidbits about the culture in reference to the word given. My oldest dd enjoyed repeating the words with me. I like how she asked where all the color was because the book is in sketch form in black & white. It was a nice change of pace as well as exposure to something other than the typical illustrated books she's used to viewing.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think kids really enjoy learning how to say words and phrases in languages other than their own. This book does a nice job of introducing Swahili vocabulary and using these words and their accompanying illustrations as opportunities for teaching about East African culture. I was also surprised by the elaborate process that went into creating the illustrations. I’m still not sure why a children’s book without any color or any real plot would be so appealing, but there is something eye-catching about it. Still, though, I wonder if kids pick this book up without an adult recommendation.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This beautifully illustrated alphabet book introduces children to the Swahili alphabet and more importantly to the East African culture. I have never read a book like this before and I really enjoyed learning all of the Swahili words. I really liked how the author made this book relatable to children with words that would be relatable to children, for example English words like mother, father, friend, etc.. This book would be a great book to have in the classroom when doing a unit on African culture. I enjoyed this book and I think that children of all ages will too.

[Luann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muriel and Tom Feelings followed up their counting book with an alphabet book to teach children the alphabet in Swahili along with a word and a few sentences giving facts about East Africa for each letter of the alphabet. As with Moja Means One, I wonder about how dated this is, but thought the illustrations were very nice and worthy of their Caldecott Honor.

[SamZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

1975 Caldecott Honor: favorite illustration: "Ngoma is drum and dance." I love the joy on everyone's faces as they enjoy the music and the grace and movement of the dancing figures.
This alphabet book is a great introduction to the Swahili culture of Africa. Each letter (with the exception of q and x, which do not occur in the Swahili language) is pared with a word from the Swahili language. Feelings choses words that small children would likely be familiar with, making the book more accessible to children of all ages and reading levels. The beautiful drawings highlight the Swahili culture and give the reader a fairly good idea of what day to day life may be like in African Swahili countries. I especially enjoyed the page that mentions beauty being different for different peoples.
Overall, I enjoyed this book much more than the Caldecott Winner from 1975, Arrow to the Sun, especially after learning more about the validity of both books (this one being factual, the other taking a great deal of poetic license with the beliefs of the pueblo people) and feel that this book was much more deserving of the medal.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learn a different Swahili word for each letter of the alphabet. You'll learn some African culture too. Beautitful black and white sketches adorn the pages.

Ages: 4 - 8

Content Consideration: a baby is bathing naked - nothing seen.

#geography #africa #languages #swahili #culture

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[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Caldecott Honor book is very informative in a way that is still easy for students to understand and enjoy. In the beginning of the book there is an introduction about the language of Swahili and a map showing the countries in which Swahili is spoken. On each page of the book there is a Swahili word that starts with each letter of the english alphabet. For example, on the "A" page the word "arusi" is introduced. The pronunciation of the word is provided along with a brief description of what the word means. The author chooses words that elementary students would be familiar with such as "school" and "friend." This book would be great to use with lower elementary students. Not only does it reinforce the english alphabet and introduce a new language, it teaches a great deal of African culture as well. It would be a great read aloud in a classroom when learning about African culture. The illustrations in the book are all done in black and white but are large and detailed. The pictures reinforce the word that is introduced on that particular page.

[Illyra Vote · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an alphabet book containing a different letter on every other page but what makes it so different is that the letters used spell out swahili words. The words are very large at the top of the page with a definition describing what it is in english and then next to it is a large picture depicting the definition, the pictures are also all done in black and while pencil sketch fashion. For instance R stands for Rafiki which is a friend in Swahili. I would use this book as a read aloud or an SSR book because it is so much fun to learn new languages especially for younger children, this would be appropriate from ages 7 to 10. The best quality is the interactive alphabet order with new fun words next to them, and the words are useful fun words kids will be able to use, like friend and welcome.

[Amy Clinton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book uses Swahili life to teach counting in both the English language as well as Swahili language. While showing the numbers, it tells a little about life in Swahili.

I like the way that this book incorporates African life in the story.

This book is a good book to teach counting, as well as a second language. It is a good introductory lesson to teach diversity in the classroom. It would also be a good book to use in the history class when doing lessons on Africa.

The illustrations in this book are done by pencil, and give the African touch to the book. It really works well with the story and helps to connect the words with the images.

This book would be good to use with first or second grade.

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love learning new languages, so when I saw the title "Jambo means hello", I was extremely interested! The cover illustration is a happy, young girl participating in a traditional African gathering. This is a great book that teaches young children Swahili, or Kiswahili, words using the Swahili alphabet (24 instead of 26 letters). The illustrations provide detailed examples of the Swahili word being taught. For example, the zeze (zay-zay) is a musical instrument that banjos and guitars are based off of. When you get to this word in the book, the illustration shows members of the African community playing with the zeze. For children who do not speak Kiswahili, the illustrations are crucial because they elaborate on what the word is.

[Analissa Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jambo Means Hello teaches some of the basic vocabulary of the Swahili language as well as teach the order of the American Alphabet. Each letter corresponded with a Swahili word and included background information about each word. The pictures included what ever word was being talked about as well as an appropriate setting. Its a great way to teach young children about other cultures and languages while also sharing the alphabet. The entire book was full bleed in black and white, causing the reader to feel apart of the scenery. There are plenty of fun and cool facts included as well.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great introduction to the Swahili language and culture. The introduction is perfect for those who are unfamiliar with Swahili culture and language to have a better understanding of what they are reading and how it relates to the real world. It portrays and reflects East Africa and Kiswahili positively and accurately. If you read/buy this book, Feelings' Moja Means One is a great companion book and a must read. Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Caldecott Honor Book. And a different kind of alphabet book and not just because it is for Swahili and not English. Your typical American alphabet book is for animals and very common words. Most of the words in this book are concepts or are treated as concepts. And the supporting text is not that as for little kids, it's more for older kids and it's aimed to express something about the culture behind those who speak Swahili. And the art is also far from typical for an alphabet book. It is also aimed at the culture more than the words and it is muted and beautiful.

[Aysheh M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book illustrates the beauty of bringing forward a new language and learning it's characteristics. While passing the pages i soon learned many interesting words/ phrases. I was intrigued how the culture rose in East Africa.

[Jennifer (JenIsNotaBookSnob) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book, highly recommended. It is a great, multicultural alphabet book.
Illustrations are lovely and this makes a nice break from 'yet another ABC book'.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems that my foray into picture books from countries in Africa are more alphabet books than anything else. It's a little disappointing because I really want to explore more of the culture of the various countries - or at least these were my thoughts before opening this book.

To my delight, this particular alphabet book does invite you into a new place and culture. We learn all kinds of swahili words in this book while at the same time enjoying some intense artwork. Overall, I can see why this book is considered so famous and has been shared so many times on various reading lists.

I'm glad I picked up this book. I won't be so quick to judge an alphabet book again.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never read this book so when we got it in, I wanted to read it and thought it was lovely in that it is "just" a simply alphabet book but very pointedly discusses a culture-- a group of Africans who speak Kiswahili and what words mean and/or why they're a part of the language for their cultural significance.

My favorite being tembo-- as elephants are my favorite animal. The pictures seem reverent with their lack of color and more pencil-like sketching and certainly complimentary.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Harder 2022 Task 20: Read an award winner from the year you were born

Caldecott Honor Book 1975

I love the information included in the introduction and the phonetic pronunciations included with the words.

[Mary T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to East African culture and it's neat that it includes Swahili words (with their pronunciation).

Curriculum Tie-Ins -East Africa, Swahili,

[Emily Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the book’s introduction, Muriel Feelings notes that there are no sounds in Swahili for “Q” or “X” so the book contains a 24 letter alphabet. The missing letters; however, have no impact on the book’s main purpose, which is to educate readers about East African culture and as Muriel Feelings explains “it is hoped that through this introduction to Swahili, children of African ancestry will seek to learn more ‘little by little,’ through available books, people, and travel,”. The alphabet format allows for Muriel and Tom Feelings to teach readers about everyday objects like “gudulia” or clay jar as well as important values like “heshima” or respect. Each letter is assigned a word for which Muriel Feelings offers a textual description and Tom Feelings matches with beautifully detailed black and white illustrations. “F” stands for “fagio” meaning broom. Muriel uses the everyday object to explain the way families perform household chores and Tom offers a scene that manages to demonstrate the mundane act of sweeping the clay floors with the short straw brush while simultaneously showcasing the peaceful beauty of the subjects. This book is a Caldecott Honor Book and an ALA Notable book and is recommended as an essential purchase.

[Emily Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book by Muriel Feelings and illustrated by Tom Feelings is a cultural introduction to the English Alphabet using Swahili words. This information picture book introduces readers to 24 (there are no sounds for Q or X in the Swahili language) new Swahili words from a region in Africa including the countries of Kenya, Uganda, the Congo, Zaire, Somalia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and the Malagasy Republic. This picture received the Caldecott Honors award for its illustrations while are all don’t in blacks, grays, and whites. Tom Feelings uses pencil to illustrate every word. Some pictures are details and some are more simple; but all send a clear meaning of the Swahili word.
This book would be great for a Kindergarten or a first grade class learning the alphabet. Jambo Means Hello would introduce new cultural words and would give students another culture and people to learn about. This is a great book that could be used in language arts, social studies, or geography lessons with students.

[Elizabeth]

Jambo Means Hello is the 1974 follow up to the Caldecott winning Moja Means One by Muriel Feelings and her illustrator husband, Tom Feelings. Using the alphabet, children are invited to learn 26 Swahili words, complete with a pronunciation guide and a little cultural background.

After 42 years, this book remains the best introduction to Swahili culture and language for children. The illustrations are beautiful, as befits a Caldecott Honor book, and provide a look at a culture unfamiliar to most American children.

The text is kept brief, but is descriptive and informative. Jambo Means Hello covers a variety of topics and allows children to compare and contrast their lives with the children in the book. This book is a terrific resource for cultural studies courses, such as World Culture or World Geography.

This is an essential purchase for any library serving primary school students, both school and public.

[Rachel Tackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jambo Means Hello is such a great book to learn more about a culture. The book is like an alphabet book using words in Swahili. There is an introduction to the book that gives details about east Africa and the region's that are Swahili. It gives some background on the culture before starting with the alphabet words. With each word there is a pronunciation as well as a some information about the word and it's importance in the culture. Along with each word there are also great illustration done in black and white by Tom Feelings. Each image shows a scene of what the word is or how it looks. The book is really useful for learning purposes. I think that it could be interesting for not only children to read but also adults. It can teach everyone a little about the words. I would recommend this for a classroom especially if learning about other cultures.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this Alphabet look into the Kiswahili language and African culture. It included pronunciations of each Swahili word and a small description of what the word means. There are no letters Q and X in this alphabet. This book won the 1975 Caldecott Honor Award. The illustrations are amazing and the process through which he created them is explained in great detail in the back of the book. My favorite illustrations were "N is for ngoma (drum and dance)" and "Y is for yungiyungi (water lily)," with my favorite Kiswahili words being tembo, meaning elephant and zeze, meaning stringed instrument. Recommended for ages 1-6, 4 stars.

[Shayla.boyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books illustration appears to be done through a charcoal like media. Therefore, there is only one color base through the entirety of the pictures; yet the different textures are presented through shadings. By having one color, it forces the reader to focus on the entirety of the picture to see what is happening throughout the image. Typically the main idea being expressed through the illustration is focalized by being the larger aspect of the image, drawing the reader’s eye to that area. Additionally, by having one image spread across both of the pages in the book, it allows for the entire image to be seen, for the reader’s eyes to look at the full range of the book and illustration.