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My Rows and Piles of Coins
“I emptied my secret money box, arranged the coins in piles and the piles in rows . . .” The market is full of wonderful things, but Saruni is saving his precious coins for a red and blue bicycle. How happy he will be when he can help his mother carry heavy loads to market on his very own bicycle—and how disappointed he is to discover that he hasn’t saved nearly enough! Determination and generosity are at the heart of this satisfying tale set in Tanzania and illustrated with glowing watercolors that capture the warmth of Saruni’s family and the excitement of market day.
32 pages, Paperback
First published August 23, 1999
12 people are currently reading
328 people want to read
About the author
Tololwa M. Mollel
24 books12 followersEducation: University of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, BA, literature and theater, 1972; University of Alberta, Canada, MA, drama, 1979, PhD, drama, 2001-.
Memberships: Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers; Society of Children's Book Writers; Writers Guild of Alberta; Alberta Legion of Encouraging Storytelling.
Career
University lecturer, director of children's theater and actor in Tanzania, 1979-86; writer, storyteller and lecturer in Canada, 1986-; Edmonton Public Library, writer-in-residence, 2000-.
Life's Work
In many modern cultures, the practice of handing down history through the oral and pictorial traditions of storytelling is giving way to the flashy special effects of Hollywood movies, the lessons learned in television sitcoms, or the unsubstantiated truths that can be downloaded from the Internet. Numerous old folk and native stories have been lost as popular culture has failed to integrate them into modern entertainment. However, several artists and authors have taken it upon themselves to preserve these stories and rejuvenate them for contemporary young audiences, including children's storybook author Tololwa Mollel. Since 1992 Mollel has been reinventing African tribal tales and creating original stories that he hopes will teach children about varying cultural backgrounds as well as focusing thematically on traditional morals and values. As Mollel said in an on-line Kids Care Club interview, "I think folklore plays a role in providing children as they grow a basic literary vocabulary and means with which to perceive the world and human behavior. It also provides them entertainment and a means of socializing them into the mores and values of the community."
Even though Mollel now makes his home in Canada, he was born in the Arusha region of Tanzania on June 25, 1952, to Loilangisho and Saraa (Eleiser) Mollel. Early in his life, Mollel was sent to live with his grandparents who tended a coffee farm in northern Tanzania. It was here that he was introduced to two very important influences, storytelling and religion. His grandparents made sure that Mollel and the other children living with them had access and constant exposure to biblical stories in order to foster a love of literature and Christian values. They also very heavily valued education and reading. In an article on Mollel on the University of Alberta website, it stated that Mollel would run home from school, "to share the thing he had read at school. Mollel's grandfather would listen intently, probing for details." Mollel says that it was these first conversations with his grandfather that sparked within him a "love of storytelling that has never left."
First Book Retold Maasai Venus Story
Mollel attended the University of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania to pursue a bachelor's degree in literature in theater. He accomplished this goal in 1972 and proceeded to further his education by attending the University of Alberta in Canada. Mollel decided to focus on his talents in the fields of theater and performance, and received his masters degree in drama in 1979. Afterward he returned to Tanzania and was employed as a university lecturer in the field of drama. He was also a director and actor at a children's theater. As Mollel continued to work and produce plays, he lived meagerly and saved his earnings in the hopes of returning to Canada. It would take him seven years, but finally in 1986, Mollel returned to Canada, this time not as a student but as an emigrant. He continued to lecture in Edmonton, Canada to make ends meet, but fostered his love of storytelling that he had been able to express while working in the Tanzanian children's theater. In the late 1980s, he turned to writing as an outlet, and wrote a few short stories for children that were published by various magazines.
Then, in 1991, Mollel published his first major children's book, The Orphan Boy. The Orphan Boy embodies an old folktale about the planet
Memberships: Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers; Society of Children's Book Writers; Writers Guild of Alberta; Alberta Legion of Encouraging Storytelling.
Career
University lecturer, director of children's theater and actor in Tanzania, 1979-86; writer, storyteller and lecturer in Canada, 1986-; Edmonton Public Library, writer-in-residence, 2000-.
Life's Work
In many modern cultures, the practice of handing down history through the oral and pictorial traditions of storytelling is giving way to the flashy special effects of Hollywood movies, the lessons learned in television sitcoms, or the unsubstantiated truths that can be downloaded from the Internet. Numerous old folk and native stories have been lost as popular culture has failed to integrate them into modern entertainment. However, several artists and authors have taken it upon themselves to preserve these stories and rejuvenate them for contemporary young audiences, including children's storybook author Tololwa Mollel. Since 1992 Mollel has been reinventing African tribal tales and creating original stories that he hopes will teach children about varying cultural backgrounds as well as focusing thematically on traditional morals and values. As Mollel said in an on-line Kids Care Club interview, "I think folklore plays a role in providing children as they grow a basic literary vocabulary and means with which to perceive the world and human behavior. It also provides them entertainment and a means of socializing them into the mores and values of the community."
Even though Mollel now makes his home in Canada, he was born in the Arusha region of Tanzania on June 25, 1952, to Loilangisho and Saraa (Eleiser) Mollel. Early in his life, Mollel was sent to live with his grandparents who tended a coffee farm in northern Tanzania. It was here that he was introduced to two very important influences, storytelling and religion. His grandparents made sure that Mollel and the other children living with them had access and constant exposure to biblical stories in order to foster a love of literature and Christian values. They also very heavily valued education and reading. In an article on Mollel on the University of Alberta website, it stated that Mollel would run home from school, "to share the thing he had read at school. Mollel's grandfather would listen intently, probing for details." Mollel says that it was these first conversations with his grandfather that sparked within him a "love of storytelling that has never left."
First Book Retold Maasai Venus Story
Mollel attended the University of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania to pursue a bachelor's degree in literature in theater. He accomplished this goal in 1972 and proceeded to further his education by attending the University of Alberta in Canada. Mollel decided to focus on his talents in the fields of theater and performance, and received his masters degree in drama in 1979. Afterward he returned to Tanzania and was employed as a university lecturer in the field of drama. He was also a director and actor at a children's theater. As Mollel continued to work and produce plays, he lived meagerly and saved his earnings in the hopes of returning to Canada. It would take him seven years, but finally in 1986, Mollel returned to Canada, this time not as a student but as an emigrant. He continued to lecture in Edmonton, Canada to make ends meet, but fostered his love of storytelling that he had been able to express while working in the Tanzanian children's theater. In the late 1980s, he turned to writing as an outlet, and wrote a few short stories for children that were published by various magazines.
Then, in 1991, Mollel published his first major children's book, The Orphan Boy. The Orphan Boy embodies an old folktale about the planet
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
January 11, 2014
This story will reach children of all ages. It is a story of a poor child in Africa who helps his mother sell goods at the market each day. His mother gives him a few coins each day for helping him, however, he chooses not to spend them on all the glorious foods and toys at the market but saves them to buy a new bike so he can help carry the heavy goods for his mother to market every day. I plan on using this book to help teach students about wants and needs and the basics of saving and making good choices about money. Hopefully students will be as moved as I was by the boy's desire to use his money to help his mother, instead of wasting it on selfish possessions. Students will love to chime in on the repetitive refrain found on several pages in the story and will connect with the boy's desire to have enough money to buy something he has his heart set on. I would be tempted to end the story at the climax, where the boy goes to market and finds his savings aren't enough for the bike and record student's ideas on what the boy should or will do next. This is a great book and I would highly recommend it for use with students in your classroom!
January 29, 2014
My Rows and Piles of Coins is an excellent fluid reading and illustrated book for all elementary ages. What I enjoyed most was that the setting is in Tanzania with illustrations showing other places and cultures. A family works together to transport goods to the marketplace where the son is saving his coins to purchase a bike. He has many obstacles along the way, but through determination and planning he meets his goals. It is most powerful that he never gave up even when he was told he couldn't achieve what he wanted. Also, the strong connection of family that looks out for one another. I highly recommend this book for many reasons. As a read aloud it has many opportunities to ask questions throughout the book. It leaves many to predict what will happen next. It could be used as a character trait study, economics study of saving and determining wants from needs, and a culture study.
November 20, 2011
The story of Saruni follows a plot where most children can identify; a boy that saves up for something that he really wants. The children can also identify with Saruni's eager effort to learn to ride a bicycle on his own and saving up for a new one. However, the setting of this story is entirely different from experiences children have here in the United States. First of all, Saruni calls his parents by their first name. Unless we pay attention to the first few paragraphs of the story, both parents are addressed by their first name. The story is narrated by Saruni and he refers to both parents by Yeyo and Murete. Only in the beginning does he let the readers know his relationship to both of them. Every Saturday Saruni goes to the market with his mother to help her sell produce that they grew. He pushes the wheelbarrow and his mother carries a basket on top of her head. He plays an essential role in providing for his family. Readers are invited into the memories of the author, Tolowa Mollel, and his experience growing up in a small village in Tanzania, Africa. This would be a "window" book as we get to peek into the lives of people in a small village in Tanzania, Africa.
As a teacher, this is a great book to share because students can identify the experience of a boy who is saving up for something he really wants. He gets ridiculed by other children, he experiences problems along the way and eventually lead to the happy ending. There's many books we can pair up with this book with the same theme. For example, Alexander Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst, could be used as a compare and contrast. This story's setting is familiar but the theme of saving money is prevalent. Children can compare and contrast Alexander's decision and Suruni's decisions as they both received money and their motives and discuss pros and cons. And also use it as a way to compare and contrast the relationships with their families and the roles they play in their family.
As a teacher, this is a great book to share because students can identify the experience of a boy who is saving up for something he really wants. He gets ridiculed by other children, he experiences problems along the way and eventually lead to the happy ending. There's many books we can pair up with this book with the same theme. For example, Alexander Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst, could be used as a compare and contrast. This story's setting is familiar but the theme of saving money is prevalent. Children can compare and contrast Alexander's decision and Suruni's decisions as they both received money and their motives and discuss pros and cons. And also use it as a way to compare and contrast the relationships with their families and the roles they play in their family.
November 8, 2010
This was an excellent book for a student to be engaged in about counting stacks of five dimes at a time that a little boy in Africa is saving up for a new bicycle. The end of the book states that this story setting is in Tanzania, Africa. There are new vocabulary words introduced throughout the story in Swahili and other languages of the area. There is a glossary in the back. This book also received a Coretta Scott King Award.
Great book!!
Great book!!
September 6, 2022
It feels like every book I read for this class is better than the last. Fantastic, realistic. The art captured Tanzania perfectly*, as well as a boy determined to do right by his family.
One of the first questions I ask my students is, "do you tend to see the similarities or differences between people and cultures." They're not penalized either way, of course - because different people are different... But I don't know if it captures Tanzania perfectly. I've never been to Tanzania. But I was to the Marche en Fer a number of times before it burned down, and multiple other open air markets in China, Dominican Republic, Lancaster Pennsylvania... etc... to feel confident in that statement. But who knows, Maybe Tololwa M. Mollel and E.B. Lewis got it wrong.
One of the first questions I ask my students is, "do you tend to see the similarities or differences between people and cultures." They're not penalized either way, of course - because different people are different... But I don't know if it captures Tanzania perfectly. I've never been to Tanzania. But I was to the Marche en Fer a number of times before it burned down, and multiple other open air markets in China, Dominican Republic, Lancaster Pennsylvania... etc... to feel confident in that statement. But who knows, Maybe Tololwa M. Mollel and E.B. Lewis got it wrong.
June 30, 2012
Main Characters: Saruni, Yeyo (mom), and Murete (father).
First Person Point of View: From Saruni who is an elementary student.
Setting: In a Tanzania market, on the east coast of Africa.
Genre: Multicultural Literature.
Lexile Level: 700L – Upper Elementary
Plot: Throughout the story, Saruni helps Yeyo at the market by carrying goods from and back home. As a result, Saruni receives “ten-cent coins,” which make up one shilling. Meanwhile, Murete has been showing Saruni how to ride a bicycle for some time. Since Saruni wants to buy a bicycle in order to lessen the burden of his mother, he decides to purchase a bicycle with his savings - three hundred and five “ten-cent coins.” Nevertheless, Saruni is deeply disappointed once the bicycle seller laughs at him for believing a bicycle could be purchased with those coins. Yeyo was amazed and touched of Saurni’s selfless action. To the surprise of Maruni and Yeyo, Murete purchased a motorbike. Murete decides to give Saruni his old bicycle, yet Saruni brought his moneybox in exchange for the bicycle. Yeyo and Murete immediately explain to Saruni that both his moneybox and the bicycle were all his. Saruni was, then, able to carry a load of goods on his bicycle. As he walks next to his loaded bicycle with his mother, Yeyo thinks: “If only I had a cart to pull behind my bicycle……I could lighten her load!”
Main Ideas:
Money
Africa (Travel & Places)
Selflessness
Dreams
Determination
Recommended: I would recommend “My Rows and Piles of Coins” because it underlines the importance of human relationships. Since Saruni was able to capture the essence of being selfless, I believe Saruni is an example of determination for students. Additionally, I consider that the story opens a window to Tanzania life and language. By reading the story and the author’s note, which includes a glossary, teacher and students will become more knowledgeable about life in Tanzania.
Personal Reaction: Reading “My Rows and Piles of Coins” was a fun and educational experience. As I read the story, not only was I able to learn new words and about Tanzania life, but I also understood the importance of discussing and explaining actions of determination and selflessness to students.
Satisfying Concluding Statement: Saruni opens a window to Tanzania life.
First Person Point of View: From Saruni who is an elementary student.
Setting: In a Tanzania market, on the east coast of Africa.
Genre: Multicultural Literature.
Lexile Level: 700L – Upper Elementary
Plot: Throughout the story, Saruni helps Yeyo at the market by carrying goods from and back home. As a result, Saruni receives “ten-cent coins,” which make up one shilling. Meanwhile, Murete has been showing Saruni how to ride a bicycle for some time. Since Saruni wants to buy a bicycle in order to lessen the burden of his mother, he decides to purchase a bicycle with his savings - three hundred and five “ten-cent coins.” Nevertheless, Saruni is deeply disappointed once the bicycle seller laughs at him for believing a bicycle could be purchased with those coins. Yeyo was amazed and touched of Saurni’s selfless action. To the surprise of Maruni and Yeyo, Murete purchased a motorbike. Murete decides to give Saruni his old bicycle, yet Saruni brought his moneybox in exchange for the bicycle. Yeyo and Murete immediately explain to Saruni that both his moneybox and the bicycle were all his. Saruni was, then, able to carry a load of goods on his bicycle. As he walks next to his loaded bicycle with his mother, Yeyo thinks: “If only I had a cart to pull behind my bicycle……I could lighten her load!”
Main Ideas:
Money
Africa (Travel & Places)
Selflessness
Dreams
Determination
Recommended: I would recommend “My Rows and Piles of Coins” because it underlines the importance of human relationships. Since Saruni was able to capture the essence of being selfless, I believe Saruni is an example of determination for students. Additionally, I consider that the story opens a window to Tanzania life and language. By reading the story and the author’s note, which includes a glossary, teacher and students will become more knowledgeable about life in Tanzania.
Personal Reaction: Reading “My Rows and Piles of Coins” was a fun and educational experience. As I read the story, not only was I able to learn new words and about Tanzania life, but I also understood the importance of discussing and explaining actions of determination and selflessness to students.
Satisfying Concluding Statement: Saruni opens a window to Tanzania life.
Read
November 24, 2012Interest Level: Primary K-3
Reading Level –
Grade level equivalent: 4.1, Lexile 700L
Guided Reading Level: P
DRA: 38
Main Characters: Saruni, Murete, and Yeyo
Setting: Africa
POV: Saruni
Genre: Multicultural Contemporary Realistic Fiction
This realistic fiction story set in Africa holds several valuable themes for young readers that are made easily relatable as told from the point of view of the young main character, Saruni. This story tells the admirable tale of a very kind boy that cares for his family very much. This is easy to see as Saruni helps his family in the fields with the harvest, which is then followed by going to the market together to sell their crops. Although the detail that is biggest piece of evidence of Saruni’s caring nature is when he decides he wants a new bike to better help his mother. While most children want items such as a new bike, it typically is for personal pleasure, but Saruni would like to make his mother happy by surprising her with the bike in order to help her more efficiently. Instead of asking for the money, Saruni decides to save the money himself. Unfortunately, the story unfolds to portray Saruni feeling disappointed he hasn’t saved enough to purchase the bike. Although in the end, his father is touched to hear of his generosity and gives Saruni his bike to reward his kind heart.
This tale of warmth and family is a great tool to be used in primary classrooms for a vast variety of objectives. I used this story in my current third grade classroom placement as we worked on story structure and sequence. I focused on character and setting more closely as we conducted a character analysis study of Saruni. I definitely recommend using this text as a means for this reading target as I think it worked wonderfully for this focus. The main character has traits not typical of most children his age, but is still very relatable for students in primary grades. The character’s traits are clearly depicted through his actions, which make a great resource for the character analysis purpose. In addition to character, setting is another great focus as it is not specifically stated the story is set in Africa, but rather shown through details and illustrations students can use to study context clues.
Reading Level –
Grade level equivalent: 4.1, Lexile 700L
Guided Reading Level: P
DRA: 38
Main Characters: Saruni, Murete, and Yeyo
Setting: Africa
POV: Saruni
Genre: Multicultural Contemporary Realistic Fiction
This realistic fiction story set in Africa holds several valuable themes for young readers that are made easily relatable as told from the point of view of the young main character, Saruni. This story tells the admirable tale of a very kind boy that cares for his family very much. This is easy to see as Saruni helps his family in the fields with the harvest, which is then followed by going to the market together to sell their crops. Although the detail that is biggest piece of evidence of Saruni’s caring nature is when he decides he wants a new bike to better help his mother. While most children want items such as a new bike, it typically is for personal pleasure, but Saruni would like to make his mother happy by surprising her with the bike in order to help her more efficiently. Instead of asking for the money, Saruni decides to save the money himself. Unfortunately, the story unfolds to portray Saruni feeling disappointed he hasn’t saved enough to purchase the bike. Although in the end, his father is touched to hear of his generosity and gives Saruni his bike to reward his kind heart.
This tale of warmth and family is a great tool to be used in primary classrooms for a vast variety of objectives. I used this story in my current third grade classroom placement as we worked on story structure and sequence. I focused on character and setting more closely as we conducted a character analysis study of Saruni. I definitely recommend using this text as a means for this reading target as I think it worked wonderfully for this focus. The main character has traits not typical of most children his age, but is still very relatable for students in primary grades. The character’s traits are clearly depicted through his actions, which make a great resource for the character analysis purpose. In addition to character, setting is another great focus as it is not specifically stated the story is set in Africa, but rather shown through details and illustrations students can use to study context clues.
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April 16, 2009Saruni lives in rural Tanzania and every week, he goes with his mother to the market to sell what they grow on their farm. The market holds many wonders - sweets, toys and most of all, bicycles. Every week, Saruni's mother gives him some of their earnings. She thinks he's buying treats, but Saruni is saving his money up to buy a bicycle so that he can help carry the goods to market.
The story is heartwarming, the characters are real (Saruni is especially likeable) and the illustrations are lovely. My favorite is the one where Saruni is learning to ride his father's bicycle, but, like most kids, he can't do it right away, so he has tipped over. His poor father's hands are at his head in surprise. The pictures are realistic and give kids a good idea of what it would be like to live in Tanzania. All in all, this is a good book
The story is heartwarming, the characters are real (Saruni is especially likeable) and the illustrations are lovely. My favorite is the one where Saruni is learning to ride his father's bicycle, but, like most kids, he can't do it right away, so he has tipped over. His poor father's hands are at his head in surprise. The pictures are realistic and give kids a good idea of what it would be like to live in Tanzania. All in all, this is a good book
December 3, 2012
This was a great book to learn the importance of hard work saving money. Saruni wants to buy and bike and learns how he has to work hard and save his money. This book showed the culture and relationships between mother, father, and son. The illustrations were great in depicting the emotions of the characters.
I would use this book for 2nd through 3rd grade because of the text and content. This a great way to show the value in hard work and helofulness. This book shows a great lesson in saving money and selflessness.
I would use this book for 2nd through 3rd grade because of the text and content. This a great way to show the value in hard work and helofulness. This book shows a great lesson in saving money and selflessness.
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December 11, 2012his book’s storyline is set in Tanzania where a young boy learns the importance of hard work and saving his money. He works hard to save his money throughout the whole book by selling things at the market. At the very end when he is counting his rows of coins, but doesn’t have quite enough, but was given a surprise! This would be a great book to use when looking for a book to read that has multicultural characteristics! It would also work well in an economics unit!
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December 4, 2012This touching story depicts Saruni, a young boy who helps his mother in the market and saves the money she gives him in order to buy a bike so that he can help her carry their produce to the market every Saturday. When he is turned down, his parents buy him a bike for his sweet trhoughts. This is a story that teaches us the innocence of a child as well as their unconditional love for us. Mollel definately can teach us a lesson or two.
August 28, 2015
A young Tanzanian boy helps his mother at market and saves the money she pays him so he can buy a bicycle. When he thinks he finally has enough, the man who sells them at the market laughs at him. It's a family story, and shows thoughtful parents helping to make things work out. Sweet story, with some different African words in a glossary at the back. The illustrations are beautiful watercolors of the scenes.
March 19, 2014
A great story that not only introduces a bit of Tanzanian culture but also espouses the virtues of saving your pennies for something big. The little boy in the story shows a great example of a good-hearted young man who wants to help his parents. I really enjoyed this book and so did our oldest daughter.
January 29, 2011
For money, saving and counting in piles of tens, this book is wonderful. For the heartwarming story and imagery, it's even better. I loved that in the end, they let him have the bike and the money he earned which he promptly set to saving for another gift.
May 21, 2011
A wonderful story of persistence to go for what the little boy wants; a bike. He receives money from his mom for helping her on market day. He saves it up to buy a bike but although he thinks he has enough the bicycle seller laughs at him. The little boy does not give up though.
March 12, 2013
Another book I can add to my culture list and my future math teachers list. It's easy for kids to relate too because many kids have bikes and many do save their money for that one big thing. It was nice to see that he was saving his money to help his Mom and Dad out instead of on himself.
December 1, 2007
Diligently saving his hard earned wages, a boy’s loving motives are eventually rewarded. Set in Tanzania.
September 2, 2009
This picture book seems to be geared towards older beginning readers. This story has longer sentences and paragraphs than some of the other picture books in my list. Good lesson-teaching story.
July 1, 2010
This is another great book about a market place in another culture.
Hayes read this in March 2010
Hayes read this in March 2010
October 27, 2010
The warmth and strength of this little boy is an inspiration of values and giving back even when it won't be enough!
December 8, 2010
Great book to introduce students into a new culture!
April 2, 2011
This is a good cultural read for children.
I like the Author's Note in the back that has the meanings for several Swahili and Maasai words used in the book.
I like the Author's Note in the back that has the meanings for several Swahili and Maasai words used in the book.
May 19, 2011
This will work nicely for the third week's program
March 19, 2014
A young Tanzanian boy saves up to buy a bike. When he brings his rows and piles of coins, he finds that it's not enough, but gets a surprise.
May 5, 2014
Good multicutural read aloud book about a young Tanzanian boy who saves money to buy his bicycle from the market full of wonderful things.
July 23, 2012
cute story about earning money, saving for a special purchase and making sacrifices for one's family.
December 7, 2012
This is a great book with a great story line. It's good for students to read this and know how important it is to work for what you want.
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January 24, 2013Story of young boy trying to save enough money to get a bike to help with family. COuld be grwoing up- family or concepts (money)
June 25, 2013
Good story to teach children the wisdom of saving to buy something they want. Postive model, strong black male character.
November 8, 2013
This a warm, lovely story about determination. When Saruni wears that over-sized coat, it renders me totally enamored with the sweet illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews