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14 Cows for America
In June of 2002, a ceremony begins in a village in western Kenya. Hundreds of Maasai surround an American diplomat to bestow a gift on the American people. The gift is as unsought and unexpected as it is extraordinary. A mere nine months have passed since the September 11 attacks, and hearts are raw. Tears flow freely as these legendary warriors offer their gift to a grieving people half a world away. Word of the gift will travel news wires around the globe. Many will be profoundly touched, but for Americans, this selfless gesture will have deeper meaning still. For a heartsick nation, the gift of fourteen cows emerges from the choking dust and darkness as a soft light of hope and friendship. Master storyteller Carmen Agra Deedy hits all the right notes in this story of generosity that crosses boundaries, nations, and cultures. An afterword by Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, the Maasai warrior at the center of the story, provides additional information about his tribe and their generosity. Thomas Gonzalez's stunning paintings are saturated with rich hues of oranges and browns and blues and greens, which capture the nobility of the Maasai people and the distinctive landscape of the African plain.
36 pages, Hardcover
First published December 18, 2007
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1442 people want to read
About the author
Carmen Agra Deedy
29 books142 followersCarmen Agra Deedy is an internationally known author of children’s literature, a storyteller and radio contributor. Born in Havana, Cuba, she immigrated to the United States with her family in 1963 after the Cuban Revolution. Deedy grew up in Decatur, Georgia and currently lives in Atlanta and has three daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 708 reviews
March 22, 2022
To be honest, I read 14 Cows For America in part inspired by lively Goodreads reviewer Melki, who often chooses her books based on how amusing the title is. I had no idea what the book was about. So I went in smirking at a silly title and ended up highly moved by a profound one.
Written by Cuban-born Carmen Agra Deedy, in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, whose story it is, and read by him, but also delicately illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez, who captures the two contrasting places in their story so well, grimly wounded NYC and sunny Kenya.
14 Cows for America is the story of a young Maasai man studying medicine in Manhattan when 9/11 saw the murder of more than 3,000 people as the twin towers were destroyed. Naiyomah, having been in Manhattan that day, couldn’t unsee it, of course. He said it "burned a hole in his heart;" and so when he went home to his village, he shared the story with his family and neighbors: "Buildings so tall they can touch the sky. . . Fires so hot they can melt iron. . . Smoke and dust so thick they can block out the sun. . . More than three thousand souls are lost."
Naiyomah knew what he needed to do; he turned to the way he had been raised there, where he learned,"To heal a sorrowing heart, give something that is dear to your own." In his village, "the cow is life." So he and his family decided to give their valuable (and only cow) to the grieving families. What do you mean, they can’t afford it?! Spiritually, they knew they couldn’t afford not to. And the village, in turn, added their own cows to Naiyomah’s gift. Fourteen cows for America. Symbolic gesture, you say? Not for the (now pastoral) Maasai, whose survival now depends foremost on cows.
Now, I don’t want to get all political about this, but I’ll give in to the temptation, I guess. During the twentieth century the US was seen as a generous, charitable nation, a beacon of hope, the leader of the free world. The liberation of Auschwitz is the image I have in my head, with American and other allied forces ending Hitler’s madness. And now I and the world view with horror Putin’s invasion and demolition of Ukraine, with thousands of civilians killed, and am glad and relieved to see international (including American) outrage (and sanctions, and more) in response, contrasting with the forbidding image of The Wall at the Mexican-US border with the (for me, unforgettable) woman holding up her sign: “Not My Problem” as desperate refugee families become separated in concentration camps to discourage others from coming here.
My point: There is a way to respond to fellow humans in need, and Naiyomah shows us how his Maasai tribe does it as one answer.
Written by Cuban-born Carmen Agra Deedy, in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, whose story it is, and read by him, but also delicately illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez, who captures the two contrasting places in their story so well, grimly wounded NYC and sunny Kenya.
14 Cows for America is the story of a young Maasai man studying medicine in Manhattan when 9/11 saw the murder of more than 3,000 people as the twin towers were destroyed. Naiyomah, having been in Manhattan that day, couldn’t unsee it, of course. He said it "burned a hole in his heart;" and so when he went home to his village, he shared the story with his family and neighbors: "Buildings so tall they can touch the sky. . . Fires so hot they can melt iron. . . Smoke and dust so thick they can block out the sun. . . More than three thousand souls are lost."
Naiyomah knew what he needed to do; he turned to the way he had been raised there, where he learned,"To heal a sorrowing heart, give something that is dear to your own." In his village, "the cow is life." So he and his family decided to give their valuable (and only cow) to the grieving families. What do you mean, they can’t afford it?! Spiritually, they knew they couldn’t afford not to. And the village, in turn, added their own cows to Naiyomah’s gift. Fourteen cows for America. Symbolic gesture, you say? Not for the (now pastoral) Maasai, whose survival now depends foremost on cows.
Now, I don’t want to get all political about this, but I’ll give in to the temptation, I guess. During the twentieth century the US was seen as a generous, charitable nation, a beacon of hope, the leader of the free world. The liberation of Auschwitz is the image I have in my head, with American and other allied forces ending Hitler’s madness. And now I and the world view with horror Putin’s invasion and demolition of Ukraine, with thousands of civilians killed, and am glad and relieved to see international (including American) outrage (and sanctions, and more) in response, contrasting with the forbidding image of The Wall at the Mexican-US border with the (for me, unforgettable) woman holding up her sign: “Not My Problem” as desperate refugee families become separated in concentration camps to discourage others from coming here.
My point: There is a way to respond to fellow humans in need, and Naiyomah shows us how his Maasai tribe does it as one answer.
March 6, 2022
Favorite quote: "To heal a sorrowing heart,
give something that is dear to your own."
Excellent narration by Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah
give something that is dear to your own."
Excellent narration by Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah
May 13, 2022
Lovely story about giving and grief for others. Beautiful picture book
January 29, 2016
This a beautiful story about the incredible generosity of a village towards a country they have never known. It reminds us how precious and bittersweet a gift it is to share the burden of grief.
September 6, 2009
As with any tragedy, in the years following the wake of September 11th a spate of books came out discussing, dissecting, and generally trying to make sense of what occurred. In this the children’s literary world and the adult literary world were very much alike. Picture books in particular took a great deal of interest in making the events palatable to young impressionable minds. The results were mixed. The general consensus was to write titles that focused on the human moments that surrounded the tragedy. That adorable little fireboat that helped put out the blazes in Maira Kalman’s almost too cute Fireboat. The women who could not deliver their roses, and so created an impromptu memorial in Jeannette Winter’s September Roses. Best of these was Mordecai Gerstein’s The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, the tragedy was merely tangential to the real story. These books all came out within a few years of one another and then nothing. It was as if people didn’t feel inclined or capable of coming up with something new. Then comes 14 Cows for America. By rights, this book should not work. That it succeeds as magnificently as it does is a credit to each one of its three creators.
One day a young man named Kimeli returns to the village where he grew up. Kimeli is Maasai and he has been studying in New York to become a doctor. However, the events of September 11th are still with him, and later he tells his people the story of that horror of that particular day. Kimeli tells the elders that he will offer his cow to the people of America. The elders agree, but invite a diplomat from the United States Embassy in Nairobi to visit the village. When the diplomat comes he is greeted with a full ceremony and is presented with not one, but fourteen cows. A Note from Kimeli himself at the end explains how all this came to be, and says that “These sacred, healing cows can never be slaughtered,” and will be kept under Maasai care in Kenya.
Carmen Agra Deedy has done a remarkable job with the text. Now, I will admit that I walked into this book skeptical, because I was not the world’s biggest fan of her The Yellow Star. That was a book that took a myth and turned it into a story that, to those not reading closely, could have been interpreted as fact. To take this true story and give it the right tone and temper . . . well, to be perfectly frank I wasn’t sure what to expect. As it turned out, I needn’t have worried. This isn’t a book where an author heard a story, thought it would make a great picture book, and then wrote the tale entirely on her own with minimal input from the people directly involved. Deedy collaborated directly with the book’s protagonist, Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah to give this story its factual background. In the Spring of 2002 Deedy picked up her copy of The New York Times and read this story about the Maasai. Over the years she continued to collect information and eventually she got in touch with Naiyomah. They emailed back and forth and result is the book we have today.
The remarkable thing about the storytelling is that the little human facts make it interesting, but without ever sounding condescending. It would be all too easy to turn this into a story where the Maasai come off looking like magical saintly people who do this grand deed because they are not of this world. Deedy strives instead to make them infinitely human and relatable. To do this, she first needs to make it perfectly clear what the cow represents to them, so the term “the cow is life” is invoked. Kimeli is the detail that sets the book apart, of course. He is the tie that binds. Without him, this would be like any other story told about an insular group by an outsider. With Kimeli you are inside the story with the Maasai, and you are given a deeper understanding of a symbolic gesture. Deedy grounds her tale in the real world, then finds just the right words. It takes a real author to know how to finish a tale of this sort perfectly, but Deedy’s last sentence takes the cake. “Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort.”
Like Deedy, Gonzalez is also originally from Cuba, a fact that I found particularly interesting. In her Author blurb, Deedy says of herself “she came to the United States as a refugee and like most immigrants sees the world from multiple perspectives.” Gonzalez does not discuss his perspective in his blurb, but it’s clear that with this book he has debuted with something remarkably strong. His background is in graphic design and art direction and as a Georgia resident it’s just remarkably lucky that he happened to be near the Atlanta-based Peachtree publisher. Now he has a picture book to his name that is far and away one of the most beautiful out there. The illustrations you find here are created in pastel, colored pencil, and airbrush. The result are these rich, full colors that transition beautifully between the early morning gloom of a jeep headed to a village on one page and the full-throttle reds and vibrant colors of a ritual on the next.
The artist also eschews stereotype and the easy way out. His images have the feel of a documentary, as well as a work of art. Like Deedy, Gonzalez acknowledges that these are warriors we’re talking about. In one two-page spread you see just the heads of two men, one of them with their face in shadow, just the eyes looking steadily at the reader. These aren’t people you mess with but, as the text says, “They are fierce when provoked, but easily moved to kindness when they hear of suffering or injustice.”
Gonzalez is at his cleverest when he must invoke the feel of September 11th without actually showing it. This is something picture books about 9/11 have to do on a regular basis, but none of the books about that day have been quite so clever about presenting the incident visually. When Kimeli tells his story the reader is on the same level as the village children, looking up. Most of the two-page spread consists of the sky above with Kimeli lifting his arms in the telling of his tale. Above him, the sky is gray with streaks of red and orange. For anyone familiar with the images of September 11th, such colors are instantly recognizable. Gonzalez has taken a day, reduced it to color alone, and then placed it harmlessly in an African sky where it illustrates a terrible tale. It is the smartest illustration choice I have seen in a very long time. For that image alone, the book should win some awards. Of course, there is one shot of the towers burning in the eyes of a Maasai child at the end of the book, but that picture is far less powerful than the preceding image and, in fact, feels a bit superfluous in comparison.
I did hear one criticism of this book that I thought was fairly on point. Non-fiction books for kids walk a tricky line between telling their stories for their child audiences and telling stories for the adults who are actually buying these books in the first place. To bridge this gap, many times an author will tell their story for the kids at the start, then follow up their story in the Afterword or Author’s Note at the end for the adults. This doesn’t have to happen, of course. In The Wall by Peter Sis, for example, the author cleverly created two narratives, one old and one young, so that kids of different ages and reading levels could all get something out of the material. The argument has been made that in the case of 14 Cows for America there are facts mentioned in the “Note from Kimeli Naiyomah” that should really have been in the text. Facts like what eventually happened to the cows (they are in Kenya “under the guidance of the revered elder Mzee Ole-Yiampoi”), which a lot of kids will be wondering when they finish this book. The kids will probably believe that when the Maasai “give” their cows to America they are physically sending the cows there, just as the King of Siam meant to sent President Lincoln elephants for the Civil War. The fact that this giving is a symbolic gesture could be better explained. And I agree that the cows’ fate would have been nice to mention in the text, but I don’t think the choice of including it at the end hurts the book too badly. I’ve read far too many non-fiction picture books where there ISN’T an Afterword or Author’s Note of any sort, so at least this one is present. Should this information have been in the story? Sure. But if kids ask “What happened to the cows?” parents at least will be able to the Note and read their children what it says at the back. The option is there.
If I were to pair this book with any other, I think I might go so far as to suggest that people read 14 Cows for America alongside Lynn Barasch’s rather fascinating First Comes the Zebra. While Deedy’s book examines the Maasai from within their own community, showing how they work with one another, Barasch’s book then displays them alongside the Kikuyu and offers hope in the face of prejudice. Zebra shows that not everything is easy for the Maasai. Cows shows their concern and care for the rest of the world in spite of this.
On paper, this book shouldn’t work. There are so many elements that could go horribly wrong. The story could be too treacly. The pictures too self-serving or patronizing. The writing too pandering. I’m the first person to view a book of this sort with a skeptical, even over-critical eye, but what I find here is a remarkable melding of three different people, coming together to tell a single true story. Fourteen Cows ends with the sentence, “The Maasai wish is that every time Americans hear this simple story of fourteen cows, they will find a measure of comfort and peace.” With this book, that is now possible.
Ages 4-8.
One day a young man named Kimeli returns to the village where he grew up. Kimeli is Maasai and he has been studying in New York to become a doctor. However, the events of September 11th are still with him, and later he tells his people the story of that horror of that particular day. Kimeli tells the elders that he will offer his cow to the people of America. The elders agree, but invite a diplomat from the United States Embassy in Nairobi to visit the village. When the diplomat comes he is greeted with a full ceremony and is presented with not one, but fourteen cows. A Note from Kimeli himself at the end explains how all this came to be, and says that “These sacred, healing cows can never be slaughtered,” and will be kept under Maasai care in Kenya.
Carmen Agra Deedy has done a remarkable job with the text. Now, I will admit that I walked into this book skeptical, because I was not the world’s biggest fan of her The Yellow Star. That was a book that took a myth and turned it into a story that, to those not reading closely, could have been interpreted as fact. To take this true story and give it the right tone and temper . . . well, to be perfectly frank I wasn’t sure what to expect. As it turned out, I needn’t have worried. This isn’t a book where an author heard a story, thought it would make a great picture book, and then wrote the tale entirely on her own with minimal input from the people directly involved. Deedy collaborated directly with the book’s protagonist, Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah to give this story its factual background. In the Spring of 2002 Deedy picked up her copy of The New York Times and read this story about the Maasai. Over the years she continued to collect information and eventually she got in touch with Naiyomah. They emailed back and forth and result is the book we have today.
The remarkable thing about the storytelling is that the little human facts make it interesting, but without ever sounding condescending. It would be all too easy to turn this into a story where the Maasai come off looking like magical saintly people who do this grand deed because they are not of this world. Deedy strives instead to make them infinitely human and relatable. To do this, she first needs to make it perfectly clear what the cow represents to them, so the term “the cow is life” is invoked. Kimeli is the detail that sets the book apart, of course. He is the tie that binds. Without him, this would be like any other story told about an insular group by an outsider. With Kimeli you are inside the story with the Maasai, and you are given a deeper understanding of a symbolic gesture. Deedy grounds her tale in the real world, then finds just the right words. It takes a real author to know how to finish a tale of this sort perfectly, but Deedy’s last sentence takes the cake. “Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort.”
Like Deedy, Gonzalez is also originally from Cuba, a fact that I found particularly interesting. In her Author blurb, Deedy says of herself “she came to the United States as a refugee and like most immigrants sees the world from multiple perspectives.” Gonzalez does not discuss his perspective in his blurb, but it’s clear that with this book he has debuted with something remarkably strong. His background is in graphic design and art direction and as a Georgia resident it’s just remarkably lucky that he happened to be near the Atlanta-based Peachtree publisher. Now he has a picture book to his name that is far and away one of the most beautiful out there. The illustrations you find here are created in pastel, colored pencil, and airbrush. The result are these rich, full colors that transition beautifully between the early morning gloom of a jeep headed to a village on one page and the full-throttle reds and vibrant colors of a ritual on the next.
The artist also eschews stereotype and the easy way out. His images have the feel of a documentary, as well as a work of art. Like Deedy, Gonzalez acknowledges that these are warriors we’re talking about. In one two-page spread you see just the heads of two men, one of them with their face in shadow, just the eyes looking steadily at the reader. These aren’t people you mess with but, as the text says, “They are fierce when provoked, but easily moved to kindness when they hear of suffering or injustice.”
Gonzalez is at his cleverest when he must invoke the feel of September 11th without actually showing it. This is something picture books about 9/11 have to do on a regular basis, but none of the books about that day have been quite so clever about presenting the incident visually. When Kimeli tells his story the reader is on the same level as the village children, looking up. Most of the two-page spread consists of the sky above with Kimeli lifting his arms in the telling of his tale. Above him, the sky is gray with streaks of red and orange. For anyone familiar with the images of September 11th, such colors are instantly recognizable. Gonzalez has taken a day, reduced it to color alone, and then placed it harmlessly in an African sky where it illustrates a terrible tale. It is the smartest illustration choice I have seen in a very long time. For that image alone, the book should win some awards. Of course, there is one shot of the towers burning in the eyes of a Maasai child at the end of the book, but that picture is far less powerful than the preceding image and, in fact, feels a bit superfluous in comparison.
I did hear one criticism of this book that I thought was fairly on point. Non-fiction books for kids walk a tricky line between telling their stories for their child audiences and telling stories for the adults who are actually buying these books in the first place. To bridge this gap, many times an author will tell their story for the kids at the start, then follow up their story in the Afterword or Author’s Note at the end for the adults. This doesn’t have to happen, of course. In The Wall by Peter Sis, for example, the author cleverly created two narratives, one old and one young, so that kids of different ages and reading levels could all get something out of the material. The argument has been made that in the case of 14 Cows for America there are facts mentioned in the “Note from Kimeli Naiyomah” that should really have been in the text. Facts like what eventually happened to the cows (they are in Kenya “under the guidance of the revered elder Mzee Ole-Yiampoi”), which a lot of kids will be wondering when they finish this book. The kids will probably believe that when the Maasai “give” their cows to America they are physically sending the cows there, just as the King of Siam meant to sent President Lincoln elephants for the Civil War. The fact that this giving is a symbolic gesture could be better explained. And I agree that the cows’ fate would have been nice to mention in the text, but I don’t think the choice of including it at the end hurts the book too badly. I’ve read far too many non-fiction picture books where there ISN’T an Afterword or Author’s Note of any sort, so at least this one is present. Should this information have been in the story? Sure. But if kids ask “What happened to the cows?” parents at least will be able to the Note and read their children what it says at the back. The option is there.
If I were to pair this book with any other, I think I might go so far as to suggest that people read 14 Cows for America alongside Lynn Barasch’s rather fascinating First Comes the Zebra. While Deedy’s book examines the Maasai from within their own community, showing how they work with one another, Barasch’s book then displays them alongside the Kikuyu and offers hope in the face of prejudice. Zebra shows that not everything is easy for the Maasai. Cows shows their concern and care for the rest of the world in spite of this.
On paper, this book shouldn’t work. There are so many elements that could go horribly wrong. The story could be too treacly. The pictures too self-serving or patronizing. The writing too pandering. I’m the first person to view a book of this sort with a skeptical, even over-critical eye, but what I find here is a remarkable melding of three different people, coming together to tell a single true story. Fourteen Cows ends with the sentence, “The Maasai wish is that every time Americans hear this simple story of fourteen cows, they will find a measure of comfort and peace.” With this book, that is now possible.
Ages 4-8.
January 30, 2012
Carmen Agra Deedy’s 14 Cows For American is the true heart-wrenching story of Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, an African medical student studying in New York when the twin towers burned on 911. He returns to his Maasai tribe and retells the story in the hopes that the elders will bless the cow he worked so hard to purchase for his mother but now decides to give to America. As Kimeli Naiyomah explains, his tribe taught him that, ”to heal the pain in someone’s heart, you give something that is close to your own heart.” To the nomadic Maasai tribe a cow means, “life”. Without their cows they would starve to death. The tribe hears the story and decides one by one to also give, until 14 cows in all are offered. An American diplomat is sent to receive the gift. When he and his wife arrive they are given a ceremony with full traditional garb, dance and the experience of a sacred ritual. They are moved to tears and so was I!
Upon reading this picture storybook one can tell why it won a Bluestem Award nomination and Parent's Choice Award. Thomas Gonzalez’s illustrations are simply beautiful. The bold bright colors would be appealing to any child. The wide horizontal shaped design of the book with illustrations across two pages emphasizes the landscape and openness of nature and the heavens, the setting for this story. The text is just as beautiful as the illustrations. Each support each other so the reader feels the depth of the emotions felt by the tribe that day and the magnitude of their gift. The story ends with, “because there is no nation to powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort”. The text is accompanied by a drawing of the main character’s eye with the reflection of the twin towers burning in the richness of his beautiful black eyes. I know at this point, I have lost all control!
I was left with questions at the end of the book like did they really send the cows and if so, here where are they now? All of my questions were answered in the epilogue along with a website for further information.
This text would lend itself to discussion in numerous ways for students 9 and up. A discussion about 911 and how it impacted to world would be appropriate. I would also suggest using this book as a mentor text to discuss visual literacy elements with children second grade and up. Discussions about how illustrations and text and how they support each other for understanding and mood and tone of a text would be in order.
Upon reading this picture storybook one can tell why it won a Bluestem Award nomination and Parent's Choice Award. Thomas Gonzalez’s illustrations are simply beautiful. The bold bright colors would be appealing to any child. The wide horizontal shaped design of the book with illustrations across two pages emphasizes the landscape and openness of nature and the heavens, the setting for this story. The text is just as beautiful as the illustrations. Each support each other so the reader feels the depth of the emotions felt by the tribe that day and the magnitude of their gift. The story ends with, “because there is no nation to powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort”. The text is accompanied by a drawing of the main character’s eye with the reflection of the twin towers burning in the richness of his beautiful black eyes. I know at this point, I have lost all control!
I was left with questions at the end of the book like did they really send the cows and if so, here where are they now? All of my questions were answered in the epilogue along with a website for further information.
This text would lend itself to discussion in numerous ways for students 9 and up. A discussion about 911 and how it impacted to world would be appropriate. I would also suggest using this book as a mentor text to discuss visual literacy elements with children second grade and up. Discussions about how illustrations and text and how they support each other for understanding and mood and tone of a text would be in order.
January 2, 2016
This picture book was recommended by a presenter at NCTE. I made a huge book order upon returning from Minneapolis, and I'm slowly making my way through this purchase. Today I finally picked up this book, and I loved it. It is so easy to remain caught up with only those things set right before our eyes, but we're all connected. Humanity. People can be so amazing, and this book is a reminder that we can make a positive difference in the world, regardless of our situation--or location--in life, and help and change often come in the most unexpected ways.
July 19, 2019
It's difficult to think of a topic more widely canvassed, in recent years, than the events of September 11, 2001, and the causes, meanings, and ramifications thereof. Everyone - from the "pride goeth before a fall" lot, who blame U.S. foreign policy for the attacks, to the "clash of civilizations" crowd, who look to the inherent evil of the cultures and religion which produced the terrorists for a cause - has an opinion. It may sound odd, given the current omnipresence of this event in our public discourse, but I rarely hear anyone speaking - save in a bombastic way - about what actually happened that day: about the more than three thousand human beings who were brutally murdered in the span of a few short hours.
It may very well be that this is a necessity, if one is to engage in a rational political discussion of the matter, without being swallowed whole by emotional distress. I have this particularly vivid memory of a panel discussion held shortly after 9/11 at my college, in which hot debate about what would and should happen next was interrupted by a quiet young Indian student, who stood up and wondered aloud how the participants could already be haggling about who was to blame, reducing a terrible tragedy to little more than a talking point in their own ongoing political narratives. "Thousands of people have died!" he exclaimed, and the hall fell silent. No one knew what to say - partly I suspect, because they recognized the truth of his accusation. But also because, what could they say? What, save our fumbling attempts to make meaning, can be done in the face of such an atrocity?
Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah - a young Maasai man studying medicine in the United States, who found himself in New York City on that fateful day, and was haunted afterword by the terrible loss suffered by his host nation - discovered the answer to that question in the traditions of his people, and in his own "childhood heart." Returning to his village, it was Kimeli who brought the news of that day to the Maasai, who told them the terrible story, and who asked the elders' blessing for his symbolic gift of Enkarûs - his only cow - to America. Moved by his story, and mindful of the fact that "there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort," the elders agreed. They, and the people, did something more: they added their own cows to Kimeli's gift. Fourteen cows for America, from a pastoral people for whom "the cow is life."
Written by Carmen Agra Deedy, in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, whose story it is, 14 Cows for America is an immensely moving little book, a reminder that, while there is malice and cruelty in the world, there is also great generosity and compassion. It isn't a book to explain the events of 9/11, so much as a tale of how one person responded to those events: how he carried the story around with him, until it "burned a hole in his heart;" how he shared the burden of that story with his loved ones and community; and how he found, in the teachings of his childhood, in the idea that "To heal a sorrowing heart, give something that is dear to your own," a way to express his compassion, his fellow-feeling.
Thomas Gonzalez' illustrations - done in pastel and colored pencil - are beautiful, subtly capturing both the light-filled land of the Maasai, and (in the storytelling scenes) the smoky terror of 9/11. But the true strength here is the narrative, which, in its very simplicity, paints the best picture I have yet seen of that terrible day in New York: "Buildings so tall they can touch the sky... Fires so hot they can melt iron... Smoke and dust so thick they can block out the sun... More than three thousand souls are lost." I wept. Isn't that what one does, in the face of such terrible wrong? Isn't that what one does, in the face of such love?
It may very well be that this is a necessity, if one is to engage in a rational political discussion of the matter, without being swallowed whole by emotional distress. I have this particularly vivid memory of a panel discussion held shortly after 9/11 at my college, in which hot debate about what would and should happen next was interrupted by a quiet young Indian student, who stood up and wondered aloud how the participants could already be haggling about who was to blame, reducing a terrible tragedy to little more than a talking point in their own ongoing political narratives. "Thousands of people have died!" he exclaimed, and the hall fell silent. No one knew what to say - partly I suspect, because they recognized the truth of his accusation. But also because, what could they say? What, save our fumbling attempts to make meaning, can be done in the face of such an atrocity?
Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah - a young Maasai man studying medicine in the United States, who found himself in New York City on that fateful day, and was haunted afterword by the terrible loss suffered by his host nation - discovered the answer to that question in the traditions of his people, and in his own "childhood heart." Returning to his village, it was Kimeli who brought the news of that day to the Maasai, who told them the terrible story, and who asked the elders' blessing for his symbolic gift of Enkarûs - his only cow - to America. Moved by his story, and mindful of the fact that "there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort," the elders agreed. They, and the people, did something more: they added their own cows to Kimeli's gift. Fourteen cows for America, from a pastoral people for whom "the cow is life."
Written by Carmen Agra Deedy, in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, whose story it is, 14 Cows for America is an immensely moving little book, a reminder that, while there is malice and cruelty in the world, there is also great generosity and compassion. It isn't a book to explain the events of 9/11, so much as a tale of how one person responded to those events: how he carried the story around with him, until it "burned a hole in his heart;" how he shared the burden of that story with his loved ones and community; and how he found, in the teachings of his childhood, in the idea that "To heal a sorrowing heart, give something that is dear to your own," a way to express his compassion, his fellow-feeling.
Thomas Gonzalez' illustrations - done in pastel and colored pencil - are beautiful, subtly capturing both the light-filled land of the Maasai, and (in the storytelling scenes) the smoky terror of 9/11. But the true strength here is the narrative, which, in its very simplicity, paints the best picture I have yet seen of that terrible day in New York: "Buildings so tall they can touch the sky... Fires so hot they can melt iron... Smoke and dust so thick they can block out the sun... More than three thousand souls are lost." I wept. Isn't that what one does, in the face of such terrible wrong? Isn't that what one does, in the face of such love?
February 23, 2014
Author: Carmen Agra Deedy
Illustrator: Thomas Gonzalez
Illustrations done in pastels, colored pencils, and airbrush on 100% rag archival watercolor paper.
Award(s)/Honor(s): NSSTB 2010; SSLH 2010
Grades: (Reading level: 3-5) Used as part of text set for 8th grade.
Summary: This is a moving story about a remote tribe in Kenya called the Maasai and their touching gift to America after the September 11th attacks.
Theme: This book offers its readers a look into the thoughts and sincere longing of the Maasai tribe to soothe the suffering of a country who endured a great injustice. Deedy captures the essence of the Maasai’s gift to America in that no country is too great to not need to support and compassion of a people so small. This story inspires others to look beyond the magnitude of a crisis and contribute to a solution with meaning and genuine kindness.
Classroom Connection: This book may compliment studies of African culture or help to contribute to discussions related to the September 11th terrorist attacks. This book may also help to tie in cultural diversities in the classroom or how one person or a small group of people can make an impact on an entire community (or country). While this picture book is intended for grades 3-5, it can also be used during carefully constructed middle school lessons and activities to ignite student’s thinking.
Readers’ Advisory: The content of this book does require basic prior knowledge of the September 11th attacks. This will be important for teachers to recognize in situations where English Language Learners are present as they may lack basic prior knowledge in this area. Teachers will want to ensure that these students are provided an opportunity to learn about and prepare for this reading.
The magnificent illustrations and the compelling story of the Maasai tribe will keep students captivated until the end. Deedy’s ability to capture how deeply affected the Maasai were by the tragedy and their sincere desire to ease the grief of America is both compelling and alluring. Thomas Gonzalez’s use of brilliant colors in his illustrations is sure to entice the reader but it will be the facial expressions that are depicted throughout the story that will surely evoke every readers emotions.
Illustrator: Thomas Gonzalez
Illustrations done in pastels, colored pencils, and airbrush on 100% rag archival watercolor paper.
Award(s)/Honor(s): NSSTB 2010; SSLH 2010
Grades: (Reading level: 3-5) Used as part of text set for 8th grade.
Summary: This is a moving story about a remote tribe in Kenya called the Maasai and their touching gift to America after the September 11th attacks.
Theme: This book offers its readers a look into the thoughts and sincere longing of the Maasai tribe to soothe the suffering of a country who endured a great injustice. Deedy captures the essence of the Maasai’s gift to America in that no country is too great to not need to support and compassion of a people so small. This story inspires others to look beyond the magnitude of a crisis and contribute to a solution with meaning and genuine kindness.
Classroom Connection: This book may compliment studies of African culture or help to contribute to discussions related to the September 11th terrorist attacks. This book may also help to tie in cultural diversities in the classroom or how one person or a small group of people can make an impact on an entire community (or country). While this picture book is intended for grades 3-5, it can also be used during carefully constructed middle school lessons and activities to ignite student’s thinking.
Readers’ Advisory: The content of this book does require basic prior knowledge of the September 11th attacks. This will be important for teachers to recognize in situations where English Language Learners are present as they may lack basic prior knowledge in this area. Teachers will want to ensure that these students are provided an opportunity to learn about and prepare for this reading.
The magnificent illustrations and the compelling story of the Maasai tribe will keep students captivated until the end. Deedy’s ability to capture how deeply affected the Maasai were by the tragedy and their sincere desire to ease the grief of America is both compelling and alluring. Thomas Gonzalez’s use of brilliant colors in his illustrations is sure to entice the reader but it will be the facial expressions that are depicted throughout the story that will surely evoke every readers emotions.
October 8, 2011
Kimeli grew up in Kenya in the Maasai tribe. He won a scholarship to study in America. He was in New York City on September 11th, 2001. He saw the devastating events of that day and he wanted to do something to help. In his tribe, the cow is life. He returned to Kenya and his people were so moved by the story of that tragic day that his tribe blessed 14 cows and held a ceremony for the American ambassador that accepted the cows.
This true account is extremely moving and the Maasai people express true compassion and kindness.
This true account is extremely moving and the Maasai people express true compassion and kindness.
October 31, 2013
Genre: Multicultural
Awards: Parent's Choice Gold Award
Grade Level: 1-6
Comments: I would read this book to my classroom on September 11. I would use it to promote discussion with my students on what they know about 9/11. I would also discuss the idea of different parts of the world coming together to memorialize on an important day. I think that would build such a connection in the students mind knowing that the entire world can come together to be supportive of one another. I could also bring this book up when discussing social studies, and how parts of the world are different from ours.
Awards: Parent's Choice Gold Award
Grade Level: 1-6
Comments: I would read this book to my classroom on September 11. I would use it to promote discussion with my students on what they know about 9/11. I would also discuss the idea of different parts of the world coming together to memorialize on an important day. I think that would build such a connection in the students mind knowing that the entire world can come together to be supportive of one another. I could also bring this book up when discussing social studies, and how parts of the world are different from ours.
July 29, 2016
Absolutely beautiful. Moved me to tears. This is the true story of how the Maasai people of Kenya, upon hearing of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, gave to America, as a gesture of comfort and empathy, 14 of its most valued possessions--cows. The last line of the story says it all:
"Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort." Highly, highly recommended!
"Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort." Highly, highly recommended!
September 17, 2015
I do not this story because I do not like these kinds of stories.
April 5, 2023
How have I not heard this story before. Very moving. The last line..." Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort. "
December 26, 2015
14 Cows for America, written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez, is a story about the compassion shown to the American community in the wake of the September 11th attacks on America. Kenyan born Kimeli Naiyomah was living in New York on September 11, 2001 and experienced the horror felt by all of America on that day. The following spring, he returned to his Maasai village and told shared his experiences with his Kenyan community. In a culture where a cow is the most sacred possession, Kimeli decides to give a gift of a cow to the Americans as an expression of empathy and sorrow. Upon presenting his cow to tribal elders for a blessing, Kimeli finds that other elders in his tribe have added to his gift. In this way, 14 Cows are offered for America.
This collaborative effort shares with readers one example of the empathy and sorrow felt around the world by the tragic events of September 11th. Despite dramatic cultural differences between the Maasai and American people, the universal human emotions of compassion, empathy, and sacrifice break cultural bonds and bring us together. This picture book is filled with stunning illustrations that draw us into this community. Thomas Gonzalez’s focus on the expressive faces of these characters is one of the strongest elements of this book. I found the images of the sky in this book equally moving. On that day, the treats came from the sky. Most images from that day show witnesses looking to the sky. Gonzalez’s attention to the sky in each of his drawings reminds those of us alive on that day of what came through the sky to change history.
While this book could be read to elementary age students, middle and high school students are better equipped to understand the cultural significance of a gift of 14 cows. This book could be used as part of a larger unit that looked at worldwide response to the September 11th attacks. The note from Kimeli Naiyomah at the end of the book provides the background information for readers from other cultures to understand the symbolic meaning of the cow and it's significance to this village.
This book earned the 2009 Parents' Choice Gold Award, the 2010 Comstock Read Aloud Book Award, and the 2009 Cybils Awards Nominee for Nonfiction Picture Books.
This collaborative effort shares with readers one example of the empathy and sorrow felt around the world by the tragic events of September 11th. Despite dramatic cultural differences between the Maasai and American people, the universal human emotions of compassion, empathy, and sacrifice break cultural bonds and bring us together. This picture book is filled with stunning illustrations that draw us into this community. Thomas Gonzalez’s focus on the expressive faces of these characters is one of the strongest elements of this book. I found the images of the sky in this book equally moving. On that day, the treats came from the sky. Most images from that day show witnesses looking to the sky. Gonzalez’s attention to the sky in each of his drawings reminds those of us alive on that day of what came through the sky to change history.
While this book could be read to elementary age students, middle and high school students are better equipped to understand the cultural significance of a gift of 14 cows. This book could be used as part of a larger unit that looked at worldwide response to the September 11th attacks. The note from Kimeli Naiyomah at the end of the book provides the background information for readers from other cultures to understand the symbolic meaning of the cow and it's significance to this village.
This book earned the 2009 Parents' Choice Gold Award, the 2010 Comstock Read Aloud Book Award, and the 2009 Cybils Awards Nominee for Nonfiction Picture Books.
January 21, 2013
14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra details the story of Kimeli Naiyomah, a man who grew up in a small village in Kenya, but eventually moved to the United States in order to obtain a degree from Stanford University. The story details Kimeli’s journey home after the 9/11 tragedy, and his interaction with the people of his village after retelling the horrific events.
This story does a wonderful job portraying the message that all can lend aid in a time of need and that suffering of humanity is universal. The way in which the people of the Massai tribe show their support for America is wonderfully heart warming. The tribe’s people want to send their most prized possession, cows, to the hurting country, even at the expense their own tribe’s well being. The author writes, “They sing to them. They give them names. They shelter the young ones in their homes. Without the herd, the tribe might starve. To the Maasai, the cow is life,” (Agra). The cow to the Maasai is a symbol of life, and without cows, the Maasai would starve. Their herd means a great deal to them. The significance might be lost on readers (Americans) at first glance but upon closer inspection, and possibly a rereading, it is obvious that the Massai gave of their hearts to show their support to America.
The visuals Thomas Gonzalez creates are breathtaking. The use of wide horizontal portraits emphasizes the landscape and openness of the setting. I especially enjoyed the picture of a young Massai boy with the twin towers in his eyes as it visually created the connection between the tribe and 9/11.
While I truly enjoyed this story, both the storyline and the visuals, I was left wondering why the author chose to end the story so vaguely? Furthermore, why doesn’t the author choose to tell the story of what happened to the cows or the response from Americans? This vagueness obviously left me with more questions than answers at the end of the story, and while I am sure this is not the intent of the author, it is a frustrating feeling to have when ending a seemingly well-written picture book.
This story does a wonderful job portraying the message that all can lend aid in a time of need and that suffering of humanity is universal. The way in which the people of the Massai tribe show their support for America is wonderfully heart warming. The tribe’s people want to send their most prized possession, cows, to the hurting country, even at the expense their own tribe’s well being. The author writes, “They sing to them. They give them names. They shelter the young ones in their homes. Without the herd, the tribe might starve. To the Maasai, the cow is life,” (Agra). The cow to the Maasai is a symbol of life, and without cows, the Maasai would starve. Their herd means a great deal to them. The significance might be lost on readers (Americans) at first glance but upon closer inspection, and possibly a rereading, it is obvious that the Massai gave of their hearts to show their support to America.
The visuals Thomas Gonzalez creates are breathtaking. The use of wide horizontal portraits emphasizes the landscape and openness of the setting. I especially enjoyed the picture of a young Massai boy with the twin towers in his eyes as it visually created the connection between the tribe and 9/11.
While I truly enjoyed this story, both the storyline and the visuals, I was left wondering why the author chose to end the story so vaguely? Furthermore, why doesn’t the author choose to tell the story of what happened to the cows or the response from Americans? This vagueness obviously left me with more questions than answers at the end of the story, and while I am sure this is not the intent of the author, it is a frustrating feeling to have when ending a seemingly well-written picture book.
January 24, 2013
I was moved by this picture book. It tells us the story of Kimeli, a Maasai man, who returned to his home village for a time as he was studying to be a doctor. When he returns, his people ask for a story and he provides them with one of the attacks of September 11th. The Maasai respond with a stunning and inspirational gift of what they hold most dear; cows; fourteen, in fact.
It takes talented authors to write about such an emotional event as September 11th in a manner that is understandable to children. This book accomplishes that task and more. The beautiful artwork supports every facet of the storyline with colorful and thoughtful imagery. Themes that this book could fit into may be empathy, citizenship, or friendship. It offers students an opportunity to examine where they fit within the world and therefore, open their eyes to it. There are basic lessons of humanity that can be seen quite clearly in the story and can be made to fit in many of them.
I would place this book as a 2nd or 3rd grade text. With that in mind, it would require students of this age to have a basic understanding of what happened on September 11th. Clearly, this would be a delicate matter to bring up with such young minds but an important one.
This book won a Parent's Choice Award in 2009 and it is not surprising. In fact, I am more surprised that it hasn't won many more. It is a timely story that offers children a new reality that terrorist attacks are not national events but international events; that our humanity doesn't ask for our citizenship. Since this is the case, I can see myself using this book on September 11th within the classroom. The reading level of this book is about the same time that children become more aware of the world and its goings on. They are not ignorant of what is different to us on that day. This book offers teachers an opportunity to approach the subject in a respectful and honorable way.
It takes talented authors to write about such an emotional event as September 11th in a manner that is understandable to children. This book accomplishes that task and more. The beautiful artwork supports every facet of the storyline with colorful and thoughtful imagery. Themes that this book could fit into may be empathy, citizenship, or friendship. It offers students an opportunity to examine where they fit within the world and therefore, open their eyes to it. There are basic lessons of humanity that can be seen quite clearly in the story and can be made to fit in many of them.
I would place this book as a 2nd or 3rd grade text. With that in mind, it would require students of this age to have a basic understanding of what happened on September 11th. Clearly, this would be a delicate matter to bring up with such young minds but an important one.
This book won a Parent's Choice Award in 2009 and it is not surprising. In fact, I am more surprised that it hasn't won many more. It is a timely story that offers children a new reality that terrorist attacks are not national events but international events; that our humanity doesn't ask for our citizenship. Since this is the case, I can see myself using this book on September 11th within the classroom. The reading level of this book is about the same time that children become more aware of the world and its goings on. They are not ignorant of what is different to us on that day. This book offers teachers an opportunity to approach the subject in a respectful and honorable way.
March 21, 2016
14 Cows for America is a moving story that shows how kindness can break the barriers between different countries and cultures. This story follows the main character, Kimeli, as he ventures home to a small village in Kenya. When he arrives he tells the villagers the story of what happened in America on 9/11. His village is moved by the story and wants to offer their condolences to America with a sacred gift!
This book could be used in many ways to teach in the classroom:
-Discuss Kenyan culture. Explore the language used in this book and what it means. Explore the dress and traditions that are pointed out in the book.
-Discuss similarities and differences between Kenyan culture and American culture
-Discuss how all countries are affected by disasters whether they may be natural or man made.
-Discuss how kindness can break the barrier of different cultures and countries
-Start a conversation relating to government...What is the US Embacy? Why is it in Kenya? Why is it important?
-Discuss the powerful quote: "Because there is not nation so powerful it cannot be wounded"
-Help students draw parallels with the sympathy that the villagers felt and why they wanted to send the cows. These cows are their prized possessions and therefore this was a huge gift they gave to the Americans. (Even though cows may seem like a silly gift to us)
This book was a WOW book for me because it integrates many aspects. It merges the unique culture of the small village in Kenya with the devastation of the terrorist attacks on 9/11. The kindness of the Kenya villagers is moving and the storyline is sincere! A must have for my classroom!
This book could be used in many ways to teach in the classroom:
-Discuss Kenyan culture. Explore the language used in this book and what it means. Explore the dress and traditions that are pointed out in the book.
-Discuss similarities and differences between Kenyan culture and American culture
-Discuss how all countries are affected by disasters whether they may be natural or man made.
-Discuss how kindness can break the barrier of different cultures and countries
-Start a conversation relating to government...What is the US Embacy? Why is it in Kenya? Why is it important?
-Discuss the powerful quote: "Because there is not nation so powerful it cannot be wounded"
-Help students draw parallels with the sympathy that the villagers felt and why they wanted to send the cows. These cows are their prized possessions and therefore this was a huge gift they gave to the Americans. (Even though cows may seem like a silly gift to us)
This book was a WOW book for me because it integrates many aspects. It merges the unique culture of the small village in Kenya with the devastation of the terrorist attacks on 9/11. The kindness of the Kenya villagers is moving and the storyline is sincere! A must have for my classroom!
April 9, 2016
This book is eye-opening and gives a different perspective of 9/11, in the way that it comes from Kimeli, a young man who was born in Kenya but now lives in America and was there during the incident in September of 2001. 14 Cows for America deals with a village in Kenya, the Maasai people, who are helping to assist America in hopes to help heal their pain, just a mere 9 months after the 9/11 attacks. It's amazing what can be done with countries and their friendships, with just 14 cows.
I would use this book in my classroom during September to give students another look at 9/11, definitely by doing a read-aloud. I think this book provides students with different views and allows them to take a look at how it not only affected Americans, but people in other countries as well. Having a discussion after the book is read about 9/11 and answering any questions students may have is important. I think it would be neat for students to do a writing about a gift that they may have given someone that means as much as the cows meant to America. That way students would really understand just how much the cows meant and how grateful people in America really were.
This book was a WOW book to me because reading it makes you really stop and think about the tragedy of 9/11 and how we often just think of it affecting America only, when in reality it affected the world. It really just makes you think about how people truly are compassionate and are willing to help other people, despite what we may hear on social media, etc. This book really was eye-opening and will make you stop and reflect on 9/11.
I would use this book in my classroom during September to give students another look at 9/11, definitely by doing a read-aloud. I think this book provides students with different views and allows them to take a look at how it not only affected Americans, but people in other countries as well. Having a discussion after the book is read about 9/11 and answering any questions students may have is important. I think it would be neat for students to do a writing about a gift that they may have given someone that means as much as the cows meant to America. That way students would really understand just how much the cows meant and how grateful people in America really were.
This book was a WOW book to me because reading it makes you really stop and think about the tragedy of 9/11 and how we often just think of it affecting America only, when in reality it affected the world. It really just makes you think about how people truly are compassionate and are willing to help other people, despite what we may hear on social media, etc. This book really was eye-opening and will make you stop and reflect on 9/11.
December 18, 2009
What a beautiful story of human compassion and sacrifice. 14 Cows for America tells the story of a young man,Kimeli, who belongs to the Maasai, nomadic hunters who live in a small village in Kenya. He has left his beloved village to study in America. While in New York City, he experiences the devastation of September 11th. It breaks his heart, and in his desire to share hope with those who lost so much, he vows to sacrifice his only cow. Cows to the Maasai are life. They raise them and love them as part of their families. Kimeli returns to his village to share the story with his people and to participate in a sacred ceremony of blessing on his cow. On the day of the ceremony, the American Ambassador to Kenya arrives at the Maasai village. Here he finds a day of sacred ceremony and celebration which ends with the sacrifice not only of Kimeli's cow but of 13 other cows. The Maasai present them to Americans to show how deeply they feel the losses of September 11th. These cows are to never be slaughtered and are kept in a special preserve in Kenya. The breathtaking story is made more poignant by the breathtaking artwork. The bold oranges and reds, the expressive features of the Maasai people absolutely portray the deep sacrifice and beautiful presentation made by a people so far away from America. The book is most appropriate for grades K - 4, but it is a story that all ages can appreciate and need to experience.
March 13, 2017
"14 Cows for America" by Carmen Agra Deedy was a wonderful informational story about how September 11, 2001 affected not only the United States but the entire globe. It tells the true story of a man who comes from a Maasai village in Africa to study in America during the time of 9/11. He then returns to his village to tell his family and friends about the event, and they decide to show their respect and sympathy to Americans by "giving" 14 cows to the American diplomat of their country. Cows are sacred in their village, so it was a sign of deep respect to show Americans they are not alone. This book was a WOW book because it was not only an informational story about an African village and 9/11, but also shows how impactful events can be throughout the entire world. It is sometimes easy to feel alone in hard times, but this story shows that people around the world can help share the burden of grief.
I would use this book in a third grade class because it was an interesting picture book at the third grade reading level that deals with a heavy issue (9/11). It addresses the topic but also tells a lighter, more heartwarming perspective of the situation. 9/11 will become an important event to teach when I have my own class, and I have not experienced being taught about the subject because I lived through it. This book is one way to make the topic accessible to students.
I would use this book in a third grade class because it was an interesting picture book at the third grade reading level that deals with a heavy issue (9/11). It addresses the topic but also tells a lighter, more heartwarming perspective of the situation. 9/11 will become an important event to teach when I have my own class, and I have not experienced being taught about the subject because I lived through it. This book is one way to make the topic accessible to students.
April 15, 2012
This is a heartwarming story of the Maasai Tribe and the incredible gift they give to another country. Set in western Kenya, the cow is the way of life for these people and they treat them with great respect and honor. One of the tribe members, Kimeli is studying in New York City when the September 11th Attacks occurred and is decides he must do something to help. He returns to Kenya and informs his tribe of the catastrophe that has occurred in the United States. Kimeli decides he will offer his only cow, the most valuable thing he owns. The elders give him their blessing and the tribe comes together to brainstorm other gifts they can give to the United States. Other members also offer their cows and a total of 14 precious cows will be given as gifts. The tribe has a sacred ritual ceremony dressing in their traditional garments and invites the American ambassador to accept the gift as a symbol to help comfort the country through this difficult time. This book shows the sacrifice other nations made to help our country following the attacks of 9-11. I was required to read this book for a project on the Notable Books for a Global Society. This was my favorite book and absolutely enjoyed every page. I will definitely use this book in my classroom one day and I encourage other teachers to do the same.
September 10, 2016
A warrior made a perilous journey home to Kenya. People cried when they realized he was home. The Maasai tribe believes that the cattle are life. Without the cattle, the tribe would not survive. This warrior gathered the town to tell them what he has seen. Everyone gathers under an acacia tree; which is the tribe’s tradition. The tribe relays the message to the US embassy. They sent an American diplomat who was greeted with a celebration by the tribe. They gave him fourteen cows. No nation is undefeatable, and no nation is too small to make a difference. This book is best for students in second grade or younger. It can help teach students to be kind, to help each other, and respect people even if they are different. It ends with an important lesson that even you are never too small to make a difference. Students that originate from Kenya, a tribe, or a small town may connect with the story better than other students. While in a small group setting, students can talk about how they can make a difference. This can also be done with the whole class by taking turns. The class can also talk about traditions they have at home. The Giving Tree is a book with a similar lesson of giving and receiving. It teaches children that generosity is appreciated and should be reciprocated. 14 Cows for America is also available in audio.
October 17, 2009
My Thoughts:
Whew! What a life-affirming story! It gives you hope for the world.
The pictures are up close and personal. The text is vivid and rings with compassion for the world.
Here’s the story, if you don’t know it: A Kenyan wins a scholarship to go to America and become a doctor. While he is there, he experiences 9/11. He returns to his people, a tribe once renowned as warriors but who are now known as master cow herders. The tribe feels great sorrow when the young man tells them of the tragedy in New York City and the members of the tribe want to do something to help America. Thus, fourteen cows for America.
The children were very moved by the story. They were happy when the tribe gave the cows to America and danced for America. Some of the story was over their heads, but they got the gist of it.
A Sample:
“Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort.”
Children’s Comments:
Aryn, 6, said, "I did not like how their heads look red."
Stevie, 6, said, "I liked the pictures."
Joaquin, 6, said, "I liked the picture of the tribe."
Kaylin, 6, said, "I liked the picture of the cows."
Children’s Ratings: 5, 5, 5, 1
Whew! What a life-affirming story! It gives you hope for the world.
The pictures are up close and personal. The text is vivid and rings with compassion for the world.
Here’s the story, if you don’t know it: A Kenyan wins a scholarship to go to America and become a doctor. While he is there, he experiences 9/11. He returns to his people, a tribe once renowned as warriors but who are now known as master cow herders. The tribe feels great sorrow when the young man tells them of the tragedy in New York City and the members of the tribe want to do something to help America. Thus, fourteen cows for America.
The children were very moved by the story. They were happy when the tribe gave the cows to America and danced for America. Some of the story was over their heads, but they got the gist of it.
A Sample:
“Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort.”
Children’s Comments:
Aryn, 6, said, "I did not like how their heads look red."
Stevie, 6, said, "I liked the pictures."
Joaquin, 6, said, "I liked the picture of the tribe."
Kaylin, 6, said, "I liked the picture of the cows."
Children’s Ratings: 5, 5, 5, 1
July 31, 2016
The original circumstances and individuals on which this book is based probe deeply into the pain of September 11 and the power of individuals to respond to tragedy in meaningful ways. The summary above is one of the best I've read on Goodreads and so I won't repeat details of the contents. The quality of the images, storytelling, and essential values of the book justify its inclusion in any collection- personal, home, or school.
I will add, though, that this would make an excellent exemplar text for writers of any age. The spare but eloquent writing is nearly poetic, leading readers through a range of intense and authentic emotions, reflected in the rich images that reveal both cultural details and universal humanity.
Author Deedy honors oral tradition within the Masai tribe as well as their deep-seated values:
"They are fierce when provoked,/ but easily moved to kindness/ when they hear of suffering/ or injustice."
The back-note from Kimeli Naiyomah, the central character, is worth sharing at any age, but is also a rich resource for older readers and might lead to further reading and research.
Five stars are not enough.
I will add, though, that this would make an excellent exemplar text for writers of any age. The spare but eloquent writing is nearly poetic, leading readers through a range of intense and authentic emotions, reflected in the rich images that reveal both cultural details and universal humanity.
Author Deedy honors oral tradition within the Masai tribe as well as their deep-seated values:
"They are fierce when provoked,/ but easily moved to kindness/ when they hear of suffering/ or injustice."
The back-note from Kimeli Naiyomah, the central character, is worth sharing at any age, but is also a rich resource for older readers and might lead to further reading and research.
Five stars are not enough.
November 19, 2018
14 Cows For America by Carmen Agra Deedy is a picture book that uses illustrations with deep and vibrant colors to depict the beautiful culture that the story is based around. This story takes place in a remote village in Kenya but yet blends together this culture with the very different American culture, which is done in a magnificent fashion. Moreover, I was actually not too impressed with book and I am still not quite sure how I totally feel about it. The story line and plot did not keep me very interested and or on my toes in any way. The author made America seem like some magical land where all things were nice and peaceful. America almost seems as if it is the savior of the people in this village which is a mindset that I think is problematic. Throughout history I feel as if America has been painted in a way that it is not; which is almighty and powerful, a land of equality and opportunity for all. This is not how America really is and I feel as if this book could reinforce that problematic rhetoric in my students and that it why I would not go out of my way to include this book in my classroom.
May 15, 2012
14 Cows For America is a fascinating look at how an event in America’s history affected a remote village in Africa thousands of miles away. A young man from a remote village in Kenya returns home for a visit. He is studying to be a doctor in New York, and 9/11 was just a few months past. He retells the devastation of that day to the elders in his village, and they come together to offer a gift of hope to America; 14 sacred cows.
The story and the illustrations work together to show a different reaction to a major event in American history. The author, Carmen Agra Deedy, describes Kimeli’s return to his village and expressively details the elders astonishment over the horrific event. A note at the end from Kimeli provides more details into his village and growing up there. He also explains more about the gift of the cows and where the cows are now.
This book is wonderful for providing insight into a different culture, while children can make connections with it through American history.
The story and the illustrations work together to show a different reaction to a major event in American history. The author, Carmen Agra Deedy, describes Kimeli’s return to his village and expressively details the elders astonishment over the horrific event. A note at the end from Kimeli provides more details into his village and growing up there. He also explains more about the gift of the cows and where the cows are now.
This book is wonderful for providing insight into a different culture, while children can make connections with it through American history.
March 12, 2015
14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy
This is a picture book that reflects the true events that took place on September 11, 2001. The story is narrated by a young man named Kimeli who had been studying in New York to become a doctor when the tragedy of September 11th occurred. Kimeli shared what happened that day with his village Maasai in Kenya. When they heard the story, they felt deeply sad for the American people and they blessed and offered 14 healing sacred cows to the American people as a symbol of compassion and kindness for their tragedy. The story of the book develops through the events of the September 11th with a connection between two cultures. It also provides additional information about the Maasai tribe and their generous actions.
There are other books that complement this historical moment such as Fireboat, September Roses, and the Man Who Walked Between the Towers.
It is a right book to work with 4th graders as an introduction of the events on September 11, 2001.
2009 Parents' Choice Gold Award winner.
This is a picture book that reflects the true events that took place on September 11, 2001. The story is narrated by a young man named Kimeli who had been studying in New York to become a doctor when the tragedy of September 11th occurred. Kimeli shared what happened that day with his village Maasai in Kenya. When they heard the story, they felt deeply sad for the American people and they blessed and offered 14 healing sacred cows to the American people as a symbol of compassion and kindness for their tragedy. The story of the book develops through the events of the September 11th with a connection between two cultures. It also provides additional information about the Maasai tribe and their generous actions.
There are other books that complement this historical moment such as Fireboat, September Roses, and the Man Who Walked Between the Towers.
It is a right book to work with 4th graders as an introduction of the events on September 11, 2001.
2009 Parents' Choice Gold Award winner.
December 6, 2015
This novel was truly astounding. It really made a huge impression on me and touched my heart in many ways. I loved the story and how it really brought to light that when America was going through a hard time, there were countries who were giving their most prized possessions to lend us a hand in our time of need. I loved that this book not only showed two different cultures separately, but how it brought them together. The illustrations did an amazing job on showing the stark contrasts between the Maasai culture and American culture, but how even though we are very different, we can come together as one and truly bond. This is a great book to have in my database because that fateful day of September 11, 2001 is something that Americans will reflect on with sadness forever. It is a large part of our recent history, and it is important for children to learn about it.
Carmen, A., Naiyomah, W.K. (2010).0 Fourteen Cows for America. Illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez. Atlanta, GA. Peachtree.
Carmen, A., Naiyomah, W.K. (2010).0 Fourteen Cows for America. Illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez. Atlanta, GA. Peachtree.
October 18, 2013
1. Genre: Multicultural
2. Awards: Beehive award, Best Book for Kids (multicultural category, Best Children's Book of the Year, Bluestem Book Award, CCBC Choices (Historical People, Places and Events, Comstock Book Award, E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor, Land of Enchantment Book Awards, Notable Books for a Global Society, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, Parents’ Choice Gold Award, Society of School Librarians International Book Awards (honor book, Social Studies K-6), Teachers’ Choices, Wilde Awards, Charlotte Award suggested reading list, Librarians’ Choices
3. Grade level: K-2
4. Use in classroom + activity: I would read this book to my students while teaching them about 9/11. It is important for the students to realize what happened during 9/11 in our country, but also how it affected other countries. To follow up, I will ask my students to go home and interview their family members who remember 9/11. The next day we will discuss their interviews in class.
2. Awards: Beehive award, Best Book for Kids (multicultural category, Best Children's Book of the Year, Bluestem Book Award, CCBC Choices (Historical People, Places and Events, Comstock Book Award, E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor, Land of Enchantment Book Awards, Notable Books for a Global Society, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, Parents’ Choice Gold Award, Society of School Librarians International Book Awards (honor book, Social Studies K-6), Teachers’ Choices, Wilde Awards, Charlotte Award suggested reading list, Librarians’ Choices
3. Grade level: K-2
4. Use in classroom + activity: I would read this book to my students while teaching them about 9/11. It is important for the students to realize what happened during 9/11 in our country, but also how it affected other countries. To follow up, I will ask my students to go home and interview their family members who remember 9/11. The next day we will discuss their interviews in class.
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