The Storyteller's Beads

by Jane Kurtz

Book Overview

Running for their lives to escape the political upheaval in Ethiopia, two young girls from different faiths form an unlikely friendship. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0152010742
• ISBN13: 9780152010744
• Release Date: April 1998
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 7.4"
• Age Range: 7 to 10 years
• Grade Range: Grades 2 to 5

Customer Reviews

The Storyteller's Beads

Can you imagine for someone to travel to an extended journey from Ethiopia to Jerusalem? In the novel, The Storyteller's Beads by Jane Kurtz is the exact similar event that happened to the main characters Sahay and Rahel. The genre of the novel is fiction. The setting of the story is generally Ethiopia and Sudan, in 1980, (during the political strife and famine). It illustrates that since most Ethiopian people wanted to seek for safety, they struggle to escape to Sudan. Therefore, the novel is a refugee story. Sahay and Rahel, play a role in the most part of the plot. Sahay, a Christian girl, in the first place did not realized that life could get worth, but now, her uncle is rushing her through the night away from the only home she has ever known out of Ethiopia, forever. Blind Jewish as child, Rahel has always relied on her grandmother to guide her; however, her parents are sending her and her brother on a long petrify trip, with no assurance when. This illustrates that both of these girls' families wanted the two girls to live in a developed life in another place instead of Ethiopia. The Sudan soldiers sent Sahay's uncle and Rahel's brother back to Ethiopia from Sudan. When Sahay's and Rahel's paths join, they were both in a bad mood; but Sahay is disgusted to share food and water with Rahel. This shows that males could not go out of Ethiopia around 1980. Therefore, Sahay and Rahel are trying a superlative way to save each other; in addition, they want to attain their dream, which is going to Jerusalem. One of Sahay and Rahel's external conflicts is that Sahay's uncle and Rahel's brother were sent back to Ethiopia. On page 120: Sahay said to Rahel, "Let's go to the edge of the camp everyday and we will try to find my uncle and your brother." This illustrates that both of the girls wished if the two men approached back to Sudan. It is because they are frightened, and they do not have anyone to support them in Sudan and help them survive the hazardous journey. Consequently, Sahay become Rahel's guide; however, they repeatedly go to the mountains to examine if the two men are circuitously. One of Sahay's internal conflicts is to be friends with Rahel or not. On page 118: Sahay thought when she has nobody, even a blind Falasha (Ethiopian Jewish) girl is somebody, even though she does not like Falasha. This shows that Sahay felt being with Rahel is better than being with no one. This is because people in her family have always feared and hated Ethiopian Jewish. Consequently, Sahay started getting along with Rahel, to overcome their cultural prejudges and help each other. The theme subject of the story is refugee. A quote that proves the theme is on page 143: they arrived to Jerusalem and saw them self that they had come to the land where for now, no matter what lay ahead, and no one was stranger. The authors comment about refugee is that refugees can accomplish a place that they can truly call home. The author's comment is true, because Ra

Applause from a parent and teacher

The Storyteller's Beads explores a timely theme: how do we make connections with people from different religious, ethnic and geographical backgrounds? Read this book, and the magic of distant lands will come alive for you. Hardships and suffering are transcended by the grace of friendship. The author lived in Ethiopia as a girl and writes with exquisite detail and nuance. A must-read for ages 9-12 in this difficult moment of history. Read aloud to aware 8 year olds. Also a marvelous testament to the strength of a young woman who is physically blind but morally gifted.

Really captures the voice of Ethiopia

My daughter and I read this aloud and loved it. I am American and my children are all Ethiopian. I have lived among Ethiopians for many years and have traveled extensively throughout the country. Jane does an amazing job of capturing the essence of Ethiopian culture - the strong, rich and ancient history as well as the racism, superstition and fears which keep Ethiopians from different ethnic backgrounds from uniting together to solve the countries current difficulties. The language used in the book incorporates the subtleties of Ethiopian speech which also conveys so much of its culture. This is just a beautiful book from which a whole new part of the world can be opened to its readers. It is also a remarkable work which will help Ethiopian-American children understand the country of their roots. I'd like to see this book up front and center in all children's libraries.

A New Version of Ruth

The Storyteller's Beads made me ask the question "what would I do on a journey if..... all the people that I have ever loved were no longer with me? If all I possessed was a string of beads to symbolize my family and my faith. And if the only person to enlighten me and to lead me to peace was blind. What would I truly do? And then I finished the book and found my answer. Great first novel Jane.

Terrific middle grades book

I am a 4th grade teacher and subscriber to the Internet discussion group Child_lit. Jane Kurtz is also a subscriber along with many children's authors, publishers, teachers, librarians, academics, and other lovers of children's literature. Knowing my work Jane guessed that I might like to use "Storyteller's Beads" with my class. She was so right and we had a wonderful time with it because of Jane's extraordinary generousity with time, galleys, drafts, and artifacts. I read the book to my class and when I finished it the children applauded at the end, they loved it so much. The children corresponded with Jane about the book and their letters clearly expressed their appreciation of this excellent book.Several wrote that it should win the Newbery!My students are upper middle class New Yorkers. I think "Storyteller's Beads" spoke to them for many different reasons. One was their interest in the Holocaust. There are many parellels to the way the Beta-Israel are persecuted in the mid-80's Ethiopia of Jane's book to the way Jews were in Nazi Germany. Then there are the complex issues between the two girls and their need to move beyond their culturally generated mistrust of each other because of their extreme situation. For my students, there was a great fascination with how much of the story came from Jane's own experiences. Also, how Jane actually created the book. Recently I was rereading their last set of letters to Jane and loved one girl's comment that it was just so "obvious" that the two girls would become friends while another child wrote that Jane's vocabulary was "cool!" I recommend it highly. It provides a window into a time and place most US children know little of.