Sense Pass King A Story From Cameroon

Posted In: Cameroon

Kathey Ciampi says...

Poorly written, annoying false modesty. lots of Christian mumbo jumbo, surprisingly very little insight after so much time spent in Cameroon. Laundry list of patients' conditions is about it.

And for God's sake, "it's" is NOT the same as "its".

Posted on November 17, 2010

Juliet Draughon says...

"Review by Tim McNamara - on staff at Concordia University College
"man no be God' is a memoir by Dr. Dieter Lemke, now retired and living in Edmonton, of his years as a Baptist missionary in Cameroon, Africa.Dr. Lemke is not a professional writer, and there are times when this book struck me as rough and unpolished.But, fundamentally, this is in the book's best interest.Lemke speaks from the heart and tells the reader precisely what he saw and experienced during his years in Cameroon.
Lemke, a graduate of the U of A, went to Africa as a missionary, but his essential mission was to help heal the sick.His witness to his faith was to try to make the lives of Cameroonians better.
One does not get from his memoir a sense of a man who is pedantic or preachy; rather, one has the sense of someone who teaches by setting an example. He faced a daunting task in trying to bring health care to an impoverished and difficult land.There was little in the way of resources, patients often had to walk for days just to get to him, medicine was often scarce, and facilities were primitive.Yet Lemke prevailed by doing the best he could.
Often he would be presented with novel or baffling symptoms, and he had to learn as he went.
What emerges from his efforts is the portrait of a man who did everything he could for these people whom he clearly cared about and loved.
Lemke strikes me as a tough-minded optimist.
I strongly recommend this book.It is an admirable achievement."

Posted on November 18, 2010

Antoine Boccella says...

Last year around Christmas I saw this in the bookstore and had to get it. I love the illustrations. At that moment in the store I didn't have time to read it but after seeing the illustrations I couldn't put it down. The pictures in this book are incredible. I have always been somewhat bothered that this particular picture was chosen for the cover. It's the single worst picture in (or on) the book so please do not base your opinion on the cover illustration. They did not make kids books like this when I was a kid!



If memory serves, I have never reviewed a book on this site before, so this is as good a place to start as any.



I don't have any kids but maybe I will someday. I am disturbed by the fact that it is very rare to ever see a white child playing with, say, a black doll. Obviously this is not the fault of the child. Non-white American children have had to make do with white stories and dolls for generations, until fairly recently.



I think that the sooner a child is exposed to the beautiful diversity (yet similarity) of humanity, the better it is for them and their world. I would hope that my fellow white people have had enough of the superficial and artificial world of Barbie, and are ready to open their eyes to the fact that beauty, art, love, expression, emotion, pain, and happiness occur in all shades, hues, shapes, and sizes.



Beyond this being a fun, meaningful story about a smart girl, the illustrations really convey a feel and a location. The clothing and faces and hairstyles in these pictures are stunning. Sure to grasp and ignite the imagination of children, and many adults also.



When the pages of this book start turning, you are engulfed in a world of beauty and color. Buy this book so you can entertain your children in a healthy way while also instilling in them the fact that just because not everyone looks alike doesn't mean we are all somehow "different" (in the negative sense).



Cultural diversity is, for me, humanity's greatest gift to all of us. Explore it, nurture it, love it! Also, protect it and encourage its appreciation in those around you. I wish this were a whole series of books with a different character and story for each. If this illustrator worked with other authors so as to give this sort of treatment to stories, locations, and peoples of India, China, Vietnam, Chile, Ethiopia, etc... it'd be a great "world primer" for children.



Easily one of the best kids books I've ever been around.

Posted on November 19, 2010

Tracee Kimmell says...

This book is a fairy tale. Some of the things that make it a fairy tale is there is a 7 headed fire beathing monster. She can talk to animals. She is smarter then the king. The king tried to kill her three times and never succeeded. When they do something three times that is a pattern in fairy tales. I recommend this book to everybody that likes fairy tales!

Posted on November 19, 2010

Maisha Spane says...

Sense Pass King is a traditional West African folk tale.It tells the story of Ma'antah, a brilliant child who the villagers call "Sense Pass King" because she has more sense than even the king.The king learns of this and becomes angry.He devises many plans to have Ma'antah killed, but she keeps outwitting him.Eventually, the villagers drive the king out of the village and make Ma'antah their queen.An author's note on the last page explains that in the traditional tale, Sense Pass King is a little boy.The author chose to make Sense Pass King a girl in this retelling because there are not enough stories about brave and clever girls.



I would recommend this book for children ages 6 through 9.Children in this age group who are beginning to assert themselves will enjoy reading about Ma'antah outwitting the king.They are also developing a sense of right and wrong and will be happy that the book's ending is just.I would use this book as part of a storytime program with other books of African folk tales.The beautiful acrylic paintings

add to the text by showing children detailed images of a traditional West African village, such as straw huts, animals, and traditional dress and jewelry.

Posted on November 24, 2010

Tawana Bahoora says...

Trina Schart Hyman excellently illustrates this picture book retelling. It is a folktale from the West African nation of Cameroon. The plot centers on a young girl named Ma'antah, who is so smart that she is self sufficient and can speak many languages by the time she is three years old. The people revere her. The king, on the other hand, is jealous that the girl is earning more respect than he is. So he concocts several plans to have her killed. Ma'antah outwits him every time. Tchana's protagonist is a brave child who is both confidant and a quick thinker.

Though this is a very delightful story for an adult to experience and it offers very different themes in a different social context, it has some elements that may be disturbing to some western childcare givers or parents. Children in this story are treated like adults. For instance, the wife that the old king intends to marry, and Ma'antah at first helps him to secure, is a child who is even younger than Ma'antah.

It is important to include international literature in readings with children to develop cultural literacy. However, this plot is very unusual to a western reader. Though the ending fits well into western ideas of good versus evil, themes like the arranged marriage of a very young child-princess to an old, cruel king would seem strange and frightening to most modern children(and parents). Many might suggest this reading is inappropriate and confusing for many young picture book readers.

On the other hand, the wise Ma'antah prevents the marriage, even though it is not due to concerns aboutpedophilia, but rather the king's betrayal of her. She then becomes ruler of the people. She uses her wit and character to achieve greatness. This story read to a western child breaks cultural barriers by suggesting that even very young females can be leaders.

Also, the idea of a young female ruler taking care of another younger female child as a happy ending may seem strange to a child from America. It would require much explanation, in my opinion. The illustrations are beautiful. The story is presented in an artful way.

I think this book is inappropriate in the classroom, but parents may choose to read it with much caution.

Posted on November 26, 2010