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Reviewed by:
  • The Herd Boy
  • Deborah Stevenson
Daly, Niki . The Herd Boy; written and illus. by Niki Daly. Eerdmans, 2012. [32p]. ISBN 978-0-8028-5417-9 $17.00 Reviewed from galleys R 5-8 yrs.

"You have to be awake, and you have to be brave, to be a herd boy." Malusi, who watches his grandfather's sheep and goats in the African countryside, knows this well, and he enjoys his work—and his chance to tussle with his friend and colleague, Lungisa. Yet he's also a serious boy, and he's unfazed by his friend's laughter when he says he wants to grow up to be president. When a clearly venerable and accomplished gentleman in a shiny car witnesses Malusi's diligent care of his flock and hears of the boy's aims, he mentions his own sheep-herding past and applauds Malusi: "A boy who looks after his herd will make a very fine leader." American audiences probably won't recognize Nelson Mandela unaided or get the same impact from his benediction that South African author Daly's home crowd will, but this is an evocative picture-book treatment of a way of life unfamiliar to many youngsters. Daly keeps the child focus strong, his streamlined present-tense narration never becoming annoyingly overexplanatory, while Malusi, with his yearning for a dog and his delight in roughhousing, is relatable as well as admirable. Daly's springy, loose-limbed line adds vigor to the wide-open landscapes, dappled with earthtoned digital hues dominated by the olive green and sand of the veldt. The open sky is a palpable presence atop the sweeping horizon line, adding a subtle message as well as a vivid evocation of broad rural space. Kids will be intrigued by [End Page 140] Malusi's bucolic lifestyle, and they'll understand the importance of the validation of his dream even without additional information, while some adult explanation could add to the impact. An author's note and a glossary of the included Xhosa and Afrikaans words are included.

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