Waiting for the Owl's Call (Tales of the World) Hardcover – Picture Book, September 14, 2009

I've read this to my fifth graders each year as we study the unit Freedom. They (and I) love learning about this people group who labor so hard, producing such beauty, but at a great price. The illustrations are lovely, but, even more than that, the characterizations and descriptions capture the lifestyles of these girls and the women in their lives. I thank Gloria Whelan for writing this book and the entire series of books to instruct all of us on information most of us do not know. A terrific book to own and share!

It's an eye opening book about the life situation of others in other parts of the world. Good illustrations too.

The previous reviewer gave a good overview of this story. The series would seem to be a wonderful idea: tell about the daily life of a child in a particular culture as expressed by the child's feelings. As mentioned, the author notes an organization which seeks to "end illegal child labor...and offer educational opportunities to the children of South Asia. The child's voice makes clear that she sees and appreciates all the care and beauty of her family and community. The illustrations are lovely: bright colors that are softly rendered.Who is the best audience for this story, one of longing for the freedoms of childhood, and the promise of school? I believe older children (perhaps especially girls) who have become aware of the inequities of experience for children in the world. This is a book to be read with or by an adult who is ready with a both an appreciation of the child's life and and explanation of why this delightful young girl has such a difficult daily life with little hope for her future. She says, "...the shadow of the loom is the largest shadow of all. It hovers over us like a dark ghost..." and, "...my fingers bleed after making many knots..... I don't cry but my mother does..." I could imagine a 10 year-old reader wanting to do something to help such children and an adult ready to help with a plan would be the best reader.I give it 4 stars, but it is a book for adult responsibility.

Zulviya, a young Turkoman child living in Afghanistan, works all day long with her sister and cousin at the loom, weaving rugs by hand. They begin early in the morning, shortly after the muezzin's call to prayer, and do not finish until dusk when they hear the call of the owl. The work, which involves tying thousands of knots in a single day, is tedious and hard; it causes Zulviya's back to ache and her fingers to bleed. To keep her mind occupied, Zulviya imagines creating her own pattern full of the colors and symbols of her homeland. She also allows for the sliver of hope of attending school. This book uses poetic text and vibrant illustrations to communicate the very real problem of child labor in Asia's rug making industry. The afterword informs the reader of a nongovernmental organization named RugMark that inspects rug production sites, issues certification labels for rugs made without child labor, and helps to rehabilitate child workers and send them to school. Readers will gain a deeper appreciation of Afghanistan's culture and the importance of education in meeting the needs of its children.