School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--A picture book debut set in Zanzibar, this one-to-10 counting book is about the joy of welcoming strangers into your life. This rhyming story opens on a Friday when there is a feast happening at the bazaar. Musa and Dada are headed there in a daladala. Initial hesitation about inviting anyone else on board turns into wiggles and giggles as they move over and make room for farmers, mamas, herders, and vendors. Hilarity ensues as every space in the bus is used for their belongings, which range from chickens to scuba diving gear. Rhyming text (that includes Swahili words and Arabic phrases), repetitious phrases, and gorgeous illustrations that reflect the culture of the city will make this not only a beautiful read-aloud but a memorable one. VERDICT An incredibly strong purchase; children are almost guaranteed to repeat parts of this story, and join in on the counting that happens throughout.--Tanya Boudreau
Publisher's Weekly Review
This irrepressible story in verse by newcomer Khan is simultaneously a counting book and a study in generosity of spirit. Siblings Musa and Dada are taking a daladala to the "blue crystal waters of Zanzibar" when the driver spots an old man and his bicycle. "It's hotter than peppers out there in the sun," the driver calls. "Come in, there's room for everyone!" More invitations follow: a herder and two goats, three fruit vendors, a farmer with four full milk pails. Musa protests: "We don't have the space!" But the passengers willingly relinquish room (through "a shuffle, a squirm, and a squeeze") to accommodate the newcomers. By the time 10 divers want to board the bursting vehicle, Musa has entered into the spirit of things: "Come join the fun! We'll make enough room for everyone!" L贸pez (I Am Smoke) brings bright color, fine draftsmanship, and communal warmth to jovially packed spreads. Even the characters' robes and the attractive chaos of the things they carry are captured with care in this affirming portrait set in East Africa. Ages 4--8. (Oct.)
Horn Book Review
Young Musa and his sister hop aboard the daladala that will drive them from town to the Zanzibar shore. The vehicle is already crowded; nevertheless, when the driver sees an elderly man walking his bike, he stops. "It's hotter than peppers out there in the sun! / Come in, there's room for everyone!" offers the driver, which becomes the text's lively and welcoming refrain. As more and more people -- and goods and livestock and milk pails and open umbrellas and stinky fish -- board the daladala, Musa expresses his dismay: "'But, Dada,' said Musa, 'can there really be / enough room for a cycle, two goats, and me?'" His sister reminds him -- and without a hint of didacticism -- that there's always room for another person in need (yes, even scuba-diving tourists). Khan's rhymes are electric, her wordplay flawless, and her sound effects entertaining to say aloud. Lopez's (Lion of the Sky, rev. 3/19) marvelous illustrations, in acrylic, ink, graphite, and digital media, employ a multitude of patterns and textures, hustling and bustling right along with the constant, colorful activity. A glossary and "Note on Zanzibar" are appended. Pair with Margot Zemach's classic It Could Always Be Worse, another uproariously overcrowded cumulative tale (based on a Yiddish folktale) with an underlying message about generosity and gratitude. Elissa Gershowitz January/February 2022 p.89(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
There's a lot to love about Zanzibar, and so much of it is squeezed into this short trip but big (and crowded!) adventure. As the daladala--a type of minibus common in Tanzania--heads to the beach, sibling passengers Musa and Dada are initially overwhelmed by all the strays the driver picks up along the way. A bicyclist, a goatherd, vendors, farmers, and all their accompanying wares all need a helping hand, and though Musa protests, Dada, who's older, continually insists that there's always space to provide that help. This lovely sentiment literally doesn't sit well with Musa, as he's pushed to the daladala floor and must negotiate space with animals, produce, ornate kitenge umbrellas, and eventually even a gaggle of deep-sea divers. There's a lot of fun to be had as lyrical rhymes and mixed-media illustrations--including acrylics, inks, graphite, and digital pieces--make the growing menagerie of passengers feel both vibrantly stylized and realistically depicted. East Africa is presented richly and distinctly in L贸pez's dynamic artwork, but the overall experience of riding and building community on the daladala is not only accessible, but easily familiar to much of the world in this charming story. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Khan and L贸pez take readers on a uniquely East African journey toward a global sense of compassion and inclusion. (glossary, note) (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
