Sélavi, That Is Life: A Haitian Story of Hope

by Youme Landowne

Book Overview

On the streets of Haiti, a homeless child learns the meaning of family, solidarity, and hope.

A homeless boy wanders the streets of Haiti, until he finds other children like him. His new friends help the boy pick a name for himself--S lavi, Kreyol for that is life. All these children had faced tragedy like S lavi and had no one to care for them. But they share the little food they each manage to scavenge, and they watch out for one...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0938317954
• ISBN13: 9780938317951
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.0" x 9.9"
• Age Range: 6 to 9 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 4

Customer Reviews

Great Story Showing Rich History

Many adults do not know the rich history of Haiti and so to have a book that can educate children as well as adults is great. Although, this book focuses on some of the sadder parts of Haiti's history it still shows the richness and strength of its people. For children, this book is a lesson in teamwork, collaboration, love, and pride.

Wonderful children reading.

Very well written. Great service and fast shipping. Thank you

This is a powerful and moving book...

The story, as you can read in the descriptions above, is an amazing and powerful one. The book itself could be filled with negativity, but it seems to barely flitter over the negative spots... what, exactly happened to Selavi's family? The upheaval and chaos of revolution and political instability is not mentioned directly, though a knowledgeable (not a young) reader would be able to recognize it. The young reader is able to recognize the central theme: We are all drops of water, but together we can create a mighty river. Teamwork and community are powerful forces against evil. The illustrations are beautiful and meaningful. I enjoyed reading the endnotes by Danticat, which helped fill in some of the gaps of the story.

A true story with a positive message

Selavi: A Haitian Story of Hope is the story of a homeless child befriended by other street children living in Haiti, who all look out for one another sharing food and companionship. Together they find a caring community and a voice to create a radio station run by and for children. A true story with a positive message, that vividly presents the poignant difficulties street children face in daily life.

All the colors of life...

This is a gracefully written, beautifully illustrated book that introduces young readers to a complex true story of hardship and resourcefulness, persecution and triumph. As a former teacher, I think it would also make a strong teaching tool to introduce the concept of human rights to young readers.While the story has painful moments, the pages also contain joy, humor, and levity. The book does not condescend or oversimplify. It trains a keen child's eye, perceptive to all the colors of life, on the people and politics of Haiti.