A poetically evocative text describes ten-year-old Jura's first "caravan" -- the day he becomes a man, riding beside his father "over the passes and through the snow." Based on the lifestyle of the nomadic Kirghiz people of Afghanistan and set in the Hindu Kush mountains, the book is full of fascinating details. Well-composed paintings in warm, rich colors admirably capture the feel of the unusual setting.
Jura is one of the nomadic Kirghiz people of Afghanistan, preparing for the first time to accompany his father on a caravan across the Hindu Kush mountains for supplies. On horseback he tends three camels, leading them past rushing rivers, through snow-swept mountain passes, and down to the city below. McKay's first book has an unusual, vivid setting that comes through despite Jura's formal-sounding, matter-of-fact narration. Newcomer Ligasan's richly colored paintings, showing a variety of perspectives and set off with decorative patterned borders, evocatively capture the landscape during the journey. His figures are somewhat stiff, but the drama of Jura's descent into the market and his return home will give readers an armchair tour of a unique locale. The author's note includes geographic information and also acts as a glossary.
Gr 1-4--Jura, 10, tells of going on his first caravan through the mountain passes of the Afghan Pamirs to trade his family's furs and felts for grains in the city. His pride in being old enough to be a part of this important event reflects his admiration for his father, who leads the convoy. The boy takes readers along on his journey as he encounters the awesome, stark beauty of the mountains and the difficulties of passing along the steep, snowy trails while riding a mare and leading three laden camels. The poetic writing skillfully describes a world far different from one containing automobiles, VCRs, and computers. The illustrations, glowing in earthy hues of browns, golds, and blues, show the details of this way of life. Ligasan portrays small things, such as the knots on the yurt in which the men sleep, as well as the larger aspects of the landscape and the high dome of the mosque in the city. The layout, with the richly textured illustrations set in a stylized frame, is handsome. Words and pictures elucidate not only the customs of another culture, but also a boy's rite-of-passage and adventure with his father. An author's note gives details of the Kirghiz people and their environment. Refreshing and unobtrusively instructive.--Susan Middleton, LaJolla Country Day School, CA