I enjoy world literature in translation, and always see each book as a window into how others outside of the U.S. market believe picture books should be created and what stories can be told within their pages. Adi of Boutanga is a picture book geared toward older elementary students, because it spans 60 pages, often presents large boxes of text like older storybooks, contains substantial back matter, and is about the cultural practice of arranged marriages of young girls to older men.
I wanted to feature this book because of how artfully the author tells a difficult story, and because the language used in the storytelling is fresh and striking. So lets dive in.
Adi is a little girl living in the village of Boutanga, a village that’s a “little lost among the tall grasses.” A place where the chameleons “steal the color of everything they touch.” She is an Mbororo, a nomadic herder. I’m immediately intrigued by her fresh perspective and want to learn more about her and her village.
Here we read how her family views their nomadic culture. One that keeps their feet from growing roots, and their backs from carrying the weight of the places where they used to live. If they did, their backs would be “bent halfway to the ground.” Americans who are infamous for stuffing their basements, garages, storage sheds, etc. with “maybe-I’ll-need-that-sometime” items take note. Material things weigh you down, not just physically, but psychically, too. (And yes, I’m pointing at myself.)
Adi keeps track of her age by dry and rainy seasons. And she also has a sense of humor. She loves to laugh and laugh and laugh. She broadens the view of her world by describing how her people have changed jobs (often for economic reasons) and how she goes to school.
Adi says that “before the school was given to our village, words were invisible to us. We could hear them, but we couldn’t see or touch them. I even thought a strong wind might steal them as soon as they left our mouths.”
I don’t know about you, but the voice of this character carries the story. Her perspective is interesting, and I want to listen to (or read) her story until she is finished with the telling.
Adi stops laughing when her father’s oldest brother comes and says it is time for her to be married, though she is only thirteen. After all, her two older sisters are supposedly happily married. But Adi describes them in terms that show just how unhappy they are: “They look like young corn shoots scorched by the sun.”
Thankfully, this time Adi’s father and mother refuse, sending her away to a school for girls that is close enough to visit. It is a way to keep her safe until she is much older, has gone through school, and decides to marry someone she loves. I’ll leave off there. I’ve only related the bare bones of Adi’s story as there is so much more to this beautifully written and illustrated book.
I think this story would be perfect to jumpstart a thoughtful discussion about education and gender equality. Ten pages of back matter include an author’s note about why she wrote this story, background about Cameroon and real-life characters in the story, what school is like in Cameroon, the official vs unofficial languages spoken there, and a glossary.
Activities:
Watch this video about gender equality that was produced in Norway. In what ways do we still struggle with gender equality in the U.S.?
Check out National Geographic’s Cameroon and World Countries for kids.
Write an acrostic poem using the word Cameroon and what you’ve learned about the country from the story, its back matter, and the two websites linked above.
The author’s dedication reads: “For all the little girls whose frail shoulders already bear the weight of heaven.” If you wrote a biography of your life, who would you dedicate your story to? What would you say?
Title: Adi of Boutanga: A Story from Cameroon
Author: Alain Serge Dzotap
Illustrator: Marc Daniau
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025
Ages: Upper elementary
Themes: early marriage/education, Cameroon/Mbororo culture
For more perfect picture book recommendations, please visit Susanna Hill’s website.
Another excellent showcase pick!
I hope you get a chance to read it!
Wow, this sounds fascinating! What an important book to read for people to get a glimpse into a world so different from average North American culture.
Educational and beautifully written. A winning combination!
Wow! What a peek into a life and lifestyle so vastly different than what so many of us experience. I’m struck that the MC narrates her own story. Reading your review I felt close to this young girl’s hardships, hopes, and dreams. Kudos to Eerdman’s for publishing this and to you for showcasing it. Great activities, too.
Thanks, Patricia! I think Eerdmans does a terrific job of introducing world literature to the North American audience.
I love middle-grade picture books. This looks like a lovely one. Thanks for the heads up.
It’s really well done! And I hope it gets read widely.
Hi Jilanne, This book sounds absolutely amazing and the voice comes through in just a few quotes. I’m going to seek this one out. Thank for sharing.
I hope you can find it. The voice is so distinctive!
I’m fascinated by the differences of cultures around the world, and this book looks like it dives right into the way of life in the village of Boutanga. Thank you for sharing Adi’s story. I’ll be looking for this book because I need to know how things turn out.
I hope you can find it!