The Mzungu Boy

November 1, 2005
Gr 4-6 -A story set in Kenya during the early 1950s. As a concluding note explains, much of the land at this time was held by European settlers, and native Kenyans were relegated to working as tenant farmers under -exploitative and demeaning conditions. - Against this backdrop, the author created this story of a friendship between two boys, Nigel, white and British, grandson of a brutal landowner; and Kariuki, a black Kenyan whose father works as a cook for Nigel's grandfather. The boys fish, swim, explore, and hunt together as they forge a quick and strong bond. But they are also caught up in the more serious matters swirling around them -the brutality of the colonial system and the pervading sense of mistrust, fear, and danger that culminates in Nigel's and, later, Kariuki's capture by men who are organizing an uprising. The pace is quick, and the story is exciting, action-packed, and full of detail. Elements of foreboding and suspense are seamlessly woven into Kariuki's first-person narrative. This is a riveting tale that introduces the landscape, history, and culture of colonial Kenya." -Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH"

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