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PeachTree Publishers PeachTree Publishers
14 COWS FOR AMERICA
Written by Carmen Agra Deedy
Illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez

Hardcover: $17.95
ISBN: 978-1-56145-490-7
Total Pages: 36
Size: 11-5/8 X 10
full color throughout

Carmen Agra Deedy is a New York Times bestselling author and has been writing and traveling around the world telling stories for more than twenty years. Her books, including Agatha's Featherbed, The Library Dragon, The Yellow Star, and Martina the Beautiful Cockroach have received numerous awards and honors. Carmen has performed in many prestigious venues, but children are her favorite audience. Born in Havana, Cuba, she came to the United States as a refugee and like most immigrants sees the world from multiple perspectives.You can visit Carmen Agra Deedy's website at: www.carmendeedy.com


THOMAS GONZALEZ was born in Havana, Cuba, and moved to the United States as a child. An artist and painter, he directed campaigns for clients such as Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, NASCAR, the NFL, and McDonald’s. Gonzalez lives in Georgia.You can visit Thomas Gonzalez's website at: www.tomprints.com


14 Cows for America

This New York Times Bestseller, from award-winning author Carmen Agra Deedy, is a true story of hope and generosity about a gift from a small Kenyan village to the people of America. This children's book was done in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah and features stunning illustrations by Thomas Gonzalez.

Accelerated Reader & Reading Counts Tests:
Reading Counts Level: 2.2
AR Quiz#: 133355
AR Reading Level: 4.1
In June of 2002, a very unusual ceremony begins in a far-flung village in western Kenya.

An American diplomat is surrounded by hundreds of Maasai people. A gift is about to be bestowed on the American men, women, and children, and he is there to accept it. The gift is as unsought and unexpected as it is extraordinary.

A mere nine months have passed since the September 11 attacks, and hearts are raw. Tears flow freely from American and Maasai as these legendary warriors offer their gift to a grieving people half a world away.

Word of the gift will travel news wires around the globe. Many will be profoundly touched, but for Americans, this selfless gesture will have deeper meaning still. For a heartsick nation, the gift of fourteen cows emerges from the choking dust and darkness as a soft light of hope—and friendship.

Master storyteller Carmen Agra Deedy hits all the right notes in this elegant story of generosity that crosses boundaries, nations, and cultures. An afterword by Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah—the Maasai warrior at the center of the story—provides additional information about his tribe and their generous actions. Thomas Gonzalez’s stunning paintings, which are saturated with rich hues of oranges and browns, and blues and greens, capture the modest nobility of the Maasai people and the distinctive landscape of the African plain.

Click here to learn more about 14 Cows for America.

Reviews

"...a lovely picture book...beautifully evocative..."

The New York Times

"...moving and dramatically illustrated..."

The Wall Street Journal

"Rarely do books for children address the bridging of cultural difference on a grand scale."

Newsday

"An extraordinary true story of generosity, compassion and hope, 14 Cows for America is rich on multiple levels for young and old alike."

Books to Borrow, Books to Buy

* STARRED REVIEW *
"I dare you to read this special picture book without getting teary every time.”

Library Media Connection

"A moving tale of compassion and generosity."

Publishers Weekly

* STARRED REVIEW *
"...elegant sentences...The suspenseful pace is especially striking when surrounded by Gonzalez's exquisite colored pencil and pastel illustrations. The colors of Kenya explode off the page..."

School Library Journal

"...gentle yet piercing present-tense prose...A stirring, heartwarming tale that made headlines when it happened-and is now, thankfully, preserved on the page for children."

Kirkus Reviews

"...the words and the glowing mixed-media illustrations show empathy and connections across communities..."

Booklist

Awards

* 2009 Parents' Choice Gold Award
* 2009 National Book Festival Selected book for Georgia
* 2010-2011 Texas Bluebonnet Award (Master List)

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