tealmango's review
2.0
Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/1930s-newbery-reviews/
triscuit807's review
4.0
3.5-4 stars. Another story from 1030 by a white man about non-white characters - with that caveat, this is actually pretty good. The author, Herbert Best, was British born and spent time in Nigeria in the area where this was set (based on the Fulani), so he at least had some familiarity with the peoples involved. His hero, Garram, as noted, is of the hill-tribes (there are over 40 ethno-linguistic groups) located as best I can figure on the Jos plateau - which is the only place to find the klipspringer gazelle in this part of Africa. Garram's people at the time of the novel are pagan hunter/farmers and seem more primitive (flint) than their Fulani neighbors (metal use) to the east (horsemen slavers) and west (Muslim city dwellers). I got a distinct "Gods Must Be Crazy" vibe while Garram was in the Fulani city of Yelwa; he was the clever primitive out to solve the problems of the civilized emir via miscellaneous, mostly unintended, hijinks (just as the San bushman did in the movie). For the most part I found the book not obviously racist or paternalistic. There were a few places where the plot and its drivers didn't make a whole lot of sense (i.e. why was it necessary for Garram to leave his people to save his father's life since the plot proceeded in his absence). I read this for my 2018 Reading Challenge and my Newbery Challenge.
scaifea's review
3.0
A young African hunter and his clever dog have various adventures, including saving the life on an Emir and a chieftain (the latter being his own father).
I liked this one much more than I expected to, honestly. Funny and engaging, and the young Garram is extremely likable.
I liked this one much more than I expected to, honestly. Funny and engaging, and the young Garram is extremely likable.
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