Child of Dandelions

Shelf Awareness

For many young people, this debut YA novel will put Uganda on the map, and for

those aware of Africa's violent conflicts, the author offers some insight into the seeds

planted deep in its past. The book unfolds through the third-person perspective of 15-

year-old Sabine. It opens on August 6, 1972--the morning after Uganda's president,

Idi Amin, has had a dream that "all foreign Indians" must be expelled from the

country--and the narrative extends through the 90-day period he gives the Indians to

flee. As a man spits at Sabine, who is Ugandan-born but of Indian descent, her best

friend, Zena, defends her. "One day you'll see with new eyes," the man replies, a

foreshadowing of the pain to follow.

Sabine's grandfather, Bapa, came to Uganda from India when British colonials

recruited workers to build the Kenya-Uganda Railway. Now Bapa runs a successful

farm, and his son, Sabine's father, is a wealthy businessman. Zena and her family

work on Bapa's farm. The two girls spend every spare moment together; Bapa calls

Sabine and Zena "twin beans of one coffee flower." But the escalating resentment

the Ugandans develop toward those of Indian descent begins to affect the girls'

friendship. On day 12 of the countdown, Sabine's uncle disappears; on day 29, Zena

tells Sabine of her own uncle's plans to arrange Zena's marriage to "a high-ranking

official in the army"; and on day 36, Zena tells Sabine, "We have to clear our land .

. .  You are the child of dandelions." With smooth pacing, African-born author

Nanji reveals the inequalities of Ugandan society as they enter Sabine's

consciousness. The heroine starts out certain of her father's commitment to stay in

Uganda, and grows stronger in her defense of the Indians who come under

increasing attack. But her resolve diminishes as the tide of hatred becomes seemingly

insurmountable. The author paints a balanced portrait; both Sabine and Zena show

their shortcomings as well as their strengths, as do other key characters. There are

no easy answers here, and Nanji creates a platform for lively debate about the causes

of war, and demonstrates how the actions of today influence the societies of

tomorrow.—

Jennifer M. Brown

–Quinby Frank, Green Acres School , Rockville , MD

May 2008