Gennet Lives in Ethiopia (original title: Gennet bor i Etiopien) is the title of a book by the Swedish photograph Anna Riwkin-Brick. In 1967 the book was published by Rabén & Sjögren as the twelfth book in the photo novel series Children's Everywhere. Authors like Astrid Lindgren, Leah Goldberg, Eugénie Söderberg, Elly Jannes and Cordelia Edvardson wrote for the same series.
 | |
| Author | Vera Forsberg |
|---|---|
| Original title | Gennet bor i Etiopien |
| Illustrator | Anna Riwkin-Brick |
| Language | Swedish |
| Series | Children's Everywhere |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Rabén & Sjögren |
Publication date | 1967 |
| Publication place |  Sweden |
Published in English | 1968 |
| Preceded by | Noy Lives in Thailand |
| Followed by | Matti Lives in Finland |
Plot
editGennet is seven years old and lives in Ethiopia. Her name comes from Amharic and means paradise. One day, Gennet's little brother Mamo gets bitten by a poisonous snake and is up to Gennet to get help. On her way to the doctor she sees monkeys, vultures and flamingos. When she has to cross a deep river, she is helped by a shepherd boy. Finally she arrives at the doctor's house. Immediately, the doctor drives with his jeep to Gennet's brother to help him. Gennet's brother is cured. As a reward, Gennet gets a yellow dress and a necklace at the market.
Overview
editGennet Lives in Ethiopia is the twelfth out of 15 books from the series Children's Everywhere. While Anna Riwkin-Brick made the photos for the book, the Swedish writer Vera Forsberg wrote the text.[1] Vera Forsberg also wrote the text to another book of the series: Salima Lives in Kashmir. Gennet Lives in Ethiopia has been translated into many languages, including Hebrew,[2] English,[3] Danish[4] and German.[5]
In Israel, the series Children of our Earth, which also includes Gennet Lives in Ethiopia, was a great success, thanks to the translations of the poet Leah Goldberg.[6] In 2014, Israeli director Dvorit Shargal shot a 50-minute documentary titled Where is Elle Kari and what happened to Noriko-san?, which deals with some of the books from the series Children's Everywhere.[7] After the film was released, nine stories of the Children's Everywhere series were being reissued in Israel, including Gennet Lives in Ethiopia.[8][9]
Reception
editElisabeth Wesseling praised the high artistic quality of the book.[10] The New England Reading Association thought the book was delightful and informative.[11] The United States Education Office recommended the book for grades 3 to 5.[12]
Editions
edit- Gennet bor i Etiopien, Rabén & Sjögren, 1967, Swedish edition
- Gennet Lives in Ethiopia, The Macmillan Company, 1968, US-American edition
- Gennet aus Äthiopien, Oetinger Verlag, 1968, German edition
- Gennet bor i Ætiopien, Høst & søn, 1968, Danish edition
References
edit- ^ "Gennet lives in Ethiopia (1977) – Africa in the Photobook".
- ^ "גנט הילדה מאתיופיה .המגדלור. חנות לספרים ותרבות".
- ^ "Gennet lives in Ethiopia".
- ^ "Gennet bor i Ætiopien".
- ^ "Gennet aus Äthiopien".
- ^ Dov Alfon. "Opinion. The Boy Who Taught French Jewish Kids to Love Israel".
- ^ "Where Is Lilibet the Circus Child and What Happened in Honolulu?".
- ^ "דבורית שרגל על סרטה החדש: "הוכחתי לכל הקרנות שהן טועות"".
- ^ "על סדרת ילדי העולם".
- ^ Elisabeth Wesseling (2007): Reinventing Childhood Nostalgia: Books, Toys, and Contemporary Media Culture. Routledge. P. 173
- ^ New England Reading Association (1968): New England Reading Association Journal, Bände 4–5. Moodus Print Shop. P. 56
- ^ United States. Education Office (1969): Books Related to the Social Studies in Elementary and Secondary Schools: A Bibliography Based on the Acquisitions of the Educational Materials Center. University of Minnesota. P. 4