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Cry of the Giraffe

ebook
2 of 2 copies available
2 of 2 copies available

In the early 1980s, thousands of Ethiopian Jews fled the civil unrest, famine and religious persecution of their native land in the hopes of being reunited in Yerusalem, their spiritual homeland, with its promises of a better life. Wuditu and her family risk their lives to make this journey, which leads them to a refugee camp in Sudan, where they are separated. Terrified, 15-year-old Wuditu must return to Ethiopia alone.

"Don't give up, Wuditu! Be strong!" The words of her little sister come to Wuditu in a dream and give her the courage to keep going. Wuditu must find someone to give her food and shelter or she will surely die. Finally Wuditu is offered a solution: working as a servant. However, she quickly realizes that she has become a slave. With nowhere else to go, she stays — until the villagers discover that she is a falasha, a hated Jew. Only her dream of one day being reunited with her family gives her strength — until the arrival of a stranger heralds hope and a new life in Israel.

Based on real events, Wuditu's story mirrors the experiences of thousands of Ethiopian Jews.

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  • Reviews

    • School Library Journal

      December 1, 2010

      Gr 8 Up-A growing number of Ethiopian Jews, known as Beta Israel, relocate to Israel for a better life. To do so, they must travel more than 600 miles by foot across the desert, fighting thirst, scorpions, disease, and violent soldiers. This novel is based on the true story of 13-year-old Wuditu, one of the thousands who attempted this journey. Separated from her family after her father and sister take ill, this courageous girl (nicknamed "Giraffe" because of her long neck and stately composure) must fend for herself. Before she makes it to Israel, she is enslaved for two years. Oron's novel exposes the injustice and degradation girls face around the world. Wuditu is held captive and raped, but manages to escape a life of prostitution. This book is less graphic than Patricia McCormick's Sold (Hyperion, 2006), a novel of child prostitution in Nepal and for a younger audience, but it is sobering nonetheless. Canadian journalist Oron, who rescued the young girl on whom Wuditu's character is based, writes her story in precise, formal prose, sympathetic yet distant. Her journalistic stance serves the story better during dramatic refugee scenes than during the quieter early chapters about life in the village. However, this is an example of masterful storytelling. Each chapter is skillfully organized and perfectly paced. The author weaves foreign words seamlessly into the narrative, defining them through context and never slowing down the story with exposition. Readers learn a great deal about Ethiopia while they are caught up in a riveting story.-Jess deCourcy Hinds, Bard High School Early College Queens, Long Island City, NY

      Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • The Horn Book

      July 1, 2011
      This well-paced novel (based on true events) introduces Wuditu, an Ethiopian Jewish girl separated from her family members as they attempt to leave their country for repatriation to Israel. Wuditu is a strong and compelling character who, despite horrific travails, retains her dignity and spirit. A "Note to Readers" provides some context; readers may need to seek other sources for more background. Glos.

      (Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Formats

  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:5.4
  • Interest Level:4-8(MG)
  • Text Difficulty:4

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