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Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book
A Caldecott Honor Book Moja Means One introduces children to counting in Swahili with helpful pronunciation keys while presenting East African culture and lifestyles through an easy to understand narrative and vivid illustrations Magnificient full page drawings throb with the feeling of East African life Child Study Association Look for the Caldecott Honor Book and companion Jambo Means Hello Swahili Alphabet Book
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
4 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
About the author
Muriel Feelings
4 books5 followers* Attended the Philadelphia Museum School of Art and the Los Angeles State College.
* Taught Spanish and art in elementary and secondary schools in Philadelphia and New York
* Taught art at a boys’ school in Kampala, Uganda
* Trained teachers in Guyana, South America
* Director of Pan African Studies and Community Education for the African American Studies program at Temple University
Award include:
*American Library Association Notable Books for Moja Means One: A Swahili Counting Book and Jambo Means Hello: A Swahili Alphabet Book, 1972;
*Caldecott Medal runner up for Moja Mean One, 1972;
*American Book Award nomination for Jambo Means Hello, 1982.
Read more:
* http://www.answers.com/topic/muriel-l...
* http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palit...
* Taught Spanish and art in elementary and secondary schools in Philadelphia and New York
* Taught art at a boys’ school in Kampala, Uganda
* Trained teachers in Guyana, South America
* Director of Pan African Studies and Community Education for the African American Studies program at Temple University
Award include:
*American Library Association Notable Books for Moja Means One: A Swahili Counting Book and Jambo Means Hello: A Swahili Alphabet Book, 1972;
*Caldecott Medal runner up for Moja Mean One, 1972;
*American Book Award nomination for Jambo Means Hello, 1982.
Read more:
* http://www.answers.com/topic/muriel-l...
* http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palit...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
April 14, 2019
The intended purpose of this book is to help children learn to count in Swahili. It gives the name of the number and how to say it, but the weird thing is that the artwork simply is a picture about life in Africa and doesn't have anything to do with the number. 1 is fish in the Nile. That is not very relatable.
The artwork is nice. It’s beautiful pencil drawings. This is a beginning book that isn't a story. It is a learning tool to help educate about Africa.
Neither kid was all that into this. It was too simple for the niece and the nephew was having a bad night anyway. He was in a mood. (He wanted to keep playing a video game and couldn’t not be upset about having to stop.) The niece gave this 2 stars and the nephew gave this 1 star. He was more upset than anything.
The artwork is nice. It’s beautiful pencil drawings. This is a beginning book that isn't a story. It is a learning tool to help educate about Africa.
Neither kid was all that into this. It was too simple for the niece and the nephew was having a bad night anyway. He was in a mood. (He wanted to keep playing a video game and couldn’t not be upset about having to stop.) The niece gave this 2 stars and the nephew gave this 1 star. He was more upset than anything.
April 14, 2019
Moja Means One is an good read for little ones up to 3rd grade. It's good for any and all cultures so they can learn a little about east Africa and the language. This could be used with Ella Jenkins "Jambo" recordings as a supplement. I think she has a number counting song as well.
I'll turn it into a game where we practice using the phonetic pronunciations and memorize the new words. The map and introduction add additional insight to the continent, prior to reading. The sensitive illustrations in gray tones show children that art does not need to be in neon comic book colors. They can be used to talk about tone, light and dark, balance, line, flow, and shapes.
My only concern is: it's almost half a century old and I'm developing a slow simmering gripe about how a lot of the curriculum in schools is not current. What about the cities, the poaching, the upcoming extinctions, and food shortages in Africa. I see a lot of classrooms talking about MLK, Rosa Parks and Old MacDonald's Farms - but not talking about current day activists, climate change, environmental degradation, resource depletion, animal poaching, mass extinctions, and factory farms - hard hitting issues that this generation is facing.
I'll turn it into a game where we practice using the phonetic pronunciations and memorize the new words. The map and introduction add additional insight to the continent, prior to reading. The sensitive illustrations in gray tones show children that art does not need to be in neon comic book colors. They can be used to talk about tone, light and dark, balance, line, flow, and shapes.
My only concern is: it's almost half a century old and I'm developing a slow simmering gripe about how a lot of the curriculum in schools is not current. What about the cities, the poaching, the upcoming extinctions, and food shortages in Africa. I see a lot of classrooms talking about MLK, Rosa Parks and Old MacDonald's Farms - but not talking about current day activists, climate change, environmental degradation, resource depletion, animal poaching, mass extinctions, and factory farms - hard hitting issues that this generation is facing.
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October 27, 2017Moja Means One is a fiction book written by Muriel Feelings and illustrated by Tom Feelings. The language and style of the book is very simple and informative. The book is not long, and it just teaches the audience of how to count in swhaili. The book doesnt necessarily have a story line, it just gives the audience a description of different culural norms in africa. The pictures in the book are in a black and white tone. This tone creates a soft theme throughout the book. I believe this book is for 4th or 5th graders. I am not sure if they would necessarily be interested in the book, but I am sure they would enjoy learning something from a different language.
July 22, 2018
I loved the illustrations, the number and pronunciation, and the explanation of various parts of East African culture. I wish that there had been a bit more connection between the three, as the explanation did not connect to the number unless you noticed the connection in the illustration.
July 11, 2011
Reading this book made me feel so smart and worldly as a kid.
December 15, 2019
Yet another item on my bookshelf which I purchased to read to my first child in the 80's. Still in excellent condition.
September 23, 2012
Moja Means One: Swahili Counting. By Muriel L. Feelings. Illustrated by Tom Feelings. Dial Books for Young Readers, 1971. ISBN 0-8037-5711-5
Hardcover edition available from: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Printed: Wing King Tong Company Ltd.
This counting book presents the the African heritage through Swahili counting from one to ten. Each page presents information about the culture, geography, economy, traditions, textiles, wildlife, and vegetation of Africa. The illustrations are created by the author's husband, and he offers brilliant sepia-toned imagery which enhances the narrative, taking the reader beyond the words.
This book would be a fun book to use with multicultural units, as in Grade 3 Alberta Social Studies. The language is very accessible for younger children. However, this book would also be accessible to older students who were studying worldview, such as Grade 8 Alberta Social Studies. Critical thinking tasks could easily be created around the artistic elements of the book.
I would recommend this to the primary age level (4-8), as well as to teachers for instructional purposes.
Additional Information:
Caldecott Honor Book, 1972
American Library Association Notable Children's Book, 1971
School Library Journal's Best Books of the Year, 1971
Child Study Association Books of the Year, 1971
Hardcover edition available from: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Printed: Wing King Tong Company Ltd.
This counting book presents the the African heritage through Swahili counting from one to ten. Each page presents information about the culture, geography, economy, traditions, textiles, wildlife, and vegetation of Africa. The illustrations are created by the author's husband, and he offers brilliant sepia-toned imagery which enhances the narrative, taking the reader beyond the words.
This book would be a fun book to use with multicultural units, as in Grade 3 Alberta Social Studies. The language is very accessible for younger children. However, this book would also be accessible to older students who were studying worldview, such as Grade 8 Alberta Social Studies. Critical thinking tasks could easily be created around the artistic elements of the book.
I would recommend this to the primary age level (4-8), as well as to teachers for instructional purposes.
Additional Information:
Caldecott Honor Book, 1972
American Library Association Notable Children's Book, 1971
School Library Journal's Best Books of the Year, 1971
Child Study Association Books of the Year, 1971
November 12, 2011
1. Counting picture book
2. " Moja means One" is a illustrated picture counting book that is in both English and Swahili .
3. critique
a. "Moja means One" is a great picture book! The cover of the book caught my eye . It is illustrated perfectly . Aside from the illustrations the book teach children how to count in both English and Swahili. Swahili is an African language that is spoken from Africa's Congo to Somalia .
b. Not only does the book teaches children how to count it also has a cultural and geographic focuses to it also . The book is carefully illustrated using colors like grays and browns to make the people and landscapes of Africa come alive on the pages . I loved this book !!
c. " Moja means One , Mbili means two , Tatu means 3 and Nne means four .
4. I would recommend this book for grades 2nd through 5th . In saying this I would not want confuse younger children just learning numbers in English that Moja is one in the English language . This is a good book however for children that are younger and need enrichment. I love the African cultural focus in this book and this would relate to African American students. You could also combine map reading with this book.
2. " Moja means One" is a illustrated picture counting book that is in both English and Swahili .
3. critique
a. "Moja means One" is a great picture book! The cover of the book caught my eye . It is illustrated perfectly . Aside from the illustrations the book teach children how to count in both English and Swahili. Swahili is an African language that is spoken from Africa's Congo to Somalia .
b. Not only does the book teaches children how to count it also has a cultural and geographic focuses to it also . The book is carefully illustrated using colors like grays and browns to make the people and landscapes of Africa come alive on the pages . I loved this book !!
c. " Moja means One , Mbili means two , Tatu means 3 and Nne means four .
4. I would recommend this book for grades 2nd through 5th . In saying this I would not want confuse younger children just learning numbers in English that Moja is one in the English language . This is a good book however for children that are younger and need enrichment. I love the African cultural focus in this book and this would relate to African American students. You could also combine map reading with this book.
September 25, 2012
1. Children's Book- Counting Book
2. This is a simple counting book that depicts the African country with beautiful images, and teaches the reader numbers in Swahili as well as English.
3. Critique
a. The most important element in this book is the illustrations. They are black and white sketched, and have won a Grand Caldecott Award for their beauty in depicting the continent of Africa, and specifically the nature that surrounds it.
b. The illustrations play a huge part in this book because it is so simple, with intricate and realistic portrayals of the most beautiful parts of Africa.
c. The page that features the number one shows Mt. Kilimanjaro in all its splendor, and provides the reader with facts about Africa.
4. This is a beautiful book to read to children that are about to learn about the African continent, with a major focus on the pictures that are depicted.
2. This is a simple counting book that depicts the African country with beautiful images, and teaches the reader numbers in Swahili as well as English.
3. Critique
a. The most important element in this book is the illustrations. They are black and white sketched, and have won a Grand Caldecott Award for their beauty in depicting the continent of Africa, and specifically the nature that surrounds it.
b. The illustrations play a huge part in this book because it is so simple, with intricate and realistic portrayals of the most beautiful parts of Africa.
c. The page that features the number one shows Mt. Kilimanjaro in all its splendor, and provides the reader with facts about Africa.
4. This is a beautiful book to read to children that are about to learn about the African continent, with a major focus on the pictures that are depicted.
May 1, 2018
From the School Library Journal review: "Primarily a Swahili counting book, Moja Means One is also meant to be a gift of heritage, a glimpse of what is unique about East Africa." This is a succinct description of this book. I fondly remember my beloved uncle Ernest getting this book for me after a bunch of kids joked about "not wanting to see naked Africans on TV." Uncle E always had the right response and always taught with his gifts.
While others bemoan the book's simplicity, I embrace it. It harks back to an earlier — and yes, more innocent — period when kids set aside time for reading and didn't need extravagant distractions. I would highly recommend this book for all children, but would hope African-American families would make room on their children's book shelves.
* The version I purchased online via Abe books is a special hardcover/library edition.
While others bemoan the book's simplicity, I embrace it. It harks back to an earlier — and yes, more innocent — period when kids set aside time for reading and didn't need extravagant distractions. I would highly recommend this book for all children, but would hope African-American families would make room on their children's book shelves.
* The version I purchased online via Abe books is a special hardcover/library edition.
December 13, 2017
It's a counting book using the Swahili language.
March 15, 2023
As a student of language, I'm excited to read this book. However, I would like to note that I'm a little confused by the dedication:
To all Black children living
in the Western Hemisphere,
hoping you will one day
speak the language--in Africa."
THE LANGUAGE?
According to an article at a Harvard University website:
"Africa is home to approximately one-third of the world's languages. [That is, anywhere between 1000 and 2000 languages.]
"The diversity of Africa's languages is evidenced by their populations. In total, there are at least 75 languages in Africa which have more than one million speakers."
No doubt the author, Muriel Feelings, means well. And clearly she has a real passion for Swahili.
DEFINITELY MY FIRST COUNTING BOOK IN SWAHILI. THRILLING!
- Wonderful choice for number one. Actually, I like all ten choices.
- And they're so beautifully illustrated by artist Tom Feelings! (Related, perhaps, to author Muriel Feelings?)
- I think the fish illustration for saba (number seven) is my favorite of all.
Use of attention-getting red lettering makes it easy to connect the Swahili number to the English name for what's being illustrated. So clever, this makes it easy to instantly the numbers with the topics chosen.
What a sweet book! Thank you, Muriel Feelings and Tom Feelings.
To all Black children living
in the Western Hemisphere,
hoping you will one day
speak the language--in Africa."
THE LANGUAGE?
According to an article at a Harvard University website:
"Africa is home to approximately one-third of the world's languages. [That is, anywhere between 1000 and 2000 languages.]
"The diversity of Africa's languages is evidenced by their populations. In total, there are at least 75 languages in Africa which have more than one million speakers."
No doubt the author, Muriel Feelings, means well. And clearly she has a real passion for Swahili.
DEFINITELY MY FIRST COUNTING BOOK IN SWAHILI. THRILLING!
- Wonderful choice for number one. Actually, I like all ten choices.
- And they're so beautifully illustrated by artist Tom Feelings! (Related, perhaps, to author Muriel Feelings?)
- I think the fish illustration for saba (number seven) is my favorite of all.
Use of attention-getting red lettering makes it easy to connect the Swahili number to the English name for what's being illustrated. So clever, this makes it easy to instantly the numbers with the topics chosen.
What a sweet book! Thank you, Muriel Feelings and Tom Feelings.
November 9, 2017
• 1972 Caldecott Honor Book •
I really like this book - I really enjoy languages, and it’s fun to learn them so I enjoyed this Swahili counting book. But I have a an issue with the formatting. For instance, one page reads: “4 nne (n•nay) Mothers usually carry their babies on their backs while walking.” “Nne” and “mothers” are both in red, so I kept thinking nne means mother. I wish the number was in the sentence: “Four mothers”, and that the Swahili word for one, nne, and the English word, four, were both in red. That would have made so much more sense. The numbers do correlate to the pictures though - there’s 4 mothers, 5 animals, 6 types of clothing… The typography and the wording could have been better.
I love the introduction to the book - it seems like not many older children’s books had any introduction and they’re really helpful. The Feelings say they chose to do this book because a lot of people know some words in other languages but not any from an African language - so true! And I’m sure this number is larger today, but at the time of the writing, 45 million people spoke Swahili in eastern Africa. That’s a lot of people, and why they made this book is clear.
Materials used: unlisted
Typeface used: unlisted
I really like this book - I really enjoy languages, and it’s fun to learn them so I enjoyed this Swahili counting book. But I have a an issue with the formatting. For instance, one page reads: “4 nne (n•nay) Mothers usually carry their babies on their backs while walking.” “Nne” and “mothers” are both in red, so I kept thinking nne means mother. I wish the number was in the sentence: “Four mothers”, and that the Swahili word for one, nne, and the English word, four, were both in red. That would have made so much more sense. The numbers do correlate to the pictures though - there’s 4 mothers, 5 animals, 6 types of clothing… The typography and the wording could have been better.
I love the introduction to the book - it seems like not many older children’s books had any introduction and they’re really helpful. The Feelings say they chose to do this book because a lot of people know some words in other languages but not any from an African language - so true! And I’m sure this number is larger today, but at the time of the writing, 45 million people spoke Swahili in eastern Africa. That’s a lot of people, and why they made this book is clear.
Materials used: unlisted
Typeface used: unlisted
February 22, 2020
In Muriel L. Feeling's Moja Means One; readers learn to count the numbers one through ten in Swahili. The numbers are used to guide the reader into exploring Sub-Saharan Africa including marketplaces, storytelling, growing of crops and play. Each page is presented with the Arabic numeral, the Swahili spelling of the numbers, a pronunciation guide, and a sentence to describe the photo. One of the words in the sentence is red, while the rest of the sentence black. This gives a clue as to which of the items depicted relates to the featured numbers.
Ms. Feelings’ then-husband, Tom Feelings, illustrated this book. The illustrations are in black and white and look to be drawn with charcoal or pastels on grey paper. The images beautifully illustrate the passages on each page and allow for questions and answers of what is seen on the page if being read aloud. This book won the Caldecott Medal Honor Recipient in 1972 for its illustrations.
This book works beautifully as a read-aloud or to allow young readers the opportunity to begin to explore sub-Saharan Africa through counting. The pages illustrations give peaks into a culture for which young readers may not be familiar but allows them to explore a different part of the world through descriptions and illustrations.
Ms. Feelings’ then-husband, Tom Feelings, illustrated this book. The illustrations are in black and white and look to be drawn with charcoal or pastels on grey paper. The images beautifully illustrate the passages on each page and allow for questions and answers of what is seen on the page if being read aloud. This book won the Caldecott Medal Honor Recipient in 1972 for its illustrations.
This book works beautifully as a read-aloud or to allow young readers the opportunity to begin to explore sub-Saharan Africa through counting. The pages illustrations give peaks into a culture for which young readers may not be familiar but allows them to explore a different part of the world through descriptions and illustrations.
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October 29, 2019This book is special to me because I dream of teaching overseas in Kenya in the future. While I was over there teaching in the schools, even though they were English speaking school I wanted to learn the language of the Natives which is Kiswahili. This language has always intrigued me and it reminds me of my home overseas. Moja means one does a good job of accurately representing the Kenyan culture without stereotypes.
August 19, 2020
The monochromatic illustrations were beautiful, but held very little appeal for my young children. I also wish there would have been more connection between the pages. There was no story, just a random list of Tanzanian facts. We all preferred the Swahili counting book "We All Went On Safari" by Laurie Krebs to this one.
February 21, 2020
This is a book that’s shares the Africa language of Swahili. It shares vocabulary words of the African mai hue with their meanings and black and white illustrations. This is an information book of Africana culture.
June 8, 2023
This is a counting book with the Swahili words for numbers 1 through 10. The author gives a great introduction about the language at the beginning of the book. It also features beautiful illustrations that compliment the text.
July 22, 2019
Good introduction, but I wasn't sure if the red highlighted word in each related sentence and picture was also related to the number's name.
May 17, 2020
Extraordinary artwork, and a beautiful language lesson.
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February 18, 2021From Grandpa/Pip
January 7, 2022
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January 21, 2022
A companion to Jambo Means Hello. For a counting book the numbers don't really go with the passage, but with the pictures.
Caldecott Honor 1972
Caldecott Honor 1972
April 21, 2022
This a great resource for introducing culture into the classroom and teaching words in a different language as well as basic counting skills.
June 27, 2023
A cute book with lovely illustrations
March 22, 2025
Swahili counting book to ten. Caldecott Honoree book. Would be a great book to teach counting, Swahili words, or about Africa.
March 26, 2025
I enjoy the illustrations the most, wish there were a bit more content to share with kids.
August 9, 2024
I expected the number count-up to match the text and illustrations but there seems to be no relationship. Otherwise a nice way to learn to count in Swahili.
March 18, 2017
This was a favorite book of mine growing up. It is definitely for school age children. It teaches counting in Swahili.
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March 2, 2017this book is about the African culture and shows how to count to 10 in the traditional African language.
I like this book because it tells us a lot about how the African culture works and how to count
I would use this in my class to teach kids about the African culture and how to count if their language.
I like this book because it tells us a lot about how the African culture works and how to count
I would use this in my class to teach kids about the African culture and how to count if their language.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews