FETCHING DREAMS

Two young girls learn about their respective cultures through a pen-pal program in Bleckwehl’s middle-grade novel.

Smart, quiet Neyah Jabari is a 12-year-old girl who lives in Letsokoane, a village in Kenya. Fetching water for various family and community needs is by far the most crucial chore assigned to her, as it affects the lives of everyone around her; for example, if there were no water for the cows, they wouldn’t be able to produce milk to feed families. Bibi, Neyah’s wise paternal grandmother, tells her that “Water is life,” but for the girl, who dreams of being a doctor, the fact that her own life is tied to retrieving water impedes her future by keeping her out of school for several days at a time. In addition, the local water scarcity is compounded by water uncleanliness. Through a pen-pal exchange initiated by her school’s encouraging headmaster, Neyah becomes friends with Abby Larson, a 12-year-old girl in Minnesota. Their interactions give Neyah the courage to speak up and work toward bringing a change to her village. There’s no lack of tragedy in this story, but there are also insightful lessons about tradition and the fear of change (involving Neyah’s father), showing compassion and finding silver linings (involving Neyah’s friend Malaika), and using persuasive writing skills and remaining persistent despite rejections. Bleckwehl doesn’t shy away from portraying the harsh living conditions in Neyah’s village, but she skillfully builds the beauty of it into the narrative by including dialogue that shows appreciation for its flora and fauna.

An engaging tale about finding one’s voice and making faraway connections.