Andrea Stenn Stryer

Andrea Stenn Stryer is an author, teacher, and librarian. Her latest book is Kami and the Yaks.

Kami and the Yaks, set in the spectacular scenery of the Himalayas, is a moving story of courage and love. It tells of a young, deaf Sherpa boy whose family is distressed because their yaks are missing. Though his family does not think he can be of help, spunky Kami sets off to find the animals, using his heightened sense of observation. The illustrations bring the reader into the Sherpa society and the majestic mountain terrrain.

This book is unique. No other children’s story in the West takes place in Nepal. It gives a highly visual and evocative picture of the Sherpa culture. Further, the story provides an understandable and graphic account of the challenges faced by a deaf youngster. Kami and the Yaks shows how a deaf youngster surmounts difficulties and succeeds beyond expectation. Kami’s empowerment will move and inspire children.

REVIEWS:

From Booklist

“Set in the Himalayas, this strikingly illustrated title focuses on a young, deaf Sherpa boy. When Kami spots his father and brother high on the hillside, searching unsuccessfully for the family's yaks, he follows a hunch and sets off in a different direction to find the animals. During the perilous climb, a storm begins, and although Kami finds the yaks, one is caught between rocks. After scrambling back to camp, Kami uses gestures to communicate his discovery to his father and brother. At last his family understands, follows him to the site, and rewards Kami with appreciative hugs. An author's note offers some cultural context, but more information about the lives of deaf people within the Sherpa culture would have been welcome (is sign language used, for example?). Many children will recognize Kami's frustration and then pride after he bravely solves a family problem, and Dodson's skillfully executed, atmospheric watercolors greatly extend the story's drama and tenderness. Pair this with Barbara Helen Berger's All the Way to Lhasa (2002).” Gillian Engberg © 2007 by American Library Association. All rights reserved

From Kirkus Reviews

“A deaf Sherpa lad braves lightning and hail to search for his family's missing yaks in this handsomely packaged, original tale. A small figure in Dodson's wide, rocky landscapes, Kami sets out on his own before sunrise to find out why the yaks....” March 1, 2007.

Kami and the Yaks by Andrea Stenn Stryer, illustrated by Bert Dodson. Original edition: 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 ; 48pp., 48 illustrations, Hardback: ISBN 0977896102- $15.95 Paperback ISBN 097786110 - $9.95. Publication April 2007. Available from your local bookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and The Independent Publishers Group (IPG) 1-800 888-IPG1 (4741) Fax: 312-337-5985 or email: orders@ipgbook.com.