Himalaya: Vanishing Cultures - Hardcover

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The peripatetic Reynolds, who has worked for National Geographic , traveled to two remote corners of the world for these perceptive profiles of the human equivalent of endangered species. Interestingly, the threat to the cultures of both the Sahara and the Himalayas is strikingly similar: trucks and airplanes are replacing the ancient trade routes traveled by these peoples and their animals (camels and yaks, respectively). Both books provide a brief, informative introduction followed by a look at daily life from the point of view of a child--in Sahara , a boy named Manda; in Himalaya , a Sherpa girl named Yangshi. Manda belongs to a tribe of desert nomads called the Tuareg, and readers watch him and his family at work, at play and, finally, at a festival where camel races are run. Readers meet Yangshi and her Nepalese family, accompany them to an open-air market and through a round of household chores, and end up at a colorful annual festival complete with masked dancers. Reynolds's sensitive photography captures the beauty of these harsh landscapes as well as the dignity and humanity of their peoples. Her books will be a welcome addition to the increasing roster--meeting an increased demand--of multicultural literature for children. Ages 7-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.