SuitabookA question of yams
Gloria Repp
- Reading
- Read alongside a conversation about respectful disagreement: distinguish what characters believe from what happens to the crop, and pause when Kuri’s fear or the possibility of hunger becomes prominent.
- Themes
- Faith, tradition and authority: Kuri’s father changes from praying to village spirits to praying to the God of the Bible, while the Head Men challenge him during the crop crisis. The story presents Christian belief as the faith Kuri is learning to trust, while also showing the social pressure and blame surrounding that change.
- Fear, responsibility and shared survival: Hot sun and lack of water threaten the yam harvest, leaving Kuri afraid that the village will starve and questioning whether rain will come. The book?s stance on this remains unclear.
- Worth knowing
- Consider whether the portrayal of village spiritual practices and the ‘one true God’ framing fits your family’s approach to religious difference. The crop crisis may also merit sensitive conversation about hunger and blame.