Chirchir is Singing by Kelly Cunnane, illustrated by Jude Daly Ages 3+ 40 pages Schwartz and Wade August 2011 Hardcover     Chirchir is Singing tells the story of a family who live in Africa and introduces facts about daily life in Africa, as well as the meaning and origin of the characters’ names. The main character is a little girl named Chir Chir. She is introduced to the reader: “Chir Chir Born Quickly, is singing.” Chir Chir doesn’t want to just play; she wants to help her family. As she goes from one family member to another as she tries to be helpful, information about her culture is conveyed–from getting water from the well to building a fire to collecting and plopping potatoes into a sack. After Chir Chir has trouble with each task, she is sent away lovingly but firmly. After being sent away from her final task, she stops singing. Then she finds her youngest brother, “Baby Kip-Rop, Born During Rain,” crying. Chir Chir knows how to stop his crying. The illustrations are in soft earth tones of the landscape contrasted with the colorful fabric of the African clothing. The large wide-angle drawings effectively reveal the texture of the landscape and dwellings. The poetic language of the narrative also conveys a sense of the African culture: “What has made the day pass so sweetly? they wonder. The answer comes on a breeze that echoes through the hills and valleys of Kenya.” Chirchir is Singing is a sweet story that teaches about finding your purpose and skills in life as well as being a motivated and productive family member. Suitable for children ages 3 and up.     web reviews   Maya Fleischmann/2012 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)