The Herd Boy

The Herd Boy

An Amazon Teacher’s Pick A USBBY Outstanding International Book “ A touching, eloquent story…Filled with hope and promise, it will inspire children to embrace their place in life and dream big.” ― School Library Journal  (STARRED REVIEW) A young South African herd boy dreams big in this atmospheric picture book about strength, courage, and the integrity of a great leader. Malusi is a herd boy, which means that he must look after his grandfather’s sheep and goats and protect them from harm on the grazing slopes. This is a big job for a small boy and one Malusi does well. Still, he dreams of being more than a herd boy: he wants to be president! When Malusi mentions these hopes, his friend Lungisa laughs and laughs. But after an attack by a hungry baboon and an encounter with Nelson Mandela, Malusi wonders if his dream isn’t so impossible after all. In this poignant story set in rural South Africa, greatness often comes from humble beginnings. Niki Daly’s captivating prose and atmospheric illustrations help readers consider what builds the strength, courage, and integrity of a great leader. An author’s note and glossary of Xhosa and Afrikaans words provide additional context.  “A touching, eloquent story…Filled with hope and promise, it will inspire children to embrace their place in life and dream big.”  ― School Library Journal  (STARRED review) "An evocative picture-book treatment of a way of life unfamiliar to many youngsters.”  ― Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “This gentle, atmospheric story of morals is as lovely to look at as it is to read.”  ― Foreword Reviews “Daly's expansive illustrations highlight the beauty of the South African landscape's rocky austerity.”  ― Horn Book “Affectionate and existential, Daly has well and fully caught Malusi’s immediate circumstance and his horizons.”  ― Kirkus Reviews “Daly gives children like Malusi reason to believe that, despite their humble circumstances, they, too, can aspire to the nation's highest office. And Daly's portrait of rural South African life ― the growls of baboons, the taste of maize porridge, and the view of the village enclosure from above ― gives his story an almost cinematic dimension.”  ― Publishers Weekly Niki Daly has written and illustrated a number of award-,winning picture books, including Pretty Salma(Clarion), Ruby Sings the Blues (Bloomsbury),and Jamela's Dress (Frances Lincoln). Niki livesin Cape Town, South Africa.,