For Teachers and Parents

Because so few western children’s stories take place in the Himalayas, some background will enrich the reader’s
experience. Location may be one place to start.

Nepal is a kingdom in south Asia.

Whichever direction you go from its capital, Kathmandu, there are vast changes in altitude. The biodiversity, the variety of plants and animals, is astonishing. Climates range from the warm, humid subtropics in the south, where you might see tigers and rhinos, to the arctic conditions on the highest peaks, with the rare snow leopard and shaggy yaks.

The highest peaks in the world are called the Himalayas, which means abode of snow. It is here that some of the most outstanding mountaineering achievements took place, such as Sir Edmond Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s scaling Mount Everest in 1953.

Yaks

The yaks in this story were domesticated over centuries from the wild yak, an ox living in the very high plateaus in Tibet. They are related to the American bison.

White Spot and the other yaks are very useful for the Nepali and Tibetan people living in the Himalayas and in Mongolia. These very sure-footed creatures can carry heavy loads for long distances. They provide rich milk for yogurt and cheese. The long, shaggy outer hair and the dense, matted underhair ensure that the yak is well insulated for extremely cold weather. Both types of yak hair are used – the softer hair for cloth and yarn, the coarser hair for mats and tent coverings. The meat is roasted or dried, and the hide can be made into saddles, boots and other leather goods.

The domestic yak can live only at higher altitudes. They graze on grasses, lichen, twigs, and leaves. They are also fed potatoes. They quench their thirst with ice and snow.

Unlike the cow, the yak does not moo, but makes grunting sounds. Both the male and female have long, curved horns.

Activities for ages 4 to 6

by Shirleyann Costigan
Educational Consultant

1. Picture Book Walk-through

Before reading the story aloud, introduce the characters and storyline to your child or students. Look through the book together as you point out details in the illustrations, including:

• The boy Kami
• Kami’s home
  
  
• The whistle and its purpose
• The weather
• The yaks and Curly Horn
• Kami’s father and his brother Norgay

Point out Kami’s expressions and talk about what he is doing or feeling at different points in the illustrations. Following the walk-through, have your child or students tell you what the story is about.

2. Reading Aloud

As you read the story aloud, pause from time to time to have the listener predict what will happen next. Read on to confirm or adjust the listener’s predictions.

3. Reading Vocabulary

During subsequent readings, discuss meaningful vocabulary, such as words that describe terrain or weather; words that distinguish sounds, or describe how Kami moves. Your child or students can point to the picture of the word, draw their own picture, and describe or pantomime the word.

3. Thinking about the Story

• Discuss with your child or students Kami’s character. What does Kami do that shows he is smart; that he is strong and brave?
• Discuss Kami’s decision to find the yaks. Why did Kami decide to look for the yaks on his own? What made his decision risky? What bad things might have happened? What did Kami have with him that could help if he got into trouble? What difficulties did Kami overcome to save the yaks?

4. Writing About the Story

Have your child or students write a few sentences about the story. Topics may include:

• a favorite part of the story
• a description of the yaks
• a description of where Kami lives
• a comparison of your child or students’ home with that of Kami’s

5. Going Beyond the Story

Your child or students may enjoy doing one or more of these activities to extend the story experience. Movement. Invite your child or students to make up a message to pantomime, as Kami did in the story. Simple messages might include, “Meet me for lunch,” “May I borrow a pencil,” or “Help me with my homework.”

Science: Sound Vibrations. Explain that sound is created when the air gets pushed together. Pushing on and off creates sound waves that vibrate. Different sound waves make different vibrations that a person can feel as well as hear. Identify the sound vibrations mentioned in the story: thunder (like drumbeats) and buzzing tickle of the whistle.

Create a series of sound vibrations using common objects such as a clock alarm, toy whistle, drum, and so on. Have the listeners touch the object to feel the different vibrations.

Geography: Help your child or students locate Nepal on a world map or globe or search for a map on the Internet. Compare the distance between Nepal, your home, and other locations on the map. Increase your child or students’ understanding by reading aloud the information about Nepal at the back of the book. Discuss how the high, mountainous environment shapes the life of the Sherpa people.

Visit this Nepali website for more information: maps, music, and images. http://ncthakur.itgo.com/index.html

Arts and Crafts: Based on the description at the back of the book, help your child or students draw a picture or, for older children, create a shoebox diorama of the upper level of a typical Sherpa home.

Music: Make a Whistle. Your child or students may enjoy making a whistle out of simple household materials.
Several sites on the Internet provide directions for this project. One good site is Scout Craft at www.escoutcraft.
com/misc/whistle.html