One Hen - Katie Smith Milway

One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One Hen is the latest title from the creators of If The World Were a Village, Tree of Life and One Well. It is the perfect way to introduce children to the concept and importance of sustainable development. One Hen tells the story of Kojo, a young Ghanaian boy who uses a micro loan to buy a chicken, so he can sell the eggs to make money. Through hard work, Kojo soon earns enough to go back to school. He grows up to own his own farm, employing many people in his village, and contributing to Ghana's development. The story illustrates how a small loan can have a huge impact on many people's lives if used in the right way. Striking artwork and 'House that Jack Built'-style captions lead the reader through Kojo's progress. At the end of the book, the story of the real-life Kojo is told.

This is about a boy called Kojo, he lives in Ghana and has had to give up school to help his mother as they are really struggling and don't have much money. One day Kojo gets a loan and he decides to buy a hen, this hen produces eggs, he sells these at the market which he then buys more hens with. eventually he has enough money to buy a farm, which provides employment and begins to support the country.

This is an excellent book for all ages as for smaller children it begins to give them an insight into other stories of different cultures. It also can provide explanation and a simplified version on production and trade. It also shows children that one person can make a difference depending on their actions and this could have a good or bad effect on the wider community.

As the book progresses it highlights the fact that now Kojo is able to give out loans to others who have a business idea. I feel that this book is excellent for the primary school as it could be used in so many areas of the curriculum. It can also be shared across year groups who are studying similar topics or just as a different picture book. I was lucky enough to have been sent this by the publisher, I am just sad that it was as an ebook as I would love to have a larger copy to share with my class. Katie Smith Milway