Book Description
for One Hen and Then by Katie Smith Milway, Mary Beth Leatherdale, and Tequitia Andrews
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
In a picture book about microfinance set in a contemporary rural setting on the continent of Africa, a young boy named Kojo explains what happens when he manages to buy one chicken with a small amount of money left over from a loan his mother received to buy a sewing machine. After one week with his fluffy white chicken, Kojo collects five eggs. Keeping two (one for himself and one for Mom), Kojo has three eggs to sell at the market. With the money he earns, he pays back his mother for the money she loaned him to buy his egg-laying hen. And then … several iterations later, readers see how Kojo is able to buy more hens, who produce more eggs, which allow Kojo to pay for school fees and a uniform, and with enough education, Kojo uses his savings to buy land for a poultry farm. The process starts anew when Kojo applies for his own loan to buy 900 chickens. With matter-of-fact text and neat, colorful illustrations, this volume provides welcome information about microloans and the impact on identity and economy. Back matter introduces readers to the real Kojo and provides additional information about microfinance programs.
CCBC Choices 2025. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison, 2025. Used with permission.