Shaka: King of the Zulus

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. 1988. SHAKA: KING OF THE ZULUS. New York: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0688073433

PLOT SUMMARY
Shaka (oo-Sha-geh) was born the son of a Zulu chief in the late eighteenth century. He began working to help his small tribe at a young age, and a mistake he made while guarding the sheep caused Shaka and his mother to be banished, as outcasts, from the clan. The two moved to another tribe where Shaka endured cruelty from the other children and had no friends, but longed to be great. After becoming a burden to the clan, they moved on to another one, where Shaka grew up among friends. He began learning to be a warrior during a time when fierce warriors were held in high regard and tribal warfare was common, admirable, and led to prestige.

As Shaka got older and learned from the powerful chief, Dingiswayo, The Great One, he decided that there was a better way to fight than the methods the Zulu clan currently used. He reinvented Zulu fighting by creating a new weapon, fighting barefoot, and practicing new techniques. He quickly became a respected warrior, honored as a hero, and given the position of leading the other warriors of the clan.

Upon Shaka’s father’s death, The Great One appointed Shaka as the new chief of the Zulu clan. Throughout his time as chief, Shaka reconstructed the Zulu army, making them one of the mightier forces in southern Africa, using new and effective warfare techniques and acquiring land and men from conquered tribes. He befriended the English settlers, and the two groups learned from each other. Just as the Zulu clan was at its peak, growing larger and more prosperous with each battle, Shaka learned that his beloved mother was dying. When she died, Shaka ordered the clan to follow strict mourning laws that angered many of the Zulu people and caused mass starvation. Shaka was eventually killed by his half brothers in a plot to end his reign. Although he was king for just over ten years, Shaka built a powerful nation from a small clan and is still revered today as a great king. His stories are shared among over six million Zulu descendents and others, remembering him with pride.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The story of Shaka and his rise to power from a struggling outcast child will inspire many readers. Stanely and Vennema have excellently portrayed the great warrior’s determination, skill, and leadership through sophisticated, yet easy to understand text. The story of his remarkable life, from beginning to end, is given in detail, highlighting his most interesting experiences. Readers will learn not only about Shaka, but the rest of the Zulu clan, and about the way of life among many African tribes in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

What will captivate younger readers are Stanley’s beautiful illustrations. Each one depicts a scene from Shaka’s life, providing a visually pleasing and interesting complement to the text. However, a greater purpose of each illustration is the amount readers can learn from each one. By looking at the pictures, readers can see how the Zulus dressed, everyday and in battle. They will learn how the villages looked and see what their shelter looked like. Celebration, mourning, work, warfare, and other aspects of the Zulu life are depicted throughout this biography. Elementary age readers will enjoy reading Shaka’s story, as well as learn a great deal about historical times in Africa and one of the Zulu’s most respected leaders. A list of sources is also provided for those readers that are interested in learning more.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Texas Bluebonnet Honor Book, Texas Library Association, 1992
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Dignified, detailed artwork is a befittingly regal accompaniment to this engrossing biography”
THE NEW YORK TIMES: “A thrilling introduction to the Zulu people and a remarkable chapter in African history.”
HORN BOOK: “Handsome and compelling.”

CONNECTIONS
* Read this book during Black History Month (February), celebrating the African ancestory.
* Discuss the methods that Shaka used with his people during his time as king (i.e. killing people who disobeyed, setting rules for a year-long mourning, etc.). How would his methods of ruling be viewed today, and how are they different?
* Read this book when celebrating multicultural week and compare the Zulu culture to others during the same time period.
* Read this aloud, along with other well-constructed biographies, to spark an interest in this genre.


*Other books about Shaka and the Zulu tribe

Hall, Lynn Bedford. 2005. SHAKA, WARRIOR KING OF THE ZULU. Ill. by Rene Hermans. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik Publishers. ISBN 1868254186

Klopper, Sandra. 1998. THE ZULU KINGDOM. New York: Franklin Watts Publishing. ISBN 0531202860

McKenna, Nancy Durrell. 1984. A ZULU FAMILY. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications. ISBN 0822516667

Wilson-Max, Ken 1998. HALALA MEANS WELCOME: A BOOK OF ZULU WORDS. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786804149