There are many things I expect to find in teachers' lounges: the smell of coffee, piles of uncollected copies, friendly conversations, and the occasional witty sign (for example, "Please snow, I'm a teacher"). Teachers are often taught to 'beg, borrow, and steal' lesson plans and to not reinvent the wheel, so the ubiquitous materials swap is actually one reason I love my profession. I peruse the magazines and books that get left on the table and am only somewhat interested, but a few weeks ago I found this lovely treasure depicted on the right. The series name was familiar to me, the obvious "No. 1 Ladies" part was intriguing, and after a quick flip through, it was obvious that Smith took time to incorporate accurate cultural and linguistic features--go social sciences! Smith gives the reader a taste of Botswana language and culture, emphasizes the importance of charity and love, and tells the story of several strong characters who value their family. I was a bit disappointed that the actual title itself was not woven throughout the book as much, but overall I am very grateful for my fellow teacher who read this book and decided to pass it on. I would go ahead to read more of the series but I'm already in the middle of "The Brothers Karamazov," "Pinocchio" in Italian, and a Truman biography...so the other 11 books in this series will have to wait :) And of course, in the spirit of book swapping, if you're in the area, just ask for it!
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