And Yanda kept on singing

Elina is on holiday with her sister in Congo. She is amazed, because life is completely different there. The villagers regard white people as a curiosity. Moreover, they hardly resist death. Yet they are very lively people. Elina admires Yanda, a nurse who sings all day long. When she returns, Elina is given a turtle, a vibrant piece of Africa. At home, she cares for her best friend Mina, who is very ill. When the turtle dies and later her friend too, Elina thinks back to Yanda's words. 'What is dead is no longer alive. But it has lived. That is important. It has lived, and you have known it. You have known it. You have done something for it. Isn't that beautiful?' This thought is central to this hopeful story for readers aged 11 and up.