When Rain Clouds Gather: Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 27
No. of pages 185
Published: 1996
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"When Rain Clouds Gather" by Bessie Head tells the story of a man named Makhaya who escapes from apartheid South Africa to find solace in Botswana. Seeking a new life, he becomes involved with a community of rural farmers grappling with the challenges of drought and agricultural struggle. As he builds relationships with the villagers, particularly the strong-willed protagonist, Dinah, Makhaya learns about love, freedom, and the resilience of the human spirit. The novel explores themes of identity, communal living, and the intersection of personal and social transformation amid the harsh realities of life in southern Africa. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].
There are 185 pages in this book.
It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.
This book was published in 1996 by Heinemann Publishers (Pty) Ltd .
Born in South Africa, Bessie Head, had a traumatic life and she drew heavily upon her experiences for her novels. Her first novel, "When Rain Clouds Gather" grew out of her experience as a refugee, and was followed by "Maru" and "A Question of Power" (1973). In 1977 she published "The Collector of Treasure"s, a book of short stories exploring the position of women in Africa. Bessie Head died in Serowe, Botswana in 1986, aged only 49.