From Publishers Weekly
"This alphabet is based on my own favorite images of the Africa I know," writes Onyefulu, a member of the Igbo tribe who grew up in Nigeria and now lives in London. And though her penetrating photos were taken in her native country, she notes that the traditions and spirit she hopes to convey are common to "all the peoples of this vast, friendly, colorful continent." The beautifully composed color photos, arranged alphabetically by subject, feature objects or practices representing various facets of African customs and culture: "B is for the Beads a girl may wear on her head, ears or neck"; "R is for River. Africans believe many rivers are sacred." Emphasized throughout are individuals' affection and concern for one another ("E is the embrace we give our loved ones"; "K is for Kola nuts offered to guests to show warmth and friendship"; "S is for Shaking hands"). A talented photographer, Onyefulu affords her audience an incisive, sophisticated view of her homeland's rich heritage. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Kirkus Reviews
A London-based photographer offers images of traditional life and culture in her Nigerian homeland. Sharp, sun-drenched photos filled with smiles and bright colors create an idealized impression of village life, with little evidence of poverty and only occasional, inadvertent, signs of modern influences--a child wearing a T-shirt, or oil lamps made from recycled milk tins. In an introduction and many of the brief captions, the author suggests that the drums, beads, mud huts, family structures, and other details she captures on film represent Africa in microcosm, a risky sort of reductionism. The diversity--and unities--of African culture are evoked more effectively for younger readers by Musgrove's Ashanti to Zulu (1976); the photos in Chiasson's African Journey (1987) provide a more multifaceted view of village life. Visually appealing, but simplistic. (Picture book. 5-8) --
Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
See all Editorial Reviews