"Be respectful, take care of your family, don't ever beg. And don't give up." Mama Comfort's last words to her son Emmanual Ofosu Yeboah Introduction
As part of my daughter's Around the World curriculum, I have been sourcing books about people from countries all over the world, but I noticed that there is a dearth of information about titles focusing on people and stories from African countries. It has been incredibly difficult finding high-quality picture books, so I wanted to share these resources. For September and October, I will focus on books from African countries, including some background information about the country, the authors, and some extensions.
For my first review, I decided to choose Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson with illustrations by Sean Qualls (affiliate link with more photos from the inside). I adore this book about this courageous man from Ghana, and I hope that you find his story pulling on all of your heartstrings too. Book Review
This is the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, a man who rode his bike across Ghana to bring awareness of the remarkable things that people with disabilities can do. Its sparse, poetic language covers his struggles growing up with one strong leg, the loss of his mother and his new responsibilities to his siblings resulting from her death, and his journey as a heroic athlete bringing attention to other people with disabilities. The exquisite, evocative illustrations complement the language perfectly, giving life to Emmanuel and the others in his story with brightly colored patterns on predominately white backgrounds. The characters’ faces are decidedly and beautifully Black African, giving this story even more appeal for those of us struggling to provide our children with picture book characters who look like them. However, the story itself is one of triumph over struggle and the power of one person to make a difference for others, offering important lessons for all of us no matter our backgrounds.
The Author’s Note provides important information for readers, focusing on the actual results of Emmanuel’s bike ride. His ride was the main inspiration for the passage of the Persons with Disabilities Act, which reiterated that disabled Ghanaians have the same rights as others. He has also continued to spread the message that “disability does not mean inability” through his foundation Emmanuel Educational Foundation and Sports Academy (Thompson). His original bike ride was given support from the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which is worth checking out for many more inspiring stories of athletes. There has also been a documentary about his life produced by Oprah Winfrey. Ghana
Since Emmanuel's Dream takes place in Ghana, it makes sense to provide a bit of background on this country since many adults are not very familiar with African countries themselves. Ghana is a country on the western side of Africa, bordered by Cote d'Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso, with approximately 27,500,00 people who mostly live in urban environments (Britannica). Accra is the capital city, and Lake Volta is the world's largest man-made lake. The geography includes lush forests and sandy coastal beaches as well as diverse animal populations; there are many natural resources available. Although English is the official language, there are many other languages spoken, including Asante, Ewe, Fante, and others.
Additionally, Ghana was the first black Sub-Saharan country to gain independence from colonists on March 6, 1957. There are many beautiful photos and more specific information about festivals, cultural customs, and special attractions at the official Ghanaian tourism site here. I highly recommend checking out the site, even if it is just for the photographs. About the Authors
Laurie Ann Thompson is the author of several books for children, including Be a Changemaker: How to Start Something that Matters, My Dog Is the Best, and Two Truths and a Lie: It's Alive (affiliate links). She also blogs and provides more information about herself at her own website; she has a strong sense of social justice, giving her a unique perspective for writing about Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah.
Sean Qualls is a fine artist who has also illustrated several books, including Why Am I Me? (written by Paige Britt and Selina Alko), Grandad Mandela (written by Ambassador Zindzi Mandela, Zazi Mandela, and Ziwelene Mandela: link goes to legacy site), Little Cloud and Lady Wind (written by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison), and Before John Was a Jazz Giant (written by Carole Boston Weatherford); titles are affiliate links to Amazon while author names are links to authors' websites. He has also had several exhibitions of his fine art and occasionally performs as a DJ in his current home of Brooklyn. Extension: Adinkra and kente cloth
Like all countries, there are traditional crafts that are associated with Ghana, but the most famous crafts are two different types of cloth: kente and adinkra. Kente cloth is woven fabric; the patterns created with the colors hold special meaning. On the other hand, adinkra cloth is made with wooden blocks that stamp repeated designs onto the fabric. These designs also hold special meanings, and many refer back to traditional stories and are only allowed to be worn for special occasions. In fact, some of the illustrations throughout Emmanuel's Dream are reminiscent of adinkra fabric, making this extension particularly meaningful if you also have your child find similarities between their own designs and the ones in the book.
Because I didn't want to use designs with specialized meanings, I chose to have my daughter design her own "wood block" and stamp it onto paper. I based this extension on the tutorial found here at PBS Kids, but I simplified it for younger children. Adinkra-inspired Craft for kids
Materials
Instructions
Resources for Adinkra and Kente cloth
This website is a treasure trove of information about traditional African crafts from many different countries. I have the link for Ghana here, but it's worth exploring in depth.
Although I linked the official tourism site of Ghana above, I wanted to link their page for Ghanaian handicrafts here as well. It's a quick guide and worth exploring as well. Comments are closed.
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Author
I'm Heidi, the lead teacher for Stone Bridge Academy. We are a homeschool serving one fabulous student. This blog occasionally uses affiliate links, which means that we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only link to products or services that we use and love in my family. These commissions allow me to continue providing helpful content here. Thank you for your support.
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