"How do you find African books to read to the children?" my Zimbabwean friend asked when she accompanied me to Tembisa Baptist Church. I suspect she had grown up on the same kind of books as Chimamanda Adichie. Adichie, a Nigerian short-story writer I am anxious to read, articulates so well part of why I am concerned with providing African children with books in which they will see themselves and their world. The video will take you a bit longer than you normally spend reading this blog, but it's worth it.
(Thank you to Debi Alexander who pointed me to this video on Ruth Hubbard's blog. If you are looking for positive books about Africa to read yourself or share with children, check out my list on Goodreads.)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
I hope you not only read her but meet her someday.
I have read both her novels and the book that is a sample of her short stories. Many of the Africans she portrays are catholic. One has an interesting meeting of a Pentecostal and a Catholic. She has great insights and you can see the workings of the non-Christian but not too hostile towards Christianity modern African mind. I asked a Housa Nigeria businessman if he read her books and he said he did and liked the "half of a yellow sun" that is about the Biafra war. He said he liked the book and her novel. Interesting! These books are not for children or the “sensitive to sin” being portrayed reader. She is graphic at times. So glad her story is getting passed around.
Post a Comment