Product Overview
Johnetta Betsch Cole (A) and Nelda LaTeef (ILT)
List Price: $19.99 (Hardcover - African Proverbs - 2021)
It has been said that a proverb is a short sentence based on long experience.
Whether you are young or old, proverbs can open your mind to a whole new way of seeing the world. We shortchange our children when we assume they are incapable of understanding metaphor and deeper meaning. There are multiple ways that children learn, but for each method by which they learn, they need their imaginations engaged and their visual sensibilities ignited. And as adults, we shortchange ourselves when we allow our lives to be about practical matters only. Proverbs can stir our souls and spark our imaginations.
This book, drawn from the wisdom of the diverse cultures of Africa and stunningly illustrated by my friend and acclaimed artist and author Nelda LaTeef, fully engages children by presenting four proverbs with each illustration. Readers may then choose which proverb they believe best narrates the illustration. The book also invites children and adults to step into what are sometimes complex notions about life, relationships, identity, society, and the human condition. When words fail us, proverbs are a bridge between the adult and the child mind. They are a gateway to deeper connections and understanding.
There are no people without conversations. But with proverbs, every conversation is sure to be rich and memorable. As an anthropologist, I have witnessed how proverbs are used by individuals to warn, instruct, or advise.
Proverbs are drawn from the community well. No one person is the author of a proverb. In this book, we have culled proverbs from the various cultures of Africa, the continent from which we have all descended. Wherever possible, we have credited proverbs with their specific country of origin; when not possible, we have attributed them to the continent of Africa. In instances where the same proverb has multiple variations, we selected the most compelling version. (40 pgs) Ages Pre-School -3
- Product Dimensions: 8.69 x 0.36 x 11.41 inches
- Shipping Weight: 10.6
