Title: A Pre-School Alphabet Book and A Treasury of African Names

Author: Noma Sodipo

Publisher: Swan Publishing

Number of pages: 63

Type of Book: African; Fiction; Educational

Age: 2 – 7

Available here: www.preschoolalphabetandafricannames.com; Swan Publishing: 7^th floor, 27/29 King George V Road, Onikan, Lagos; TerraKulture: Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island, Lagos

Price: N1500

MY SUMMARY

My first thought was “Not another ABC book”, but this is an ABC book with a difference. It features the expected – Ants, Balls, Cats, etc. – but it goes many steps further to include colourful illustrations; common plants, animals and food found in Africa; colours; a question on every page and a full glossary of African names with their pronunciation, origin and meaning. It’s the perfect ABC book for the African child!

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: I LOOOOOVVVEEEEE this book!!!!! (ESP because good quality African books for preschoolers are hard to find AND (Icing on the cake!!!) this one was written by a Nigerian!) This is easily one of the best books I have read this year and I have read it to my 2-year-old too! It is filled with vibrantly coloured illustrations and it features sights and sounds of 21^st Century Africa. I recommend this book for kids aged 2 to 7 especially kids (African and non-African) who would like to learn about Africa. Parents can read this book to their toddlers and beginning readers can read it on their own.

DOWN: None!!!

RATING

5 Stars. If I could, I’d give this more than 5 stars.

TRIVIA

1. Noma Sodipo, the author, also produces the television programme ‘Storytime with Auntie Noma’ which is aired in over thirty countries in the world! 

HAVE FUN WITH THIS BOOK

• Team the reading experience with a visit to preschoolalphabetandafricannames.com

CHALLENGE: A Pre-School Alphabet Book and A Treasury of African Names

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

• Draw and name 10 animals found in Nigeria using the first 10 letters of the alphabet?

e.g. A – Antelope, B – Bat, C – Chicken (these examples can not be submitted as answers (6-7 year olds)

OR

• Draw and colour 4 (four) animals found in Nigerian homes (4-5 year olds)

OR

• Identify and colour the dog (2-3 year olds)

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 2 – 7 age range. The first two correct entries will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.

Answers must be submitted before 12:00am on Tuesday, April 19^th 2015.

Next Book of the Week:

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR by Eric Carle