Tag Archives: atinuke

30 Tips for Writing Delightful Children’s Books Day 3

ARTICLES, LITERARY RAMBLES, Writing Picture Books Course, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WRITING CHILDREN’S BOOKS TIP #3: KNOW YOUR ONIONS, well, GENRES

Let’s talk about genres. Children’s books have been divided into so many genres and categories that it is so hard to keep up. But here are the major ones.

NB: This post features children’s books by Nigerian authors.

GENRES*

Picture Books

Heavily illustrated; ages 3 – 8; 100 – 1000 words

Greatest Animal in the Jungle by Sope Martins

Juba and the Fireball by Yejide Kilanko

Mayowa and the Masquerades by Lola Shoneyin

Early Chapter Books

Illustrated; ages 4/5 – 8; 1000 – 3000 words

Welcome Home, Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke

Feyi Fay and the Mysterious Madam Koi Koi by Simisayo Brownstone

Chapter books

Few Illustrations; ages 6 – 9; 5000 – 20,000 words

Mafoya and the Finish Line by Ayo Oyeku

No 1 Car Spotter by Atinuke

Middle Grade:

Rarely illustrated; ages 8 – 12; 25,000 – 50,000

A-Files by Victoria Afe Inegbedion

Akata Witch/What Sunny Saw in the Flames by Nnedi Okoroafor

Mirror on the Wall by Jesutofunmi Fekoya

Young Adult

Almost never illustrated; ages 13+ ; 40,000 – 100,000 words

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi

Other genres:

Concept Books

Diary of a Toddler by Olubunmi Aboderin Talabi

A Fun ABC by Sade Fadipe

Plays

Mouth Almighty by Salihah Agbaje

Graphic Novels

Anike Eleko by Sandra Joubeaud and Alaba Onajin

Comics

1897: Okiojo’s Chronicles Series

Nonfiction*

My Nigeria, Peoples, Places and Culture by Constance Omawumi Kola-Lawal

Social Justice Books

Eno’s Story by Ayodele Olofintuade

The Red Transistor Radio by Fatima Akilu

OTHER CATEGORIES

Action/Adventure

Ginika’s Adventures by Nnenna Ochiche

The Adventures of Obi and Titi: Queen Idia’s Mask

Series

Illesanmi Twins Series. Book #1 Mystery at Ebenezer Lodge by Dunni Olatunde

Half Hour Hara Series. Book #1 The Case of the Broken Eggs by Ugo Anidi

Science Fiction

Zahra the Windseeker by Nnedi Okoroafor

Folktales/Fairytales

Folktales are Forever by Efe Farinre

Biographies

Idia of the Benin kingdom by Ekiuwa Aire

Please note: This list is by no means exhaustive!

  1. Action: Get a library subscription

Try Bookworm Café. This outfit specializes only in children’s books and its Director is a children’s literature connoisseur.

Try ZODML, Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Libraries too!

OR

Be like me, buy every single book on this list … AND MORE 😊

2. Read.

Read 2 to 3 books in each genre to determine which one appeals to you😊

Then when you find your niche, read as many books as possible in that genre. Good luck!

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*post on nonfiction coming soon

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Too Small Tola

AGES 4 - 8, AGES 8 - 12, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Title: Too Small Tola


Author: Atinuke

Publisher: Walker Books

Number of pages: 96

Type of Book: Fiction; African; Contemporary

Age: 7+

Available here: @thebookwormcafebookstore on Instagram; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Too-Small-Tola-Atinuke/dp/1406388912/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=too+small+tola&qid=1602613660&sr=8-1

Price: N2000; GBP 5.29

MY SUMMARY
This is a book of 3 stories which feature tiny Tola who lives in the slums of Lagos with her grandmother and siblings. In all 3 stories, where she battles with power outage, lack of water, helping Abdul the tailor and going shopping at the famous Mile 12 Market, Tola shows her family and friends that even though she’s small, she’s mighty.


THUMBS UP AND DOWN
UP: I absolutely absolutely loved the illustrations by Onyinye Iwu. They were the major highlight. Vibrant and apt, they complemented the story perfectly and brought the characters to life. They would have been even more wonderful if they were coloured.

The stories were delightful. I loved the fact they give readers a sneak peak into life in Lagos, especially, the hustle and bustle of daily life. I loved the reference to kerosene lanterns, battling with electricity, fetching water with jerry cans and of course, the famous Mile12 Market. I particularly liked the bit about Tola’s Grandma’s earrings which were left to her by her own grandmother (Tola’s great great grandmother). It made me smile.

One line that made me laugh was the description of one of Tola’s neighbours: ‘ … as tough as stockfish.’ 😀

DOWN: The stories were a bit flat, in the sense that they lacked ‘engaging’ conflict. Basically, the book is quite ‘putdownable’ and may not win the fight against TVs and tablets.

In a few places, the book reads like it was written by a non-Nigerian. Phrases like ‘Okada taxi’ irked me.

RATING
🌟 🌟 🌟

CHALLENGE: TOO SMALL TOLA
CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

  1. Describe your street using all your five senses. (7 – 9 year olds)

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 7 – 9 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book. Answers must be submitted before 12:00am on Sunday, October 18th 2020.


Next Book of the Week:

THE GOOD EGG by Jory John

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Sulwe

AGES 4 - 8, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Title: Sulwe 

Author: Lupita Nyong’o Illustrator: Vashti Harrison

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Number of pages: 48

Type of Book: Fiction; African, Magical Realism, Folktale 

Age: 4 – 8

Buy it here: https://rhbooks.com.ng/product/sulwe-by-lupita-nyongo-and-vashti-harrison/; https://www.amazon.com/Sulwe-Lupita-Nyongo/dp/1534425365

Price: N4000; $11.78

MY SUMMARY

Little Sulwe’s skin is as dark as midnight. She is the darkest member of her family and the darkest child in school. This makes her very sad. Slew desperately wants to be bright and beautiful like her sister Mich, whose skin is the colour of high noon. She wants to be light-skinned so she’ll be loved and accepted and make new friends.

So, Sulwe tries to lighten her skin. She eats bright foods, tries to rub her skin off, and even applies her mum’s makeup but nothing works. Poor Sulwe stays sad until one night, she goes on a magical journey that shows her that she’s beautiful, just the way she is. 

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP:The art. I am a lover of Vashti Harrison’s art and as usual, she outdid herself. She brought Sulwe to life with vibrant illustrations. 

I love the story-within-a-story structure. The folktale within the story adds a magical element to the story and makes it even more entertaining.

I like that there are so many teaching opportunities in this story. My kids and I had a whole discussion about the way God answers prayers; because they wanted to know why God didn’t answer Sulwe’s prayer.  

I love the premise of the story. In Lupita’s words, “Sulwe holds up a mirror for dark-skinned children.” I love that Sulwe’s story deals with the universal human need to be loved and accepted while staying true to one’s self in a very child-friendly manner. 

It’s a heartwarming story, it builds confidence and it’s quite entertaining. I loved every bit of it, my boys loved it too. We’ve read it countless times and we highly recommend it. 

DOWN: None.

RATING

* * * * *

TRIVIA

  1. Sulwe is Academy Award-Winning Actress, Lupita Nyongo’s, debut children’s book. 
  2. Like Sulwe, Lupita was teased and taunted in school because of her dark skin. 

HAVE FUN WITH THIS BOOK

  1. Read an excerpt here: https://www.amazon.com/Sulwe-Lupita-Nyongo/dp/1534425365  (Click on the look inside feature on the amazon website)
  2. Download some fun exercises here: https://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/tagged_assets/5367491/9781534425361_cg_sulwe%20curriculum%20guide.pdf

CHALLENGE: Sulwe

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

Read the excerpt and answer the questions below:

  1. List 4 things Sulwe did to become light-skinned (4 – 6 year olds)
  2. Write a 100-word essay. Topic: What does real beauty mean to you? (7 – 8 year olds)

OR

3. Sulwe wants to be light-skinned, so that she can make friends like her light-skinned sister. If Sulwe were your sister, what advice would you give her? (7 – 8 year olds)

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 4 – 8 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.

Answers must be submitted before 12:00am on Sunday, October 4th2020.

Next Book of the Week:

TOO SMALL TOLA by Atinuke

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The No. 1 Car Spotter

AGES 8 - 12, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , ,

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Title:  The No. 1 Car Spotter

Author: Atinuke

Publisher: Walker Books      

Number of pages: 111         

Type of Book: Fiction

Age: 8+

Available here:

 Price: N1200; GBP 5.99

MY SUMMARY (without the ending):

This book, the first in a series introduces the bubbly and cheerful Oluwalase Babatunde Benson as No 1. No. 1 lives in a village where car spotting, a game involving spotting cars sometimes just by hearing the sound of the engine, is a major hobby for the men. He’s the Number 1 car spotter in his village, maybe in the world!

This book contains four ‘complete’ stories in which No 1 saves the day by providing an innovative solution to the problem of the village market cart, goes to the market with the village, buys ‘lipstick’ for Aunty Fine-Fine, runs the risk of losing his hard-earned nickname and helps to save his grandma and improve village life.

The No. 1 Car Spotter series details that fun and frolics of a young boy in a village in an African country (which isn’t mentioned).

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: Reading this book is easy-peasy and the illustrations scattered all over make it even more fun!

DOWN: None

RATING

4 stars

TRIVIA

  1. The name of the car manufactured by No. 1 and Wale and his crew: The Toyota Cow-rolla. 
  2. Car spotting is a hobby for the _____________ in No. 1’s village: Men
  3. What did Aunty Fine-Fine send No. 1 to buy from the shop with many small-small bottles and containers and many girls: Lipstick
  4. What did No. 1 buy instead: Nail Polish 
  5. As far as No. 1 is concerned, without __________, there is no such thing as good food. Palm Oil
  6. The 10 pink Porsche convertibles that stirred up dust when No.1 and Coca Cola were returning to the village from the market: Aunty Fine-Fine’s toenails painted with bright hibiscus pink nail polish.

WATCH THE AUTHOR READ FROM THE BOOK HERE: 

 

CHALLENGE: The No. 1 Car Spotter 

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

  1. Are you a car spotter? Can you list 26 types of cars using the 26 letters of the alphabet?

(e.g A-Aston Martin, B-Bentley, C-Cadillac (these examples cannot be submitted as answers) ( 8 – 12 year olds)

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 8-12 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.

Answers must be submitted before 12:00am on Sunday, January 12th 2017.

Next Book of the Week:

TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS by Andrew Lang

 

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photo credit: amazon.com

The No. 1 Car Spotter

AGES 8 - 12, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , ,

416zaUjvc6L

Title:  The No. 1 Car Spotter

Author: Atinuke

Publisher: Walker Books     

Number of pages: 111        

Type of Book: Fiction

Age: 8+

Available here: Terrakulture Victoria Island, Lagos; http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Spotter-Walker-Racing-Reads/dp/1406320773

 Price: N1200; GBP 4.99

MY SUMMARY (without the ending):

This book, the first in a series introduces the bubbly and cheerful Oluwalase Babatunde Benson as No 1. No. 1 lives in a village where car spotting, a game involving spotting cars sometimes just by hearing the sound of the engine, is a major hobby for the men. He’s the Number 1 car spotter in his village, maybe in the world!

This book contains four ‘complete’ stories in which No 1 saves the day by providing an innovative solution to the problem of the village market cart, goes to the market with the village, buys ‘lipstick’ for Aunty Fine-Fine, runs the risk of losing his hard-earned nickname and helps to save his grandma and improve village life.

The No. 1 Car Spotter series details that fun and frolics of a young boy in a village in an African country (which isn’t mentioned).

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: Reading this book is easy-peasy and the illustrations scattered all over make it even more fun!

DOWN: None

RATING

3.5 stars

TRIVIA

  1. The name of the car manufactured by No. 1 and Wale and his crew: The Toyota Cow-rolla.
  2. Car spotting is a hobby for the _____________ in No. 1’s village: Men
  3. What did Aunty Fine-Fine send No. 1 to buy from the shop with many small-small bottles and containers and many girls: Lipstick
  4. What did No. 1 buy instead: Nail Polish
  5. As far as No. 1 is concerned, without __________, there is no such thing as good food. Palm Oil
  6. The 10 pink Porsche convertibles that stirred up dust when No.1 and Coca Cola were returning to the village from the market: Aunty Fine-Fine’s toenails painted with bright hibiscus pink nail polish.

CHALLENGE: The No. 1 Car Spotter

Are you a car spotter? How well do you know cars? Can you list 26 types of cars using the 26 letters of the alphabet?

e.g A-Aston Martin, B-Bentley, C-Cadillac (these examples can not be submitted as answers)

The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book

Answers must be submitted before 12:00am on Sunday, July 5.

Next Book of the Week (07/July/2015 – 12/July/2015):

TREASURE ISLAND by Robert Louis Stevenson

Welcome Home, Anna Hibiscus

AGES 4 - 8, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , ,

aadTitle:  Welcome Home Anna Hibiscus

Author: Atinuke 

Publisher: Walker Books

Number of pages: 111 

Type of Book: Fiction

Age: 6-8

Available here: http://www.konga.com/welcome-home-anna-hibiscus; Terrakulture, Victoria Island, Lagos; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Welcome-Hibiscus-Walker-Racing-Reads/dp/1406320811/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447671263&sr=1-1&keywords=welcome+home+anna

Price: N1,100; GBP 3.99

MY SUMMARY Anna Hibiscus is a little girl who lives with her mum, dad, aunties, uncles and cousins in a big white house in an African Country (that is not mentioned in the book). Follow Anna’s adventures as she carries an egg around until it hatches into a chicken and becomes her ‘son’, visits her friend Tiger Lily in the city and attempts to be a ‘mother’ to a spirited and naughty chicken who gets Anna and itself into a lot of scrapes throughout the book.

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: Humour! I laughed a lot at the trouble that Snow White, the chicken, got Anna into. I also loved the image of communal life in the outskirts of the city painted by the writer. The pictures (almost one very page) make this a fun and easy read.

DOWN: It propagates the idea that Africa is a country. Words like ‘Africanly’, ‘traditional African courtesy’, ‘a good traditional African girl’, etc., almost made this book an unpleasant read for me.

RATING 3 stars

TRIVIA

  1. Anna’s friend from Canada: Tiger Lily.
  2. Who had the name of a fairy tale princess: Anna’s chicken: Snow White
  3. Two girls were named after flowers in the book: Anna Hibiscus and Tiger Lily
  4. What did Snow White do to Aunty Joly when Tiger Lily’s daddy came to visit? He landed on her head and flew away with her head tie
  5. Who was called Pronto? The old he-goat
  6. Tiger Lily had these in her house instead of people. Screens/Television sets

 Next Book of the Week (25/May/2015 – 01/June/2015): ELLIE AND THE CAT by Malorie Blackman

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