Title:   Àníké Eléko 

Author: Sandra Joubeaud, Illustrated by Àlàbá Ònájìn

Publisher: Farafina Tuuti      

Year of Publication: 2017

Number of pages:  122        

Type of Book: Fiction; Graphic novel

Age: 8 and up

Available here: https://okadabooks.com/book/about/anike_eleko/17283 ; https://rhbooks.com.ng/product/anike-eleko/ ; Terrakulture Victoria Island, Lagos ;

https://www.jumia.com.ng/farafina-anike-eleko-8664178.html ;

https://www.konga.com/aonike-eleko-3751571

 Price: N1000; N1200; N1300; N1400; N1500

MY SUMMARY

Àníké wants to be a medical doctor but Iya and Aunt Remi have other plans for her, after all, in Aunt Remi’s words, “It is better for a woman to master a craft and find a good husband.”

So when Àníké decides to write the scholarship exam for a chance to pursue her dreams, she finds she has to study extra hard to get her Arithmetic right but Iya and Aunt Remi saddle her with making Aunt Remi’s wedding dress, as if selling ẹ̀kọ every morning before going to school and helping Iya at the market after school aren’t enough work already!

Read the book to find out how Àníké fared with ‘The Scholarship’.

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: THE ILLUSTRATIONS were hands down the best part of the book for me. I loved them! Rich and colourful, they totally immerse the reader in Àníké’s world. They were so good that I felt like I could have ‘read’ the book just by looking at them. Ònájìn’s work really gives meaning to the line: ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’

Comics are NOT my thing, so this book was a pleasant surprise!

DOWN: Àníké was rude to her mother more than once. Hands-on-the-waist-talking-with-exclamation-marks rude! She also deceived her mother and aunt, all in a bid to study for the Scholarship exam. This behaviour went unpunished, making it look like the end always justifies the means.

One of my favorite characters didn’t make it to the cover: Àríyọ̀ the Cobbler.

RATING

4 stars

TRIVIA

Some conversation starters for your kids

1. “It is better for a woman to master a craft and find a good husband”
2. “School is more important for boys”
3. Àníké had to wake really early in the morning to sell ẹ̀kọ before going to school but Banjo her brother didn’t. Is that fair?
4. Other themes explored in the book besides Courage: Bullying, Friendship.

VISIT ÀNÍKÉ HERE : https://www.facebook.com/anikeeleko/

CHALLENGE: ÀNÍKÉ ELÉKO

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

1. Oge wants to be a Movie star, Ìlérí wants to be a Policewoman, Àníké wants to be a Doctor

Write a 300-word essay on any of the following lines:

“What I want to be”

or

“School is more important for boys”

OR

2. Recreate the picture below

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 Saturday, April 14^th 2018.

Next Book of the Week:

GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU by SAM M^CBRATNEY

photo credit: kachifo.com and Àníké’s facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/anikeeleko/