Emeka's Gift : An African Counting Story - Softcover

Ifeoma Onyefulu was broughout up in a traditional village in Eastern Nigeria. Her highly acclaimed children's books are renowned for countering negative images of Africa by celebrating both its traditional village life and its urban life. A is for Africa, her first book, has become a classic title in the genre of cultural diversity and was praised by Publishers Weekly for its 'incisive view of her country's rich heritage'. Ifeoma has twice won the Children's Africana Book Award: Best Book for Young Children in the USA> Here Comes our Bride won the award in 2005 and Ikenna Goes to Nigeria in 2008. Ifeoma lives in London with her two sons. Find out more about Ifeoma's books at www.ifeomaonyefulu.com.

This unusual counting book cum photo-essay weaves into its narrative details of life among the Igala people of southern Nigeria. "One boy"-Emeka-walks to the neighboring village to visit his grandmother, wondering about a suitable gift for her. He passes various possibilities along the way ("four new brooms," the "big grown-up hats" modeled by five youngsters, etc.) and imagines how Granny might react to each one. In the end he can only share a hug with Granny, who declares that she has received "the best present of all." Using a simple framework, Onyefulu (A Is for Africa) sprinkles informative sidebars alongside her tale of Emeka's journey, enhancing the reader's understanding of a lesser-known culture. Lucid, attractively composed photographs of Igala people and their artifacts add to the book's multicultural import. Intelligently rendered and ultimately heartwarming. Ages 3-9.
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