Author: Schizanthus Nerd

The Invincibles #1: The Piglet Pickle – Caryl Hart

Illustrations – Sarah Warburton

The Piglet Pickle is the first in an adorable series for younger readers called The Invincibles, which follows the friendship of Antonella Henry and Freddie Spoon, otherwise known as Nell and Freddie Spoon. For some (probably cute) reason, Freddie Spoon is always called by his full name.

We don’t learn about Freddie Spoon’s family in this book but we learn that Nell lives with her parents, an older brother, Lucas, a younger sibling only called Baby (babies not having names seems to be a newish pattern in children’s fiction), and her granny.

During a school field trip to a farm, Nell takes a liking to the smallest piglet and becomes afraid it will be turned into sausage, thanks to Freddie Spoon. At the end of the field trip Freddie Spoon surprises Nell with something in his backpack that is going to cause “Really BIG Trouble”.

There’s a lot of action to keep young readers entertained and the illustrations are a lot of fun. There’s a sweet quirkiness about them and I particularly loved all of the insects with big googly eyes, all of whom seemed very interested in what these best friends were getting up to.

There’s a realistic dynamic between Nell and Lucas, yelling at each other for invading the privacy of their respective rooms and generally being irritating and embarrassing to each other, but able to come together for the common good when the situation calls for it. I’m interested to see how their relationship changes in future books.

I loved when Nell recounts what her brother said to her, replacing the swear word with beep, because she’s not allowed to tell or she’d be swearing as well.

This is the kind of book I would have loved as a kid and am interested in continuing to follow the story. If I had children I’d definitely be buying the series for them. It’s cute and fun and I’d be happy to go straight back to the beginning and read it again.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

A single story in two colour printing this is a lovely beginner-reader series for 5 to 6 year olds which is hilarious and, just about, true to life. In this first story, troublesome twosome Nell and Freddie go on a school trip to a farm, where they pet the animals and learn about how they live, and Freddie smuggles a piglet out in his backpack. He thinks he’s saving it from becoming sausages. So Nell keeps it in her bedroom, gives it a bath and gets it involved in bringing a local crime wave to an end …

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Anxiety is Really Strange – Steve Haines

Anxiety is Really Strange. Is it ever! Yet it is also common, with 28.8% of people being seriously affected by an anxiety disorder at some point in their adult lives. Anxiety disorders include Generalised Anxiety Disorder, panic disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), social anxiety and other phobias, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

This graphic novel outlines some possible causes of anxiety, outlines philosophical ideas along with a really interesting experiment dealing with mouse poo (of all things), how the body reacts in anxiety mode and some tools for managing symptoms.

I went into this book thinking it would be a really good introduction to anxiety for someone who’s just been diagnosed and while I still think it will be useful for some people in this situation, there will be others who will be most likely wanting more advice on helpful tools rather than the thoughts of philosophers.

Now, I’m a proud nerd so I enjoyed all of the sciency, philosophical bits and pieces, and I’ve found some studies I’m interested in looking into further. People with a general interest in anxiety should get enough from this graphic novel to come away with a better understanding of the roles the mind and body play in exacerbating and easing anxiety. Hopefully Anxiety is Really Strange will make it into the hands of some friends and family members of those affected by anxiety and will result in greater empathy and better support systems.

Quote that made me chuckle:

“Anxiety is a good thing because psychopaths don’t have any.”

I loved Jon Ronson’s quote. My brain automatically made this into a bizarre TV commercial … “Got anxiety? Take heart. At least you’re not a psychopath!”

While books about anxiety are useful I believe there’s really no substitute for getting professional help. Anxiety can be extraordinarily daunting to deal with by yourself and a doctor and/or therapist who can provide much needed support and tools can make the world of difference to your quality of life.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Singing Dragon, an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

What is the difference between fear and excitement and how can you tell them apart? How do the mind and body make emotions? When can anxiety be good? This science-based graphic book addresses these questions and more, revealing just how strange anxiety is, but also how to unravel its mysteries and relieve its effects.

Understanding how anxiety is created by our nervous system trying to protect us, and how our fight-or-flight mechanisms can get stuck, can significantly lessen the fear experienced during anxiety attacks. In this guide, anxiety is explained in an easy-to-understand, engaging graphic format with tips and strategies to relieve its symptoms, and change the mind’s habits for a more positive outlook. 

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Building Amazing Creations – Sean Kenney

Even if you only have a passing interest in Lego, this is the book you need to see. If you adore Lego like I do, OH! MY! GOODNESS!

Sean Kenney and his team are some of the most creative and talented artists I have ever come across, and believe me when I tell you this book is full of art. These people have quite possibly the best jobs in the world. They get to design and build Lego people, animals and objects for a living. I don’t know what their application process is but please, sign me up!

This is the type of book I’d usually borrow from the library, ooh and aah while I paged through the incredible photography, choose a few favourites and then return officially unread. But not this book! Sean writes a little about each of the designs photographed in the book so you will find out really cool stuff you didn’t know you needed to know, like how many pieces went into building the model, how large it is and what it weighs, where it is or has been on display, and the stories behind the designs.

You see, the sculptures are only part of this story and in the context of Sean’s explanations, you will no longer simply see a photograph of a cool Lego robot. You will also likely know the robot’s backstory, its name, what is can do and perhaps what it does for a living, so if you weren’t already convinced that plenty of time and love went into building it just from the photo, you will be after knowing its story.

The attention to detail in all of the designs are spectacular, particularly in the accuracy of the buildings, and you’ll also come across some playful humour such as the man walking his pet shark along a New York street.

You don’t even have to have an interest in any of the topics covered in the book to appreciate it. For example, could I care any less about sport? I doubt it. Were the silhouettes of figures in typical baseball game poses among my favourite images in the book? You betcha!

Favourite New Word: Hoverdooder – what you add to a car, truck, school bus or any other vehicle after removing the wheels to make the vehicle a flying car, truck, school bus, etc.

Top 7 Favourite Designs (in no particular order): rubber duck, monarch butterfly, hummingbird, grandfather teaching his granddaughter to garden, green bicycle, fisherman, and the five foot tall corn spider that hangs from the ceiling.

Sean Kenney tried to do the corporate thing and worked in an office but thankfully his creative side broke free and took him on the path he’s on today, inspiring big and little people to unleash their creativity and follow their dreams. I have to find a way to see some of these sculptures outside of book land!

P.S. I love my library for introducing me to new book friends like this one. 💜

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

A behind-the-scenes exploration of a LEGO master’s body of work-for LEGO enthusiasts of all ages.

Kids love building with LEGO bricks, and so do “professional kids” like Sean Kenney. After twelve years writing code and designing websites for major corporations, Sean pursued his dream of making LEGO art. The New York Times calls his work the “artistic elite” of LEGO building. Today, Sean has four internationally touring exhibits of his work and is recognised as one of the premier LEGO builders in the world.

This large-format photographic book provides a fascinating in-depth look at a LEGO artist’s oeuvre. Chapters explore such subjects as transportation vehicles, animals, life-size work, science fiction, nature, cities, sports, portraits, and even home furnishings and custom apartments! A personalised LEGO compendium perfect for brick-building enthusiasts of all ages.

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Clifford’s Spring Clean-Up – Norman Bridwell

Clifford as a self help book? Allow me to explain.

I’ve had Clifford’s Spring Clean-Up waiting patiently to be read since well before Christmas and I have noticed an interesting phenomenon. Each time I pass by and glance at the cover my brain automatically wanders into ‘what can I clean/tidy/organise?’ territory. My Pavlovian ‘I watched a Hoarders episode’ response has been replicated and I’ve been on a dusting, reorganising and purging kick ever since. So, thank you, big red dog!

In Clifford’s Spring Clean-Up, Emily Elizabeth’s family (including Clifford) spend the day spring cleaning. First they work on their home and yard, where Clifford helps as only he can, with plenty of oops moments and the cutest expressions when things don’t quite go according to plan. Then Emily Elizabeth and Clifford help out her friends with their Earth Day Project before returning home so Clifford can clean his kennel.

As usual, Clifford is gorgeous, the story and illustrations are wonderful, and Emily Elizabeth’s parents are saintly as nothing Clifford accidentally destroys is a problem. They just get on with it and fix or clean up Clifford’s ‘helpful’ messes. Clifford books are always winners and this one’s no different! ❤️

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

In this all-new adventure, he’s hard at work getting the house clean. When Emily Elizabeth airs out some throw rugs, he grabs the living room carpet and gives it a good shake – in fact, he shakes it to pieces! What Clifford does best is help clear out the weeds for the vacant lot on Earth Day.

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Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist – Jess Keating

Illustrations – Marta Álvarez Miguéns

Shark Lady is the inspiring true story of Eugenie Clark, who I had never heard of but definitely need to learn more about. In this beautifully illustrated children’s book the reader is taken on a journey from when Eugenie first discovers her love of sharks at the aquarium through to her lifelong study of these magnificent animals, academically and in the field.

Defying the cultural expectations of her gender that said girls were not “smart enough to be scientists or brave enough to explore the oceans” (BOO!), Eugenie did both and became known as Shark Lady (WOOHOO!). Throughout her life some of the amazing things she accomplished included writing books and journal articles, discovering new species of fish and dispelling myths about sharks.

Included in this book are some Shark Bites (two pages of information about sharks) and a timeline of Eugenie’s life. Eugenie lived into her 90’s and spent her final birthday scuba diving! How cool is this lady?! 💜 Her story is inspirational and a testament to what hard work combined with believing in your dreams can amount to.

I remember needing to do a report to the class in early high school where you chose an animal and talked about its biology. I chose sharks and no one could understand why. Ever since Bruce nearly scared the life out of me while watching Jaws as a young child I’ve been fascinated by these extraordinary creatures, so I particularly loved Eugenie’s story.

Marta Álvarez Miguéns’ illustrations are so beautiful! I love that the marine life looks real, rather than a cartoon version of them and adored that the clothing worn by everyone at the aquarium when Eugenie was a child were appropriate for the early 1930’s, even including an array of fantastic hats. My favourite illustration is the one where the sharks watch from behind the library shelves as Eugenie studies. There are so many imaginative illustrations and they help bring the wonder and passion of this girl to life.

I’d recommend this book to children and adults alike. Future scientists will be encouraged by her story and I hope after reading this book that anyone with a dream will be inspired to follow it, regardless of what anyone else thinks. This is one of those marvellous books that makes me so proud to be a woman. GIRL POWER! 😃

P.S. I love that my library buys books like this one!!!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

At 9 years old, Eugenie Clark developed an unexpected passion for sharks after a visit to the Battery Park Aquarium in New York City. At the time, sharks were seen as mindless killing machines, but Eugenie knew better and set out to prove it. Despite many obstacles in her path, Eugenie was able to study the creatures she loved so much. From her many discoveries to the shark-related myths she dispelled, Eugenie’s wide scientific contributions led to the well-earned nickname “Shark Lady.”

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Keep Her Safe – Richard Parker

When Maggie discovers an intruder in her home late one night, she knows she has to do everything she can to protect her daughter, Penny. Maggie knows why the intruder is there because four nights ago Maggie was in the intruder’s position. Someone who calls themselves Babysitter is threatening single mothers and giving them until dawn to comply with their instructions or face never seeing their child again.

Facing the question of what lengths a mother would go to in order to protect their child pretty much opens the playing field, and as a result Keep Her Safe is an action packed book. It’s practically one action scene followed by another, with little respite in between. So why could I put it down?

Part of the reason was that because there was so much action there wasn’t a great deal of time spent on character development. After finishing the book I feel that while I know a few facts about Maggie and the intruder I don’t know them. There was never a point where I expended any emotional energy connecting to either of the women and so I found myself quite detached from the outcome.

Somewhat James Patterson-esque in that the chapters were very short and oftentimes ended on a mini-cliffhanger, I had expected to be faced with working out which of the two main characters I sided with, especially as there were chapters focusing on each point of view. However I would have been equally fine with either or both women dying and found that entirely unexpected. I found it difficult to distinguish between the characters’ voices because they all seemed to sound the same.

It felt to me that this book was made up of three sections and I had different thoughts during each:

  • Home Alone (or am I?) – This first section was brilliant. You don’t know what’s happening and you’re being fed various pieces of information/disinformation. You don’t know who’s telling the truth and it’s a fun adrenaline powered ride.
  • Hit the Road, Jack, A.K.A., Are we there yet? – Our cat and mouse game is on and I quickly found myself getting bored. While lots was happening, at the same time it felt like nothing was happening. It was during this time that I started hoping one or both of the women would get killed.
  • What the hell did I just read? – This one speaks for itself, but this is the part of the book where I wondered if perhaps the author had actually planned on writing two books and at the last minute smooshed the second half of one onto the first half of the other. It really felt like the first half didn’t gel with the second. Had the first half ended differently or the climax had belonged to a book with a different lead up I think either would have worked better. It was during this section that we learn that Babysitter is a fan of the madman monologue.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

How far would you go to protect your child?

Maggie’s daughter Penny is her whole world … and she’d do anything to protect her. So when Maggie wakes one night to find a strange woman in her home, she runs to lock herself in her bedroom with her child. But Maggie knows why she’s come … 

Someone has been targeting mothers and offering them a choice: do as he says or their child disappears. This stranger in her home has until dawn to follow his orders … but Maggie too has the ‘choice’ to make. Can she put the pieces together to stop the cycle before her time is up?

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Peach – Emma Glass

I hate giving a low rating to any book. I have such admiration for authors – for the blood, sweat and tears that go into writing a book in the first place, then having to navigate the publishing world and subjecting themselves to readers who can lift them up or tear them down with their words.

If you are interested in reading this book, please don’t just go by my review. There are a lot of 5 star reviews for this book as well, and who knows, maybe you’ll be adding one yourself after reading it. My review comes from a place of confusion and ‘this wasn’t the book for me’ rather than malice. I applaud the author for successfully navigating the publishing world and for the many positive reviews I’ve read.

Having said that … my brain hurts! Had I borrowed this book from the library instead of requesting an ARC I would not have finished it.

You know those books that hoity-toity book clubs rave about with their “literary masterpiece” this and their “author stunned with their use of [some big fancy word that the general population can neither spell nor use in a sentence]” that? You may listen to these people and smile and nod, but on the inside you’re thinking, ‘How did you get that from this book?’ and ‘I must be completely stupid. I have no idea what you’re going on about.’ I think that’s going to be the unfortunate fate of this book; a polarising “most exquisite piece of writing ever!” or “what the hell did I just read?!”

Reading like a stream of consciousness, Peach (the novella) opens with Peach (the person) having just been brutally sexually assaulted and follows her down the rabbit trail of its physical, emotional and psychological aftermath. I came away from Peach having very little grasp on which words were literal, fantasy, hallucination, nightmare or flashback – and I’m not sure I was supposed to. I can handle gruesome, triggery books, I understand the internal turmoil following sexual assault and revenge fantasies, but I. don’t. UndErsTand. This. book.

Which brings me to the writing style. There are so many one word sentences, some sentences start with a capital letter and others don’t, words have randomly capitalised letters scattered through them. I expect it was deliberate, intentionally messy and disjointed to reflect the emotional state of Peach and her internal dialogue, but I just found it messy. I understood what was happening (sometimes) but I couldn’t figure out if the author was going for prose, poetry, some combination or something else entirely.

There’s the use of food to describe people, including:

  • The rapist / stalker / maker of creepy hand delivered notes with words cut out of magazines, Lincoln, is sausage, pork, oily, greasy, slimy
  • Mr Custard, college biology teacher made of custard
  • Baby, Peach’s brother who remains unnamed is icing sugar, jelly.

Mam and Dad are overtly sexual, so much so that I found it as uncomfortable to read as I did the sexual assault. Speaking of Green, Peach’s boyfriend, the same evening of his daughter’s sexual assault –

“You make such a cute couple, and the sex sounds amazing, says Dad.”

Immediately following his daughter’s face flushing red with embarrassment,

“It’s okay, Peach. Sex is a good thing. Me and Mam do it all the time. We just did it now on the kitchen table. It’s human nature, Peach, don’t be embarrassed. Green is a lucky guy. Most girls won’t put out until they’re married. But not our Peach. and we’re proud of you.”

I’m sorry, what??? Then good ol’ Mam and Dad, along with boyfriend Green remain oblivious to what Peach is going through for the entire novella.

So, just two of my multitude of unanswered questions:

  • Why does Peach’s stomach continually grow larger and larger and larger?
  • What really happened in the end?

Colour me confused!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Circus, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Slip the pin through the skin. Start stitching.
It doesn’t sting. It does bleed. White thread turns red.
Red string. Going in. Going out. I pull. Tug. 
Tug the pin. In. Out. Out. Out. Blackout.

Something has happened to Peach. Blood runs down her legs and the scent of charred meat lingers on her flesh. It hurts to walk but she staggers home to parents that don’t seem to notice. They can’t keep their hands off each other and besides, they have a new infant, sweet and wobbly as a jelly baby. 

Peach must patch herself up alone so she can go to college and see her boyfriend, Green. But sleeping is hard when she is haunted by the gaping memory of a mouth, and working is hard when burning sausage fat fills her nostrils, and eating is impossible when her stomach is swollen tight as a drum. 

In this dazzling debut, Emma Glass articulates the unspeakable with breath-taking clarity and verve. Intensely physical, with rhythmic, visceral prose, Peach marks the arrival of a visionary new voice.

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Missing Molly – Natalie Barelli

When I first saw the cover for Missing Molly I wasn’t overly interested in the book as it’s fairly generic and doesn’t really capture your imagination. The blurb, however, really grabbed my attention and I had to read it.

Rachel Holloway works for a small struggling newspaper, the South Hackney Herald, and to try to generate some much needed interest and advertising dollars the team decide to embark upon a new venture – podcasting. Piggybacking off the idea of Serial, an extraordinarily popular investigative podcast, the Herald team decide to focus on a nearby unsolved true crime story.

They’re going to find Molly Forster, whose parents and older sister were murdered fifteen year ago when she was a child. Molly has been missing ever since. The problem is that Rachel Holloway is Molly Forster and there’s a good reason why she doesn’t want to be found.

While I was definitely interested in knowing what came next and I enjoyed the slow reveal of the information discovered during the investigation and its impact on the various characters, I don’t imagine it’s going to be one of those books that lingers in my mind, with me thinking about the characters weeks later. I didn’t particularly love or hate any of the characters and unfortunately I didn’t emotionally connect to any of them.

I was entertained and I liked the guessing game of whether Rachel really was Molly or if in fact she was psychotic, although I found myself searching for red herrings that I never found and didn’t get caught up in unexpected twists and turns like I’d hoped. There was one incident that initially surprised me but one I’d read it it made perfect sense and I was able to come up with the reasons behind this and who had done what quite easily.

Favourite quote:

“Memories, unpleasant ones, are like a scab. You hate them but you pick at them anyway”

Thank you so much to NetGalley, The Last Bureau and Pikko’s House for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Everyone has secrets, and Rachel Holloway is no exception. She’s worked hard to keep the past where it belongs: dead and buried. And so far, she’s been very successful. 

But now the small newspaper where she works wants to produce a podcast on a cold case: the disappearance twelve years ago of little Molly Forster.

Some secrets should never see the light of day, and as far as Rachel is concerned, whatever happened to little Molly is one of them. Rachel has a life now, a boyfriend she loves and a three-year-old daughter she adores, and she will do anything to protect them. 

But to do that, no one can ever know that she is Molly Forster.

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Wolfie & Fly #2: Band on the Run – Cary Fagan

Illustrations – Zoe Si

Renata Wolfman (AKA Wolfie) is an introvert loner nerd and I adored her! She doesn’t do extra classes like pottery or drama, and detests pink and dressing up, but loves reading about helicopters, alone time and her ‘uniform’ of a white t-shirt, overalls and sneakers. She’s snarky and spends a fair amount of her time (when she’s not involved in something she’s passionate about) underwhelmed.

Wolfie’s next-door neighbour Fly (a much better name than the one his parents gave him – Livingston Flott!) is quite the opposite of Wolfie. Fly is an extrovert, could talk under water and is a bundle of energy and enthusiasm. He also has a limited grasp on boundaries: Wolfie stands by the door telling him he can’t come in so he climbs in the window instead.

Wolfie’s parents are trying to encourage her to get more involved in activities including dance class, during which Wolfie’s ingenuity mixed with her stubborn to make me laugh. Later Fly drops by (through the window) and somehow manages to convince her to become the drummer in his Hokum Street Public School talent show entry.

I loved Wolfie’s character so much and I was really enjoying the story until the imagination sequence, during which the book lost me and I wandered somewhat aimlessly until the end. Wolfie and Fly: Band on the Run is the second book in the series and I confess that I haven’t read the first. Therefore, I may be missing something vital so please don’t let my review dissuade you from giving this series a chance.

On to the section that lost me. Wolfie tells Fly she’s not sure she has an imagination. Fast forward a couple of pages and the imagination sequence begins, and is so real to both kids that they’re shocked when they wind up back in Wolfie’s kitchen once it’s finished. Then there’s an element in the story later that implies the imagination sequence was reality.

Now, I have a lot more imagination than sense and I can suspend my disbelief for all things weird and wacky. However this sequence didn’t seem to fit well with the feel of the rest of the book. It felt off to me and while I was happily immersed from the first page, as soon as the imagination sequence began I found myself surfacing, reading words rather than experiencing an adventure.

I adored Zoe Si’s illustrations. They suited the story and the expressions of Wolfie and Fly worked perfectly given their descriptions. Wolfie’s surly, pouty grimaces were as on point as Fly’s energetic bubble of happy. My favourite illustration was the adorable stuffed toy audience patiently waiting for the performance to begin.

Favourite passage:

“Hurray! At last Wolfie had the house to herself. There was nothing she liked better than being alone. Now she could read her book in peace.”

Now that’s a girl I can relate to! 😃

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

A classic story of imagination, friendship, rock bands and high-speed helicopter chases. For fans of Ivy & Bean, Judy Moody or Nate the Great.

Everyone’s favourite odd couple is back. Our heroine, Renata Wolfman (Wolfie) does everything by herself. Friends just get in the way, and she only has time for facts and reading. But friendship finds her in the form of Livingston Flott (Fly), the slightly weird and wordy boy from next door. This time, Fly has convinced Wolfie to join him in his one-man band. Before they know it, they’re playing live onstage in front of a stadium of screaming fans. But these fans are about to get out of control – and Wolfie and Fly have to make a daring escape!

Even though Wolfie thinks she’d rather be at home reading by herself, playing the drums in a rock band is actually pretty fun. Maybe there is something to this friend thing.

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From the Heart of Africa: A Book of Wisdom – Eric Walters (compiler)

From the Heart of Africa: A Book of Wisdom comprises of aphorisms (sayings), where they originated and their meaning, every saying accompanied by an illustration. Each illustration is the work of an individual artist, all of which have brief bios at the end of the book.

The compiler of these sayings, Eric Walters, co-founded an organisation focused on the Mbooni District in Kenya called Creation of Hope. This organisation supports orphans and a portion of the proceeds of this book will be donated to assist with the childrens’ education.

My Compassion daughter lives in Kenya so I have a soft spot for the people of this country. What I particularly like about what I’ve learned about Creation of Hope is that while its co-founder is a Canadian man, it’s a Kenyan program run by Kenyan people.

I enjoyed the sayings in this book but wanted there to be so many more. There were only 15 sayings included, most I’d heard some variation of before but also a couple that were new to me. The meanings were fairly basic and easily understood.

For me this book was all about the illustrations, the majority of which were vibrant and absolutely stunning. My personal favourite illustration was by Eugenie Fernandes and depicts the saying,

“When in the middle of a river, do not insult the crocodile.”

I adored the detail of the animals and the gorgeous colours. I’m no art critic but I want a copy of this illustration and I definitely need to seek out more of this artist’s work.

My two favourite sayings in the book were

“Rain does not fall on one roof alone.”

and

“I pointed out to you the stars, but all you saw was the tip of my finger.”

Suitable for children and adults alike, this would make a beautiful addition to school and public libraries, and as a gift or coffee table book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

A collection of African wisdom gorgeously illustrated by artists from Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Canada, the United States and more.

Aphorisms are universal. They give guidance, context and instruction for life’s issues, and they help us understand each other and the world around us. We use them every day, yet never think about where they came from or why they exist. 

In this beautifully illustrated collection, Eric Walters brings us classic sayings from the places where this shared wisdom began. Ashanti, Sukuma, Akan and Kikuyu: all of these cultures use the portable and easily shared knowledge contained in aphorisms, and from these cultures and more this communal knowledge spread. 

This book is a celebration of art, of community and of our common history.

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