Atinuke (text) and Mouni Feddag (illustration), Africa: Amazing Africa, Country by Country, Walker Books Ltd., October 2019 80 pp., RRP $29.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781406376586
This colourful non-fiction guide to Africa will be accessible for kids from middle primary up and is full of fascinating ‘Did you know?’ facts. Did you know, for example, that the first human beings to walk the planet were African? That no one can agree on how many countries are in Africa but there are at least 55. And did you know that Africa is as big as Europe, the USA, Mexico, India and Japan put together?
Africa: Amazing Africa Country by Country is attractively laid out and is divided into five sections comprising Southern African, East Africa, West Africa, Central Africa and North Africa. Each section begins with a map of the region and within has a page dedicated to each country.
Feddag’s child-like illustrations provides an easy access point for kids and the variety of facts will appeal. For example, “On special occasions (and on bad hair days) in lots of African countries women wear elaborate and eye-catching headscarves” or “Caterpillars are a popular food in Burkina Faso”.
The book would be a useful reference for assignments or simply fun for kids to flick through.
Reviewed by Heather Gallagher
