It’s #WorldBookDay!
The power of a good book can not be overestimated. You can be transported to faraway lands, learn about fascinating new topics, or see your own thoughts and feelings reflected in the pages. Beautiful pictures, poetic prose, and smooth pages grab the attention of young and old, and bring joy to readers all over the world. This World Book Day, we thought we’d show you the impact of books in two of our programmes, and give you some recommendations of our favourite books relating to Ghana!
In our EducATE programme:
In Feburary 2019, two fantastic ATE volunteers revamped the library at Karbo Primary School! The space is a calm, serene, and purposeful library, where classes regularly come for special lessons. Hub Manager Prosper sees the effect it’s having on students at his weekly monitoring visits – “the library has impacted the students a lot – it has really improved their reading and learning ability.” It’s also a peaceful place for Prosper to complete his weekly attendance monitoring (below), where he is often joined by students looking for books to read.
In our SNAP Programme:
Books are often used in our Special Needs Awareness Programme (SNAP), both in our monthly meetings and our Play Scheme – and they always go down a treat! The pictures grip all of our SNAP members, from the youngest children to the grandmothers who join also. The bright and exciting illustrations take our SNAP members on adventures, where they see new worlds and come across different creatures. Often our SNAP members are inspired by the beautiful pictures, and draw their favourite pictures from the pages (see below left). All of our SNAP members can share the joy of books.
We thought we’d share a few of our favourite books:
Children’s books
- The Ghanaian Goldilocks by Dr Tamara Pizzoli – A Ghanaian retelling of the classic fairytale set in Accra, Ghana!
- F is for Fufu by Dr Tamara Pizzoli – An Alphabet Book based on the Ghanaian Goldilocks – great for children to learn more about Ghana!
- A Day in the Life of Benjamin: A School Child in Lawra, Ghana – Our own book based on the live of a child living in Lawra! Beautifully illustrated.
- My Happy Book by Kathy Knowles – A book celebrating everyday life in Ghana and helps readers identify different things that make them happy
- Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke – Atinuke’s story about a baby exploring the sights and sounds of a bustling African market is beautiful, vibrant and colourful
For adult readers
- Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi – A beautiful novel following the paths of two sisters and their descendants, weaving it’s way through eight generations, spanning three hundred years in Ghana. Rich in history, culture and human spirit – a great book to learn about the incredible country.
- Hold by Michael Donkor – “Moving between Ghana and London, Hold is an intimate coming-of-age novel. It’s a story of friendship and family, shame and forgiveness; of learning what we should cling to, and when we need to let go.”
- Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi – “A stunning novel, spanning generations and continents, Ghana Must Go is a tale of family drama and forgiveness, for fans of Zadie Smith and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.”
- Our Sister Killjoy- Ama Aidoo – “A profound version of the theme of self discovery, this novel explores the thoughts and experiences of a Ghanaian girl on her travels in Europe.”
- Search Sweet Country – Kojo Laing – “Through the stories of an unforgettable cast of characters, Kojo Laing’s dazzling novel creates a portrait of a place caught between colonialism and freedom, eternity and the present”
- Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen by Zoe Adjonyoh – An amazing cookbook showcasing the best Ghanaian dishes in a simple but delicious way. Try Zoe’s Jollof rice – you won’t regret it!
- Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi – A brand new novel, just released, “Transcendent Kingdom is a searing story story of love, loss and redemption, and the myriad ways we try to rebuild our lives from the rubble of our collective pasts.”
Happy reading!