From the Heart of Africa: A Book of Wisdom is a short picture book that includes some sayings/proverbs/aphorisms from people groups on the African continent. As the foreword notes, since aphorisms are universal, the ones found in one region are often similar to those found in other parts of the world, but each is a unique attempt to distill life experience into a short proverb that can communicate wisdom.

Each of the fifteen sayings are illustrated by different artists -- most of whom are from African countries or Canada. The variety of styles and color schemes helps illustrate the diversity of oral cultures that these traditional sayings originate from. Each one also includes a general source (at least to the extent that this can be known), and a brief explanation of the saying.

I like how some of these sayings are familiar ("Many hands make light work"), while others seem more unique ("I pointed out to you the stars, but all you saw was the tip of my finger"). There is also a good mix of proverbs that celebrate community, along with others that encourage independence and creativity. 

(Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.)

Scrounged From: NetGalley

Format: Kindle
Author: Eric Walters
Illustrators: Many! Each illustrator is identified with a brief bio at the end of the book.
Pages: 38
Content Advisory: None

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While the name "Sarah Josepha Hale" did ring a bell to me when I picked up Sarah Gives Thanks: How Thanksgiving Became a National Holiday, I couldn't have told you much of anything about her. After reading this book, I have a newfound appreciation for this intelligent, enterprising woman and her contributions to our country's development -- beyond just Thanksgiving.

Oftentimes our "first Thanksgiving" stories revolve around the narrative of that first harvest festival celebrated by the Jamestown settlers and Wampanoag tribe. But this biography of Hale focuses on her quest to have Thanksgiving declared a national holiday. While it was a tradition in the early 1800s, it was only celebrated in some regions, and even then on different days. Sarah Hale wrote to every president for decades until finally Abraham Lincoln agreed with her in the midst of the Civil War.

As important as this aspect of the story is, I was even more intrigued by Hale's determination to attain an education (in a round-about way) in the days when women did not go to college. I was also inspired by her marriage and subsequent industrious widowhood, as well as her obvious ability to bring people together through reading, writing, and publishing (which included encouraging women to be more concerned about their minds than their wardrobes). 

Scrounged From: Our local library

Format: Hardcover
Author: Mike Allegra
Illustrator: David Gardner
Pages: 32
Content Advisory: None

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Ten Cents a Pound is a short, poetic, back-and-forth conversation between a mother and daughter, portraying their bond and love for each other. The mother gently encourages her daughter to dream, to learn, and to leave the village to attend school, while the daughter highlights the hard work her mother does and thus her reluctance to leave her.

The book simultaneously draws attention to the difficulties of living with low wages, while optimistically looking forward to the opportunities and possibilities of the future due to education.

The lovely illustrations are both realistic and wistful, and while this story may require some additional explanations for young children, it paints a beautiful picture of determination and potential. 

(Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced review copy.)

Scrounged From: NetGalley

Format: Kindle
Author: Nhung N. Tran-Davies
Illustrator: Josée Bisaillon
Pages: 24
Content Advisory: None

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Dolphin Adventure is a short chapter book about a true experience Wayne Grover had while scuba diving. Two dolphin parents surprise him by bringing their baby to him with a hook stuck in its back, in hopes that he can help it. 

We get to experience Wayne's response and his thoughts during the process, the parents' anxiety, and the baby's fear, as well as an interruption by sharks! 

I found this to be an inspiring story that encourages compassion for animals, as well as giving us some very neat glimpses of dolphin behavior. If you enjoy this one, there is a sequel called Dolphin Treasure (though the dolphins don't feature as prominently there as they do in this one).

Scrounged From: HomeschoolClassifieds.com (Sonlight Core A)

Format: Paperback
Author: Wayne Grover
Illustrator: Jim Fowler
Pages: 80
Content Advisory: The baby dolphin's wound is described in order to detail how the hook is removed.

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The Elephant Keeper is a very thorough picture book with beautiful illustrations of Zambian landscapes, people, and of course elephants. This book is based on a true story about a boy named Aaron who finds an orphaned elephant struggling for its life in the pool of his workplace one morning. After rescuing it, he becomes invested in what happens to it, but also has to wrestle with his own fears as he has been taught that elephants are very dangerous creatures.

This book constructs a detailed narrative that follows Aaron to an elephant orphanage where he continues to observe and care for baby Zambezi (named after the river). The story is interspersed with occasional informational sections with photos and facts about elephants and their environments, as well as the organizations and systems in place to help orphaned elephants. 

There is a lot of information here, and this is an element of conservation I did not know much about, so I appreciate the opportunity to read this story and especially to get a glimpse into the daily lives of these "elephant keepers."

(Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.)

Scrounged From: NetGalley

Format: Kindle
Author: Margriet Ruurs
Illustrator: Pedro Covo
Pages: 48
Content Advisory: An injured elephant that comes to the orphanage dies, but the subject is handled gently.

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