Book Review of Christmas Arrives at Lajwahe
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The Children’s Book Review
Christmas Arrives at Lajwahe
Written by Flora Trebi-Ollennu
Illustrated by Ljupka Stojkova
Ages: 8-12 | Pages: 72
Publisher: Amerley Treb Books | ISBN: 978-1-894718-27-1
What to Expect: Christmas, Africa, African Culture, Ghana
Christmas isn’t always a picture of snow, Christmas trees, and turkey dinners (or whatever your particular holiday tradition might be). In Ghana, Christmas looks very different. The sun shines brightly, and the air is hot and dry. Families celebrate with boiled rice and stewed chicken. Yet, some things are wonderfully, magically the same: families still dress in their nicest clothes, gather to sing carols and share food, and exchange gifts, stories, and memories. Whether you live in the East or the West, Christmas is a special celebration of faith, love, and family that brings everyone together.
Christmas Arrives at Lajwahe is a unique exploration of Ghanian culture as it relates to the well-known festivities of Christmas. Bright, vibrant illustrations show how Christmas can look in this part of Africa and how different it is to the images familiar to Western children, but the text itself, written in rhyming prose, underscores shared values and traditions. At the end of the volume, recipes, craft projects, musical scores, Bible verses, and discussion questions invite readers to join in the celebrations, while appendices offer a wealth of information about Christianity, Christmas, Ghanian culture, and Ghanian Christmas traditions.
Reflecting the multilingual nature of the book, every line of text is offered in both English and Ga, inviting readers to grapple with and enjoy the unique flavor of Ghanaian language through translation.
Christmas Arrives at Lajwahe is a distinctive book that provides readers with an interesting take on a well-known holiday.
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About the Author
Flora Trebi Ollennu is both a fiction and non-fiction writer. Her children’s titles include Sunbeamy series, Crackling Cans series, Shogologo Babies, My Daily Walk series, and 28 Days of Homowo. Her adult titles include Unquenchable Fire Unequivocal Call and The Tourist’s Story- As She Saw It. And she has not resisted publishing articles in both academic and literary journals. Flora Trebi-Ollennu holds a BSc (Hons) Planning from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, and a Masters in Geography from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
A Christian, she is fascinated with how the story of the Cross is transforming cultures for the good of humanity. The fascinating eloquence of good books and how they impact people and nations, giving them hope for the future, never ceases to amaze her. Flora Trebi-Ollennu lives in Beaumont, Alberta, with her family of four adult children.
About the Illustrator
Ljupka Stojkova is an emerging extraordinary illustrator. Stojkova majored in Interior design. However, she found herself advancing towards illustration and graphic design. Currently, she lives in Kochani, North Macedonia, where she works on her illustration projects.
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1 Comment
Based on the brief outlined it seems grown-ups may enjoy this book aswell. Ever wondered what a folklore reads like? this is a Global celebration cook in an Afrikan pot, and the venue La’jwahe is a perfect setting. I suspect most readers may wrestle with the name Lajwahe, which is the high-Park for the Natives of La’. Telling a Christmas story from a traditional viewpoint is a great idea, and thought the premise of the story line was brilliant,folks from the Countryside may enjoy it most. Naa-Amerley Flora, you are a true gift to the people of La’. Nii Tawiah Koney.