YOUR PASSPORT TO SOUTH AFRICA
By Dr. Artika Tyner
In promoting literacy, I applaud Dr. Tyner for all the work she has done for the children and the community. Included in her body of work is broadening perspectives; after all, the U.S. is not the only game in town. She has published several “passport” books for children, her latest being Your Passport to South Africa.
Your Passport to South Africa is multifaceted. In Chapter One, the young reader is given a welcome, with a map of the country, facts about it, and references to its diversity.
Chapter Two gives us a history, dating back to the indigenous people of 20,000 years ago, fossils 2,000,000 years old, go colonization, the apartheid policy, the country’s fight for freedom and such notables as Nelson Mandela.
Chapter Three provides us with places to see and explore, including historical landmarks, around South Africa.
Chapter Four gives us a look into the culture and customs of day-to-day life, including the arts and music.
Chapter Five covers national holidays and celebrations such as Freedom Day (December 16) and Nelson Mandela Day (July 18).
Sports and recreation comprise Chapter Six, which includes favorites like soccer and kgati.
She doesn’t stop there. Fun facts are included throughout the book. Photographs of the events, places, and people add to it, as does a glossary of terms at the end. This book also includes words used in the official languages of South Africa, such as Zulu, Xhosa, and Afrikaans. There is even a recipe for brown pudding, a favorite dessert of the country.
Indeed, I enjoy Tyner’s way of teaching while giving us insight into another country’s culture and history, thus broadening our horizons.
Your Passport to South Africa is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Capstone Press, and the Planting People Growing Justice website (www.ppgjli.com),
Thank you, Artika, for providing us with an education many of us never received when we were growing up and giving our children exposure to other cultures. You are appreciated.
W.D. Foster-Graham
W.D. Foster-Graham is a native son of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received a B.A. in psychology from Luther College, and he was an original member of the multi-Grammy-Award-winning ensemble, Sounds of Blackness. He has also been recognized by the International Society of Poets as one of its “Best New Poets of 2003,” is a guest writer for journalist/author/entertainer Wyatt O’Brian Evans.
