Review of Inspirations from Africa
Posted: 07 Oct 2024, 04:35
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Inspirations from Africa" by Mollen Rinomhota.]
Poems are special works of art, and when inspired by African heritage, they surely become even more interesting pieces, don't they? Inspirations From Africa by Mollen Rinomhota is a poetry book designed to remind African children of their roots, just as the author references in the quote by Marcus Garvey: A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree with no roots. The book is filled with poems structured to help readers learn, reflect, and recall the beautiful African culture, discussing significant topics that revive African traditions. The poems truly yield inspiration forged from African soil, especially from the Shona people of Zimbabwe.
The author, being from Zimbabwe, has visited various regions of Africa and hopes to bring this inspiration to readers, especially children. This book serves as a starting point on that journey. It consists of 14 poems, including "The Big Five"—which highlights Africa's most famous predators (the elephant, the lion, the leopard, the rhino, and the buffalo); "The Courtyard"—a place central to African culture where fathers and sons gather to pass on traditions through tales; "The Clay Pot"—a poem reminiscent of African kitchen culture; and "Mosi oa Tunya"—the magnificent Victoria Falls. Other poems, such as African Beauty, reflect on the inner qualities that define African beauty, such as kindness, hard work, and resilience. The poems are catchy, well-structured, and filled with African heritage. Words like "Ubuntu," "Bira," and "DzimbaDzemabwe" are used to engage readers and make them reflect on their African roots, as the book is designed primarily for an African audience.
What I like most about this book is the thought put into it. This is a work with good intentions, and the words of the poems are truly inspiring, which is another endearing aspect of the book. The writing is exceptional, making it easy to connect with the author—impressive, especially considering the target audience is children. The book contains educational African concepts that should make any reader, especially children, reflect on their African roots. I loved The Clay Pot poem the most; it reminded me of the early days when my granddad told me fables related to it. The inclusion of fascinating African pictures was also thoughtful and well done.
However, I did have some dislikes. I understand that this is a starting point and the target audience is children, but given the title of the book, I found it disappointingly shallow in its exploration of African culture. At times, it feels more like general poetic inspiration rather than being rooted specifically in African heritage. Furthermore, when something is designed to be African, it should remain true to that identity. In the Superwoman poem section, the inclusion of a picture of a non-African woman with children doesn't suit the book well. An African mother in an African community would have been a better representation. Similarly, the image of a non-African on the summit of a mountain felt out of place. Little details can take so much away from a book, and this might be no different.
Regarding errors, I found only a minor one, which I thoroughly checked and confirmed to be an error. However, I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be a stylistic choice. This shows that the book is duly professionally edited. Great job! I loved the writing style so much, too.
With everything said, I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, based on my likes and dislikes outlined above. Does it seem harsh? Well, my rating is structured fairly around what I feel the book aims to achieve based on its content and title, and my dislike was tempting enough to deduct a star. This gives the author room to do even more in future books. Inspirations From Africa is a soothing, educational, funtastic, artistic, and reflective book that I recommend to everyone, not just children. I would say it's more suited for those with African roots, as it is designed to reconnect readers with their origins and heritage, especially if they have been forgotten.
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Inspirations from Africa
View: on Bookshelves
Poems are special works of art, and when inspired by African heritage, they surely become even more interesting pieces, don't they? Inspirations From Africa by Mollen Rinomhota is a poetry book designed to remind African children of their roots, just as the author references in the quote by Marcus Garvey: A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree with no roots. The book is filled with poems structured to help readers learn, reflect, and recall the beautiful African culture, discussing significant topics that revive African traditions. The poems truly yield inspiration forged from African soil, especially from the Shona people of Zimbabwe.
The author, being from Zimbabwe, has visited various regions of Africa and hopes to bring this inspiration to readers, especially children. This book serves as a starting point on that journey. It consists of 14 poems, including "The Big Five"—which highlights Africa's most famous predators (the elephant, the lion, the leopard, the rhino, and the buffalo); "The Courtyard"—a place central to African culture where fathers and sons gather to pass on traditions through tales; "The Clay Pot"—a poem reminiscent of African kitchen culture; and "Mosi oa Tunya"—the magnificent Victoria Falls. Other poems, such as African Beauty, reflect on the inner qualities that define African beauty, such as kindness, hard work, and resilience. The poems are catchy, well-structured, and filled with African heritage. Words like "Ubuntu," "Bira," and "DzimbaDzemabwe" are used to engage readers and make them reflect on their African roots, as the book is designed primarily for an African audience.
What I like most about this book is the thought put into it. This is a work with good intentions, and the words of the poems are truly inspiring, which is another endearing aspect of the book. The writing is exceptional, making it easy to connect with the author—impressive, especially considering the target audience is children. The book contains educational African concepts that should make any reader, especially children, reflect on their African roots. I loved The Clay Pot poem the most; it reminded me of the early days when my granddad told me fables related to it. The inclusion of fascinating African pictures was also thoughtful and well done.
However, I did have some dislikes. I understand that this is a starting point and the target audience is children, but given the title of the book, I found it disappointingly shallow in its exploration of African culture. At times, it feels more like general poetic inspiration rather than being rooted specifically in African heritage. Furthermore, when something is designed to be African, it should remain true to that identity. In the Superwoman poem section, the inclusion of a picture of a non-African woman with children doesn't suit the book well. An African mother in an African community would have been a better representation. Similarly, the image of a non-African on the summit of a mountain felt out of place. Little details can take so much away from a book, and this might be no different.
Regarding errors, I found only a minor one, which I thoroughly checked and confirmed to be an error. However, I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be a stylistic choice. This shows that the book is duly professionally edited. Great job! I loved the writing style so much, too.
With everything said, I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, based on my likes and dislikes outlined above. Does it seem harsh? Well, my rating is structured fairly around what I feel the book aims to achieve based on its content and title, and my dislike was tempting enough to deduct a star. This gives the author room to do even more in future books. Inspirations From Africa is a soothing, educational, funtastic, artistic, and reflective book that I recommend to everyone, not just children. I would say it's more suited for those with African roots, as it is designed to reconnect readers with their origins and heritage, especially if they have been forgotten.
******
Inspirations from Africa
View: on Bookshelves
