From the Heart of Africa: A Book of Wisdom

Summary: A collection of African wisdom gorgeously illustrated by artists from Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Canada, the United States and more.
Aphorisms are universal. They give guidance, context and instruction for life’s issues, and they help us understand each other and the world around us. We use them every day, yet never think about where they came from or why they exist.
In this beautifully illustrated collection, Eric Walters brings us classic sayings from the places where this shared wisdom began. Ashanti, Sukuma, Akan and Kikuyu: all of these cultures use the portable and easily shared knowledge contained in aphorisms, and from these cultures and more this communal knowledge spread.
This book is a celebration of art, of community and of our common history.

My Thoughts:
From the Heart of Africa: A Book of Wisdom is a compilation of fifteen different aphorisms/proverbs compiled by Eric Walters. Each proverb includes its origin, meaning, and a vivid gorgeous artwork.
I was pleased that some of the proverbs were familiar to me while others were new. One of my favorites is “Many hands make light work” because it’s one that I discuss with my children often about teamwork and how important it is. The artwork is amazing and we enjoyed reading about the different artists in the back of the book. The note from Eric Walters along with the Foreword introduces why aphorisms are so important and why we use them. Readers will also learn about Creation of Hope, an organization founded by Eric Walters that helps orphans in Kenya. A portion of the proceeds from the purchase of this book is donated to the orphans of Creation of Hope which helps pay for their education.
This is a wonderful book to have on the shelf and It’s ideal for classrooms and libraries. Both educational and thought-provoking, this is truly a perfect book for children and adults of all ages. I was fortunate to win this on a giveaway and feel so lucky to have this delightful book full of knowledge to share with my children.
5*****

“With great pleasure, I offer my endorsement of this book which shares the eternal wisdom of the peoples of Africa. Read, enjoy, share and remember: we are all one people.” – Kivutha Kibwana, Governor, Makueni County, Kenya

- Age Range: 6 – 9 years
- Grade Level: 1 – 4
- Hardcover: 40 pages
- Publisher: Tundra Books (January 2, 2018)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1770497196
- ISBN-13: 978-1770497191
About the Author/Compiler

Eric was born in Toronto in 1957, which makes him “real old”. But, as Eric says, “Just because I have to grow old doesn’t mean that I have to grow up!” In his many roles as parent, teacher, social worker, youth sports coach and writer he is in constant contact with children and young adults. He draws from these experiences and feels that this helps him to capture the realistic interaction between young people – the conflicts, tensions, stresses and interests that make up their lives.
Eric began his writing as a teacher. He taught in classes from kindergarten up and his stories often reflect the curriculum that he was teaching. He always read stories – picture books and novels – to his students and this helped him to understand what children liked, responded to, and were inspired by. He enjoys the enthusiasm of his students and often looks at them to provide him with the inspiration to pursue a particular topic in both the classroom and in his writing.
Eric tries to write every day. When he has a story idea he starts with research. This could involve reading books, watching a documentary, or trying to experience the things that his characters are going to go through. This could include rock climbing or riding white water (for STARS), spending time in a wheelchair (Rebound), playing and walking with tigers (Tiger By The Tail), hanging around a tough biker bar (Diamonds in the Rough), standing out in his backyard in a blizzard wearing a T-shirt and shorts (Trapped In Ice), or traveling to Africa (Alexandria of Africa).
“The most important thing anybody ever told me about writing was to write what you know . . . and the only way to get to know things is to do your homework and research before you write,” Eric stated.
Once the writing begins the story is always playing around in his head. He takes any opportunity, even if it’s just a few minutes between presentations, to put things down, either with pen and paper or on his laptop.
Prior to entering teaching and writing Eric was a social worker (B.S.W., M.S.W., B.A.Hons – specialized major psychology). He worked in a variety of settings including child welfare, private practice, a mental health centre, and, for twenty years on a part-time basis as a Crisis Social Worker in an emergency department. He stopped teaching 4 years ago and left the ER only last year.
The majority of Eric’s time is spent in the company of his wife, children and dogs (Lola a big standard poodle and a little white dog named Winnie The Poodle). – Goodreads
Find Eric Walters at:
Website | Goodreads | Amazon
https://creationofhope.com
This sounds great–I love proverbs/aphorisms and their history. The art looks beautiful too. Thanks for mentioning it.
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It’s truly wonderful! The artwork is stunning and it’s just a great book to have. I hope you get to check it out eventually. Take care. ❤
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What a wonderful book! We’ve drifted too far from our own folksiness, unfortunately. It’s good to learn/relearn from those who still know it.
I’ve met people from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, etc. They’ve all been very nice and I heard the wisdom in their voice and words.
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Thanks for sharing that, David. I totally agree! ❤
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Looks like a beautiful book! The illustrations look gorgeous.
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They really are, Vanessa! The art fits perfectly with the proverbs. ❤
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You are so right! I can tell the imagery in this book is fantastic. The colors alone are so vibrant! I like a book that explores the origins of common phrases. I didn’t even know the correct term for it until this so thank you for that! Great share and great review! 🙂
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Thanks, Nel! The artwork is stunning and I loved learning the origin to some of these aphorisms that were familiar. I appreciate your thoughts! ❤ 🙂
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HI Mischenko! I found your blog from goodreads. This is a lovely blog and I enjoy your reviews. I’ll be trying to follow you from now on.
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Hi Sharon! Thanks so much for checking out the blog. I appreciate it so much! ❤ I look forward to chatting with you! 😁
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I think this book will make a great addition to any classroom, especially as it introduces the African culture in both writing and art!
Lovely review! Thank you, Mischenko!
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Thank you, Patricia. I totally agree! Great for classrooms and any age really. We loved it. Hope all is well! ❤💜❤
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Wonderful review! I’m going to add this one for sure. I really liked the authors thought “Just because I have to grow old doesn’t mean I have to grow up!” Oh so true! 😁💕
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That is so true! Haha. I hope you enjoy it! 😁💜
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Wow, looks like a gorgeous and wonderful book. 🙂 That artwork is fantastic!
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I thought so too. I hope you get to check it out. Thank you! 💜
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This looks like an amazing book for a school library. I love learning about proverbs and the art work looks amazing. Thanks for sharing this one Jenn.
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Thanks for checking it out, Carla. The artwork is really neat and it’s nice learning about the artists in the back of the book. Great for all ages too. I hope you get to check it out. 💜
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I like that they added the information about the artists, that always makes it even better.
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For sure! I agree. ❤
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After reading your review and seeing the accompanying pictures, I just had to get this book for friends of mine who are missionaries to Chad. They love all things Africa and I’m sure they’ll love this book. Can’t wait to see them on Sunday! I looked through it as soon as it arrived and it’s as beautiful as you said. Thanks so much!
ASIDE: Did you hear that, Amazon? I read a review by Mischenko and purchased the book from your site.😡
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