Uniquely You!

Description

Through these pages filled with images illustrating the beauty, genius, and pride of the peoples of Africa, the author treats us to a text whose words enrich, support, and affirm the cultural identities of Black children. A true treasure, this book overflows with positive and motivating messages to show children the unlimited future ahead of them.

PRAISES

This book is a very useful educational resource for those interested in transnational and multicultural education. It offers a comprehensive, practical, and complementary pedagogical approach… It provides a unique intercultural perspective on the Black, African, and Diasporic Experience.

Dr. Mbare Ngom, Dean and Professor, Morgan State University

Young people are motivated and engaged in their learning when books and educational contents reflect their identities. This book, written by an African for African youth, incorporates cultural elements from the continent, celebrates the diversity of African identities, and encourages children to explore and discover the richness of Africa. It is highly recommended for parents, teachers, and anyone interested in promoting the love of reading, thinking, and raising awareness among young Africans about their cultures. Poetic, rhythmic, and sometimes even philosophical, the book is beautifully illustrated and promotes a positive and inspiring vision of African identities and cultures.

Agnès Ndiaye Tounkara, Former Program Officer – French Heritage Language Program

Uniquely You is an entertaining and unique ABC book. It is perfect for children who have already mastered letter recognition and are ready for a fun challenge. While younger children can admire the pictures and receive a digestible summary of the text, older children can read the entire text celebrating the unique character of the African child and the African diaspora.

John Neubauer, World Language Coordinator, Baltimore City Public Schools

What do we expect from a children’s book? That it is attractive and speaks to children in an accessible language. This one succeeds by combining letters, shapes, colors, and messages written in simple language, encouraging young learners to become aware of the values to defend—for themselves and for this continent that continues to reinvent itself every day, between tradition and modernity. The enthusiasm emanating from the faces offers a different reading of Africa often presented as a space of desolation.

Mariam Drabo Fofana, French Teacher, Baltimore

AUTHOR’S NOTE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION

What a remarkable achievement! I’ve done it! And I’ve done it without compromising the essence of the original text.

If you’re reading Uniquely You after exploring its French counterpart, Regards sans complexe, and you’re trying to match up the two editions, you may have noticed some discrepancies. And you’re absolutely right. You might have observed that “C comme Conviction” in the French edition doesn’t directly correspond to “C is for Child” in English, or “E comme Enfant” in French doesn’t become “E for Elite” in English; “F comme Femme” doesn’t turn into “F is for Fabric Wax”; “G comme Gotha Noir” isn’t “G is for Grit”; and “W comme Wax” isn’t “W is for Woman.” These seeming “inconsistencies” are actually deliberate adjustments made to preserve the integrity and poetic essence of the text.

Despite these intentional differences in word choices—only affecting five words out of 26—I’ve managed to maintain the entirety of the poetic message. The end result? A harmonious alignment of content between the French and English versions, solely for the pleasure of our readers.

In this book, words heal, soothe, and strengthen. Indeed, there are twenty-six words to affirm the identity and uniqueness of African children and the Black diaspora, twenty-six ways to glorify them, twenty-six reasons to cherish them, twenty-six words to disrupt stereotypes, twenty-six manners to anchor their imagination around symbolic landmarks to boost them. It is, therefore, an ABC book of motivation and affirmation to celebrate the singularity of the African child and the Black diaspora, cultivating in them a mindset of growth, creativity, and innovation. Each word idealizes their cultural and existential values at a time in history when members of the Black and minority community are prejudiced and marginalized.

Ultimately, it is a philosophical and ideological book that advocates a progressive and optimistic worldview, challenging readers to recognize the existence of other realities and perspectives. Thus, it allows African children and those of the diaspora to rediscover, reinforce, and validate their cultural skills in a non-stereotyped and authentic way, and non-Africans to develop intercultural skills enabling them to build an objective and positive identity of others. It reveals aspects of a spiritual and intellectual journey. Informed readers will have no difficulty tracing the influence of Afrocentric ideas and epistemologies of the South, including Black African standpoints.

In conclusion, this ABC book is a cultural and pedagogical reference to be read and exploited, especially in educational contexts seeking a plurality of voices and cultural diversity in educational materials

Dr. Bertrand Tchoumi

05/21/2024