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I read
Adunni Dares To Dream, in exchange for review from Write Now Literary Book Tours. The book was written by Taiwo I. Ajao and illustrated by Dr. Ajao. The book is the story of Dr. Ethel A. Adeloye.
Write Now Literary is pleased to announce Adunni Dares to Dream by Taiwo I Ajao, Virtual Book Tour, June 5-30, 2017.
Genre:
Historical Fiction, Kids, Youth
Author/Illustrator Bio
The Dr. Ajaos are a husband-wife, doctor-nurse team who have a joint passion for health
literacy, preventative healthcare, and education for at-risk groups in the Global setting.
Mrs. Taiwo I. Ajao, the Author, is a Registered Nurse with a Master’s in Public Health in Maternal and Child Health,while Dr. ‘Wale Ajao, the Illustrator, is an internationally-trained medical doctor with a Master's of Arts in Communications & Producing for Film and Video.
Together, The Dr. Ajaos intend to address health literacy via it’s most fundamental forms: using the arts of writing, entertainment, and communication to educate children and their parents. Adunni Dares to Dream is the beginning of a beautiful merger of not just a celebration of educational achievement, but also of Faith, Hope, Love and Miracles.
About the Book
Adunni Dares to Dream is the true tale of a poor African girl who just wanted to go to school.
Although she was a part of a very hardworking family, Adunni just could not have the finer things in life, like school, books, & literacy. In her culture, girls were just expected to look pretty, get married and have children. But Adunni wished for something more.
As Adunni dares to dream , she inspires many others to dream too, including a handsome young
man who couldn't stop dreaming about her! So Adunni has choices to make. Does she give in to her
society's expectations? Does she chose the status quo? What are Adunni's dreams and where do her
dreams take her?
Excerpt
Whenever Adunni brought up the idea of school, somehow Mama found a way to end it. Despite
the fact that she was illiterate, Mama was sharp, hardworking and very resourceful with money. Mama
had married young, as was common in the culture, and she started to bear children as a teenager.
It was unfortunate, however, that she experienced the loss of many of those children during childbirth. Only Adunni and her sister had survived, and Adunni wondered often about what she could have done to save those who hadn't made it.
Adunni was tearful as she remembered how her mother had nearly died last year during childbirth. Was every girl expected to get married and have children, even if it killed her? Adunni didn’t want to be like other girls: she wanted to be great.
Adunni believed that to be great,she must be smart and be able to read, and learn great things.
My Review:
First, the book is set in Africa. The book does not mention a specific country or region until chapter 4 (Nigeria). The book is also Christian-based.
The book starts with Adunni upset because her friend was able to go to school but she could not. In her country, parents had to pay for primary school. Adunni had to help her mother take care of her sister too so school wasn't a top option. She also had to help with the farm and sell goods at the market.
Adunni wanted more out of life than marriage and having children. She saw her friends attend school each day in town and wanted to join them. I was elated when I read later on in the book about how her mother saved up for Adunni to go to school. Adunni used her education to read the bible to her family. The family continued to work to raise funds for secondary school for Adunni.
The book was a quick read for me. It was beautifully illustrated by Dr. Ajao. The book had its share of disappointments and sadness. I liked how Adunni wanted to focus on her education first, similar to how I was when I was younger. I messed up in college and it took years to finally go back and earn my degrees. I applaud Adunni for her dedication and efforts. The book was a good book over all.
Finally, the book has a glossary at the end with African terms used throughout the book.
Links: