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A is for Africa

by Michael Samulak; Illustrated by Sswaga Sendiba

34 pages; Saddle stitched; catalogue #08-0195; ISBN 1-4251-7115-X; US$16.99, C$16.99, EUR11.61, £8.77

A depiction of the English Alphabet set to authentic native African illustrations. The "batik" style of paintings convey to the reader the people, animals, culture and sites of Africa.

About the Book

A is for Africa is a fresh depiction of the English Alphabet set to authentic native African illustrations. This early childhood read-a-long is written in a playful rhyme that promises to keep the attention of parent and child alike. The book uses the African "batik" style of paintings to illustrate in a truly unique way. Over thirty individual pieces of art are used to bring this manuscript to life. The unique blend of colors, lines, and space brought out by this special technique of illustration is noticeably rare among other books. Together with the text, they beautifully convey to the reader the people, animals, culture and amazing sites that embody the continent of Africa.

About the Author

The author currently resides in the city of Cleveland, Ohio with his wife and son. Michael obtained his bachelors in Elementary Education from Michigan State University ('96) and is currently working on his masters in Education at Cleveland State University. He has been working as a full-time youth minister and educator for over 10 years and writes children's books as a pastime. On a trip to Uganda Africa in 2006, Michael got the inspiration for this book and was fortunate enough to meet a local artist who helped to make that inspiration a reality.

The illustrator currently resides in Uganda, Africa. His artwork often depicts the beautiful and diverse flora and fauna of the continent as well as the distinct characteristics of the native people and culture. Sswanga has been illustrating for over 10 years, specializing in the unique "batik" style of painting used in this book. Each painting undergoes a special treatment of wax, as in this case, that helps accentuate and bring out desired colors and highlights. After the pieces are air dried, another layer of paint and wax are applied. This process continues until the desired picture is obtained. The results speak for themselves.

Excerpts