Afo and I

MY THOUGHTS

How do we help our children to talk about how they feel when things around them change? We adults love to rant and gripe about it. But how do children measure change? Against what they know and understand, is one way. 

Afo and I is one of those sublime, quietly convincing children’s books that should be made available to every child. Author and illustrator Canato Jimo (Snip, Asamo Is that You) recently won the Mehlli Gobhai award and it made me revisit this book. In the book, Vinoka feels that everything he has known and grown up with is changing. He is running home from school to catch his sister, Afo before she leaves for the city. He wishes she didn’t because he will miss everything they do together.

It is a simple story but the illustrations leave you with a punch to the gut. This is a book not just about change in a boy’s life but also looks at changing climate change and migration. This book represents children and families in the North East and we see families being torn apart because of these issues. Vinoka is hurrying home through a short cut and we see him running through a forest with huge trees on one side and tree stumps on the other. He is filled with thoughts on what the city would be like. One of my favourite spreads is Afo walking through the hill where you see old paths rooted as well as spreading on both sides with a tiny JCB truck at the far end.

This may be a level 2 Pratham Book, but it is one of the most powerful books you could have in your library. Whether you are trying to talk to your children about migration, climate change, or even a recent upheaval that seems to be worrying them, this book will help you do that. 

Buy this powerful book here (use coupon code PBMOR10)