A children’s book which shares the perspective of kids about the future has been outdoored.
The book, Garden City, makes children a part of the conversation about the future.
It tells the story of Ama Tricie, a black girl determined to change the world one idea at a time.
After a series of ups and downs, Ama realizes that all she needed to do is to believe in herself and everything else will fall in place.
The author, Nelly Sarpong born in Germany but grew up in Ghana said Garden City was inspired by the city she grew up in, Kumasi.
Ms Sarpong said she noticed Kumasi which is acclaimed for its beautiful greenery has gradually become less and less green.
“The trees are being replaced by majestic buildings and I knew I had to do something about it but I did not know what to do so I turned my concerns and ideas into a storybook,” she said.
Also, she said during her formative years in Germany, she rarely, if ever, saw books with a black protagonist.
“All the covers of the books I owned had children on the covers who did not look like me. I decided if ever I had the chance to write a book, I would make the protagonist a girl who was black. A black girl who had a voice, a strong black girl who could make a difference, an intelligent black girl who was seen not just because she was beautiful, smart and strong but because she also deserved to be the hero of her own story,” Ms Sarpong said.
Ms Sarpong said 50 per cent of all profits from the sale of Garden city will go to Health and Education for Afram Plains Children and Youth(HEAPCY) an NGO in Ghana dedicated to improving the health and education of children and youth in the Afram Plains district.
Further information on the book can be accessed via
https://nellysarbooks.de/
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri