Blog Archives
The World is Their Oyster
Looking for Unicorns on Safari follows a mom and her two children who go on a safari adventure through Africa and her daughter spends the trip looking all over for a real-life unicorn. What was the inspiration for your story?
Very simple, the inspiration is quite simple, I went on safari with my kids in beautiful Kenya. My daughter loves unicorns and of course, we were discussing our favorite animals and looking for them – including unicorns. I love how kids live in their own version of reality and everything seems possible. The world is their oyster. I noticed in the museums and books stores that there was a limited selection of children’s books, so I wanted to write one and add some Swahili, to hopefully make the book more attractive to visiting foreigners like us, but also to locals.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
All families have their own little nicknames and stories, I want to encourage children and parents to embrace their stories and discover the world from their own perpsective, and enjoy the wonder they discover.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
I like the scene with the line ‘I see the grand gazelle with their bow ties and dow eyes’. This is my daughter’s favorite animal from the safari – besides unicorns of course.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I have a story I am working on focusing on the fun and silly interactions between young children. There is a lot of humor in these ones. I think it will be available later this year.
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Safari
Safari: Poetry by Angela Khristin Brown is a collection of more than a dozen poems that focus on both the historic and modern struggles of Black people–from slavery to Civil Rights and the terrible circumstances that Black communities continue to face today.
I liked the poems that included historical facts. My favorite poem was the one titled Black Power that recalled a number of milestones in the Civil Rights movement. There were a few names mentioned that I was not familiar with, and I was interested to research further to learn more beyond what was relayed in the poems.
I enjoyed reading the poems in the book that had inspiring and encouraging messages about persevering against adversity and having pride in oneself (including A Rose and Brown Skin Girls). Other poems took a much harder view of the subject matter, relating how far the situation still falls short of an ideal world.
The author used a variety of different styles in the poems. Many of the poems included slang or texting abbreviations which made them more relateable to a younger audience. However, it might be confusing for some readers to fully grasp the author’s meaning. And there were issues with typos in several of the poems. I really enjoyed this thought-provoking collection and recommend it for readers who enjoy poetry with a powerful meaning.
LITERARY TITAN 