Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah

Reviewed by: Shannon Schinagl - Maine State Library, Augusta, Central Maine Library District

Review Date: August 11, 2015

Review

"Emmanuel's Dream" is the true story of a boy born with only one strong leg. His mother tells him he can do anything, and after a frustrating life of a disabled person in Ghana, he rides a bike across the entire country. He continues to advocate for the rights of disabled persons.

The writing clearly explains that Emmanuel has a disability and describes his difficulties in life. But at no point does the author pity Emmanuel. This is not a sob story. However, children will clearly understand that a boy overcame a true hardship in a country that was not understanding.

At the back of the book, the author includes a note briefly outlining Yeboah's life after the end of the book; primarily, his work on behalf of disabled persons in Ghana.

The illustrations are mixed media and quite stark. They do not provide much of a sense of place. However, the illustrations do put the focus on Emmanuel, and perhaps that was the illustrator's intent. Still, I would have liked to see the country of Ghana emphasized a bit more. The illustrations do complement the text. Some of the text, without visual cues, might have been hard for children to envision.

I think this book will be enjoyed by parents/caregivers, children and teachers alike. At it's most general, it's the wonderful story of a likable protagonist overcoming obstacles. However, it's also a wonderful book when talking about or teaching about disabilities, particularly because there is no sentimentality in the book. Finally, it would be an excellent book to share when learning about Africa. While it highlights that Ghana was behind both socially and governmentally in terms of supporting the rights of disabled persons, it also shows the power of one person to institute change.

This would be a lovely book to pair with "Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees" by Franck Prevot.

Overall Book Score: very good