Ori: T hat’s what friends are for

Ori: That’s what friends are for

A tale of gossip and friendship

It was the day before Yemoja’s Festival of the Five Moons, the last day of rehearsals for The Children of the Stars. Ori the head of the band had over heard her fellow band members gossiping about her. Broken hearted, Ori would rather be alone, their words had left her cold. Will this rehearsals ever take hold.

Reviews

I thought the book was beautifully illustrated, imaginative and captivating. Well done!

Aronka N.

Children of the Stars is an exceptional book for today’s youth, delivering a powerful message about the importance of friendship and respect. The way names and identities are represented is truly inspiring, highlighted through uplifting
affirmations throughout the text.
Additionally, I appreciate how the book encourages children to engage and express their creativity in the final pages.
One point of critique I would like to mention is the frequent use of the word “but” at the beginning of the book, in the first few pages. However, I look forward to exploring more titles in this collection.

Jo.

It’s a great book about gossip and friendship problems for kids. I enjoyed reading it. My favourite character is Ọrí because after what she was faced with, she managed to forgive which is a great characteristic that should be taught to young kids.

Nell, 11

I appreciate the moral of the story and the fact that children are learning about Oriṣa “deities” and their attributes as they are enjoying a story they could refer to. I also love the fact that there is a quiz and colouring pages at the end!

Yolenn, Nell's mother

It’s a delightful tale of diving in and out of one’s imagination to escape into a personal fantasy world as a means of selfprotection. Ori feels alone, and this could stem from many reasons. Yet, knowing she’s a star who can shine brightly on her own, she remains capable of achieving her goals and forgiving
swiftly to move forward. A beautiful tale of confidence and resilience. The illustrations are truly stunning and I would definitely recommend this.

Caroline J

One word for this book; FANTASTIC!

After having a hard time deciding on what to get my sweet niece and nephew who all came home (Nigeria) with their parents for the christmas holiday, i came across this book. And oh, i would say this was absolutely the best choice of gifts. I wouldn’t trade the excitement and joy on their faces as we all read this indigenous book together for anything (i don’t think i even got such when i got them way more expensive toys, lol).

It was suchan interesting read. It also has a Q & A to test the kids comprehension and a a bonus colouring activity after that to engage the kids.

I would totally recommend this book to not just any Nigerian or African child, but every child out there as it comes with a lot of real life relatable lessons. Personally, i’m so impressed myself
that i have decided to order a dozen more copies for my other nieces, nephews and friend’s kids. I miss those good old days of folk tales, i used to be worried that our kids these days would
never have that feel good experience, hence i’m grateful to this author for helping us bring back this unique part of our culture.

I would rate this book 10/10. When can we have more series please?

Dr. Patricia A. Ajibade

Children of the Stars is a collection of children’s books, written by Femi Odufunade, and
illustrated by Balarabe Abdulmalik