• Age: 6 to 9
• Grade: 1 to 4

A collection of African wisdom gorgeously illustrated by artists from Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Canada, the United States and more.

Aphorisms are universal. They give guidance, context and instruction for life's issues, and they help us understand each other and the world around us. We use them every day, yet never think about where they came from or why they exist.

In this beautifully illustrated collection, Eric Walters brings us classic sayings from the places where this shared wisdom began. Ashanti, Sukuma, Akan and Kikuyu: all of these cultures use the portable and easily shared knowledge contained in aphorisms, and from these cultures and more this communal knowledge spread.

This book is a celebration of art, of community and of our common history.

Eric Walters is the author of many acclaimed and bestselling novels for children and young adults. His novels have won numerous awards, including the Silver Birch, Blue Heron, Red Maple, Snow Willow, Ruth Schwartz, and Tiny Torgi, and have received honours from the Canadian Library Association Book Awards and UNESCO's international award for Literature in Service of Tolerance.

Eric lives in Mississauga with his wife, Anita, and three children, Christina, Nicholas, and Julia. When not writing or touring across the country speaking to school groups, Eric spends time playing or watching soccer and basketball, or playing the saxophone.

To find out more about Eric and his novels, or to arrange for him to speak at your school, visit his website at www.ericwalters.net.

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Eric Walters' profile page

One of Canadian Children's Book Centre’s Favourite Books of the Year 2018

PRAISE FOR From the Heart of Africa:

"This beautifully illustrated book of wisdom serves as a good introduction to maxims and also acts against the many prevalent negative stereotypes of African cultures and people—lovely and illuminating." --STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews
"In this attractive picture book for older readers, Walters unites 15 aphorisms from a range of African cultures… This unique collection works both as a gift book and a handy model for classroom projects." --Booklist
"4/4… While Walters has offered his interpretation of the aphorisms’ meanings, readers will undoubtedly want to proffer their own… its contents obviously speak to a much wider audience, including adults. Highly Recommended.” --CM Magazine

"Colourful and bold typography with extremely minimal text—some of the aphorisms are only three words long—will instantly appeal to young and reluctant readers." --Quill & Quire