Can A Princess Be A Firefighter? by Carole P Roman and Illustrated by Mateya Arkova

Review by Shwetha H S

Title: Can A Princess Be A Firefighter?
Author: Carole P Roman
Illustrator: Mateya Arkova
ISBN: 9781530361847
Imprint: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Genre: Children’s Book, Picture Book

Carole P Roman is a children’s book author. You would have read my reviews of many of her books. She writes simple books on complex yet important topics that children need to know while growing up. Can A Princess Be A Firefighter? is one such book, but is different too.

All girls are princesses to their parents. If not in adult life, at least while growing up. Parents tend to be more careful with their daughters than with their sons. So much so that parents also try to influence their daughters’ career choices, telling them to choose safer and easier options. In this book, Carole tells the girls that they can be anything, even choose a career as a firefighter, which is considered to be one of the dangerous jobs.

The book is in a semi-poetical form. It is a conversation between a parent and two daughters, about how girls don’t have to play princesses, but can play whatever profession they want from their imagination. The conversation goes beyond play. When the daughters ask whether they have to stop being or playing princesses to be something else, the parent takes the opportunity to tell them they can be whatever they want, they can even change their mind later and it is totally okay to do that. The parent also tells them that whatever they choose to be, they will always be the princesses in their hearts and the parents’ too.

Although the content is great, the illustrations are not the usual Carole-Mateya combo. The illustrations do not live up to the expectations, especially for someone like me, who has already fed so much on their other books. Nevertheless, this is a great book to build self-confidence in young girls. Don’t miss it.

The Muse’s Fables: The Fondom of Ufasino Collection by Rachel Nkyete Nyambi

Review by Shwetha H S

We all are aware of Aesop’s Fables, which the famous ones in their genre. Rachel Nkyete Nyambi presents the Muse’s Fables, which are set in sub-Saharan Africa. True to the nature of fables, each one in this anthology will teach not only children but also adults how to live and let live. This collection of Muse’s Fables has nine stories.

You will meet Nkoh the bully, a disobedient Khola the Antelope, Prince Nyamekye and Pendo, a jealous Zuli, Nduru the squirrel and Mboma the snake, the Princess Bride Kagiso and simple Balondemu, Enam who comes to Baka, Kiburi who wants marry Prince Chinua, and friends turned lovers Chidi and Kianga. Apart from the fables, the best part of this book is the glossary at the end; this truly gives a glimpse into the culture of African countries. As an added bonus, you get to read a few poems from Rachel’s upcoming poetry collection.

Fables are meant to teach you lessons of life and the Muse’s Fables don’t fail in serving their purpose. One can read them to revive their childhood or read them to children. Either way, fables are welcome to our lives at any phase.