Children’s Book Review: Readers’ Theatre Twelve Plays For Young People

Title: Readers’ Theatre Twelve Plays For Young People Author: Mabel Segun Publisher: Mabelline Publications Number of pages: 191 Type of Book: Fiction, African Age: 8+ Available at Terrakulture Victoria Island, Lagos Price: N 800   MY SUMMARY First off, this book was a joint winner of the NLNG prize for Children’s Literature in 2007. It is a book of 12 plays for readers aged 8 – 15. The first 8 plays are based on popular folktales about talking drums, birds and tortoises. Each play has a moral lesson or two to be learnt without being didactic. The last 4 are based on Nigerian history, heroes and heroines such as King Jaja of Opobo, Queen Moremi, and the Egungun Festival of Yoruba land. This book is fun and easy to read. I recommend this for reluctant readers and children who love drama/acting. THUMBS UP AND DOWN UP: The book is divided into 5 parts. The first 3 parts are guidelines on how to act each play, complete with detailed information on costumes, props, scene changes, tone of voice and facial expressions, etc. These make it very easy for kids to act the plays. DOWN: None! RATING 3.5 Stars TRIVIA 1. Which Igbo boy rose from the rank of slave to Head of a popular House in the Niger Delta and finally a King in Opobo? King Jaja of Opobo 2. Did Tortoise become pregnant after eating a pot of soup that was meant for his wife? Find out in The Pot of Medicine 3. The theme ‘Every day for the thief and one day for the owner’ was evident in which story? Tortoise and the Groundnut seller 4. What became of the girl who was swallowed by a talking drum? Find out in The Swallowing Drum 5. Which are more important, the eyes or the legs? Find out Akin’s choice in Akin, the Blind and Lame Man. 6. Which popular festival in Yoruba land started as a celebration of a mother and later became a commemoration of the ancestors? The Egungun Festival.   Visit Mabel Segun and the book here   Next book of the week: The Missing Clock by Mai Nasara