German Calendar No December - Hardcover

Ofili, Sylvia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1911115618 ISBN 13: 9781911115618

Publisher: Cassava Republic Press, 2019

Synopsis

Olivia Evezi's childhood is a happy one; her days spent listening to highlife records with her father and poring over the colourful postcards her mother receives from Germany. But Olivia is a dreamer and longs for more, leaving her hometown of Warri behind to live out her Enid Blyton fantasies in boarding school in Lagos. Instead of adventure and lacrosse, however, she is met with punishments, endless chores and hazing rituals, as she struggles to overcome the terror and disdain of the seniors. Olivia's restlessness takes her to Germany, her mother's homeland, where she is thrown into a hidden world of workers and migrants; a world of constant vigilance, where a piece of paper can hold the key to survival.

About this title

About the Authors

Sylvia Ofili is a writer and teacher currently based in Stockholm. She was born in Lagos, Nigeria of Nigerian/Hungarian parents and her writing has appeared in the Guardian Nigeria and Brittle Paper. She is also known as "The Waffarian" and has been writing on her blog for over ten years. German Calendar No December is her first full length graphic novel.

Birgit Weyhe is a comic book artist. Born in Munich, she spent her childhood in East Africa before moving back to Germany to study. Her work has been exhibited in numerous European countries and her comics have been published in a wide range of international magazines and anthologies. In 2016, her graphic novel Madgermanes won the Max-und-Moritz-Prize for best German Comic. She has lectured at various international workshops on behalf of the Goethe Insitut and currently teaches at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences.

Reviews

Gr 10 Up—Olivia, who lives in a small town in Nigeria, can't wait to have adventures at her new boarding school in Lagos. She imagines that life will be like an Enid Blyton novel: playing games, having picnics, and solving crimes. But it's nothing like she expected. Her classmates are cruel, and there are endless chores. Upon graduating, Olivia goes to her mother's home country, Germany, where she meets new friends, gains new perspectives on the world, and ponders her identity. She is called oyinbo (white) in Nigeria, where her father is from, and black in Germany. Olivia's group of immigrant friends help her transition to her new world and find purpose. Ultimately, it is up to Olivia to decide where she belongs. Weyhe's striking orange, green, and black illustrations complement the story. African iconography is used in Olivia's early life to convey strong emotions and show how she is viewing the world around her. VERDICT A coming-of-age tale for readers of realistic fiction graphic novels or graphic memoirs in the vein of Persepolis. Perfect for high school and adult graphic novel collections.—Ashley Leffel, Griffin Middle School, Frisco, TX

Edition details

• Publisher: Cassava Republic Press
• Publication date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1911115618
• ISBN 13: 9781911115618
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Weyhe Birgit
• Number of pages: 192