TITLE: A LETTER TO MY GIRL CHILD
AUTHOR: REBECCA SHOMEFUN
GENRE: MOTIVATIONAL
NO. OF PAGES: 54
YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2020
ISBN: 978-978-985-705-0
PUBLISHER: AUTHORPEDIA PUBLISHERS
REVIEWER: EUGENE YAKUBU
There’s been a lot of developmental engagement with the girl-child in the turn of the first decade of the 21st century. When Hilary Clinton said “when women participate in the economy, everyone benefits”, she has seen a vision that in no distant time, women will be the backbone of not just the economy but of the world, the society, the family. There’s no denying that the girl-child has been the victim of society, patriarchy, misogyny and discrimination but with the voice of powerful women speaking for the advancement of the girl-child like Michelle Obama, Hilary Clinton, Kamala Harris, things are finally taking shape and being favorable to the gender. With the publication of A Letter to My Girl Child, Rebecca Shomefun has invested her voice into this worthwhile course.
Even though this book is formulaic and not different from what you’d find from motivational channels on YouTube and how-to audios, A Letter to my Girl Child is loaded with lot of emotions that it feels like the author is in front of you speaking. While the former might come off as generalized and thus hard to situate yourself in the bigger picture, the latter find space for an individualized time with the author.
In this book, Shomefun brings the girl-child to feel at home with herself in a world where everything is fighting to overwhelm her. The author schools the girl child on the virtue of survival as a woman in very simple and relatable language. There are also motivational quotes from famous and established women in their careers as if to remind the girl child about their philosophies of success as women and to tell them that if they could do it, so also will the girl child some day. The book brings to fore the concept of “self-love” and how to conjure inner strength and personal power, mentorship and personal growth.
Shomefun takes the girl child through all the conflicts she might face as a woman while growing up, she brings out ways those conflicts can be handled, how to make decisions and overcome setbacks.
She advises that “decisions are very vital as the overall effect shows on the individual either positively or negatively”. Then she uses Michelle Obama’s quote to compliment her advice. Thus, readers of this book are offered lessons on self-worth from different worldviews.
The chapter on “Get Education and Acquire Skills” is as crucial as it is important. To Shomefun, skills should be used to complement education because it will help you to open the door of fortune. A Letter to My Girl Child even though it contains advise that are repeated too-often that is almost a rehash, recycled, Shomefun offers them in totally new ways with loads of emotions so that the reader this time sits to reflect about herself, the world and living life as a woman.
Overall, this book is a commendable effort and a must-read for every girl child and woman.
Thank you for this beautiful review of the book; A LETTER TO MY GIRL CHILD