A book from Africa

My Daughter got a package in the mail today. It had traveled all the way from South Africa, where my mom is living right now. I knew she had sent the book - my mom had written about how much she fell in love with it during a book reading by the South African author, Bettina Schouw, and how she just had to get it for her granddaughter (who is bilingual and thus can understand a book written in English). She even got it signed by the author for my Daughter (who was very impressed... realizing that "author" is actually something you can dream to be and they are real people...).

It's an amazing book. The book, Dreamwalking, is about the importance of dreams - having them, nuture and pursue them, finding your own special star and following it - "dreamwalking". It was inspired by Mark Shuttleworth, who aspired to be the first African to travel in space.

We're read it twice tonight and talked about dreams and what the people in the fantastically illustrated book dreamed about. "Are you a dreamer mom", my Daughter asked me and I really liked the dicussion we had after that. And I kept on thinking about my own dreams, dreams I've had and dreams I have...

Quotes from the book:

"Dreams are like birds and birds must fly, their wings were made to soar the sky.
And dreams ignored or shut away, soon wither and fade in the light of day".

"But dreamers are blessed with their own special star, that guides them to places, both near and far.
And suddenly magic from out of the blue, will show you the next thing that you need to do".

Unfortunately it's not (yet...) on Amazon.com (or Amazon.co.uk). Her website lists a couple of South African online stores that sells it, but weather they would ship outside SA is not clear. I really wouldn't mind getting a couple of copies to give as gifts to friends... and get their and their kids heads spinning about dreams...

Check out Bettina Schouw's website for more pictures from the book and the "10 useful tips for dreames".