German Calendar No December - by Sylvia Ofili (Hardcover)

About the Book

A coming of age tale following Olivia, a dreamer whose search for more takes her from a boarding school in Lagos to her mother's homeland of Germany.

Book 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.

Review Quotes

As the oldest daughter of a German mother and Nigerian father in a small Nigerian town where everybody knows everybody, Olivia has valued books as windows to a life beyond. While anticipating boarding school in big-city Lagos, Olivia dreams of "all kinds of adventures," Enid Blyton-style, filled with games, picnics, perhaps even a mystery to solve. What she endures instead is senseless abuse at the whim of upperclasswomen, until one scorching afternoon, she refuses further punishment, inspiring her fellow students to revolt. After graduation, Olivia "can't wait to get the hell out," choosing university in her mother's birthplace of Hamburg. While she was oyinbo (white European) in Nigeria, she's suddenly Black in Germany and the object of intrusive scrutiny. A part-time bakery job provides a welcoming haven, more so when the diverse staff starts sharing secrets. Artist Weyhe presents Nigerian Hungarian Ofili's debut in a palette of greens and rusty browns, as if ironically invoking earthy tones to underscore Olivia's own unsettled journeys. As Olivia readies herself to "move on" and find her own cause, the vast world awaits.

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.

Ofili's debut teaches readers that moving forward is the only option.Olivia Evezi wants to find her place in a world where she never wholly belongs. In her home of Warri, Nigeria, her white German immigrant mother is referred to as "Oyinbo," and Olivia dislikes the way it marks them as different. Sent to boarding school in Lagos, she is immediately othered and treated poorly because of her mixed heritage. Her fantasies of jolly adventures are quickly dashed by the realities of oppression and hazing. Hoping to put that mistreatment behind her, she finds her way to Hamburg, Germany, to attend university. Her arrival is less than pleasant after being questioned by a customs agent and embarrassing herself on an escalator. And she quickly learns that while in Nigeria she wasn't black enough, in Germany she isn't white enough. Among her multiethnic co-workers at a bakery she finds a family and a purpose, but it isn't enough to shield her from harsh realities. Illustrations of birds interspersed throughout the story represent Olivia's need to escape the familiar and seek what the rest of the world has to offer. Weyhe (Arbeit, 2018, etc.) infuses West African-style figures and art executed in simple lines with an orange, brown, and green color palette. Her expressive faces pair well with the honest, straightforward text, bringing to life the journey of a young woman seeking acceptance and belonging.A worthy coming-of-age story about resilience. (Graphic fiction. 13-adult)