After the prologue defines proverbs ("It has been said that a proverb is a short sentence based on long experience"), readers are invited to dwell in figurative language that captures wisdom spanning time and place. Each two-page spread is framed by four proverbs, allowing readers to pick the one they feel best represents the illustration. Making such a decision will not be easy, as nuances in the language and images support all four options. Proverbs from across Africa caution, advise, and guide: "To one who does not know, a small garden is a forest." "A single bracelet does not jingle." Given the interactive format of the book, one cannot rush past the illustrations--vibrant collages filled with texture and details--which depict scenes from human life, as well as the lives of flora and fauna. Back matter includes a map and the countries from which the proverbs hail. As the title states, this interactive, multilayered, gorgeously illustrated book of wisdom is for all ages, and it demands repeated reading.

This lushly illustrated collection of African proverbs proposes a game of sorts. Each of LaTeef's strikingly detailed collage illustrations on acrylic backgrounds comes with four proverbs taken from cultures in Africa: can readers guess which proverb inspired the illustration? African animals, women carrying water, baobab trees, and distinctive architecture form rich visual subjects, while the proverbs offer wisdom such as "Restless feet may walk into a snake pit" and "A single bracelet does not jingle." An answer key at book's end shows the "correct" selection in bold (while acknowledging "proverbs and art are always open to interpretation and conversation!") and annotates the proverbs' countries of origin, which readers can locate on the included map. (c) Copyright 2023. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.