Name: African Girl and Boy and Traditional African Costumes Paper Dolls
Illustrated By: Yuko Green
Published By and When: Dover Publications, Inc., 1997 and 1999, respectively.
Sizes: The books measure 9-1/4 x 11-1/4. The African girl and boy paper dolls are 6 inches tall including the top of the stands. In the Traditional African Costumes book, the woman is 8-1/2 inches and the man is 9 inches tall.
Description: There are two paper dolls in each book located on the gatefold of the back cover. The African Girl and Boy Paper Dolls are Simba and Neema. The book includes 32 costumes plus accessories. In addition to others, Simba’s costumes depict the apparel of a Swazi warrior, a Zulu dancer of South Africa, a Masai warrior from Kenya, a Zimbabwe dancer dressed for Independence Day celebration, and a Senegal village sorcerer. Neema’s costumes include an Ndebele woman of Zimbabwe, a Bantu girl, a Herero woman of Botswana, a Samboru woman of Kenya, and others.
The Traditional African Costumes Paper Dolls include brilliantly colored robes displaying geometrical designs on kente cloth worn by an Ashanti woman and man from Ghana; costumes for an Itsekiri woman of Nigeria and her child, an agbada gown for a Yoruba man, animal skins for a Luo warrior from Kenya, simply draped robes and striped shawls for a Masai man and woman, and accessories for each. There are 29 costumes and a map of Africa on the inside back flap.
Other: As indicated on the inside cover of the African Girl and Boy Paper Dolls,“Tribal dress is an important factor in understanding African culture.” Further, the inside cover of the Traditional African Costumes Paper Dolls affirms, “Historically, the tribal unit was the major demographic division of Africa, and it has retained its importance today, often transcending national borders. Nearly 3,000 different tribes can be found on the continent, each with its own traditional culture and dress.”
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