Review: Alishba The Great

Alishba The Great could be a tale touted as moral-driven and whilst helpful notions of self-belief and esteem feature on every page, this picture book by Faeza Samnakay and Sam B, is in fact a delightful and colourful ode to finding one's inner strength and siblings.

Alishba hails from a land of antelopes, elephants and passionfruit vines. From the first glowing illustrations depicting Mt Kilimanjaro, we might deduce it to be Tanzania. She is as vibrant as the colours shown to depict her, bold, bouncy and well educated. As she grows, we learn about four precious gifts her family bestows upon her. I personally think her most obvious gift is her nurturing family but more about that later ...

From each of her parents and brothers, Alishba receives a cape, each a different colour, a tangible, solid reference to the aphorism that accompanies it: Care, Courage, Determination and Flair. 

Her relations take great pains to explain what each truism means for her and any future she forges with them. They give Alishba great assurance and peace but she yearns to forward these gifts to someone else. When her wishes come true in the form of a new baby sister, Alishba feels a greatness of spirit that extends into the years to come.

Superficially, Alishba's capes enabled strong self-esteem and reinforced positive qualities of self-awareness and identity. This colour confident metaphor works however because readers are visually shown the result in Alishba's character and behaviours. 

There is no mistaking the relationship between the colour, capes and adages thanks to definitive, colour dense illustrations, each contained on their own spread and accompanied by like-coloured paisley patterned anchors. It's audacious and energetic, just like Alishba! Preciously what is needed for greatness at times. 

Alishba The Great is a vivacious experience embracing self-belief, colours, cultural connections and family that will garner delight among early primary readers. 

Title: Alishba The Great
Author: Faeza Samnakay
Illustrator: Sam B
Publisher: Woodsland Press, $27.99
Publication Date: 1 June 2026
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781923350113
For ages: 3 - 7
Type: Picture Book

Buy the Book:  Woodslane Press


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