Publisher's Synopsis
Stories...
Words woven together connect humanity throughout time and space. Before Once Upon a Time demonstrates how 6 fairy tales influence the course of a family for generations. Stories inspire, they heal us when we are wounded, give us strength when we feel weak, and they remind us... We were always there. We were there; not just telling the stories but as part of them... Jojo, a young African boy, hears these words from his dying mother as he holds a book full of captivating fairy tales. Stories he will read and remember all his life, as he passes them down from generation to generation. Using the tales of Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and so many others, Jojo's family is empowered to face the trials of life, knowing that they are strong and have a legacy of heroes and storytellers to lean on. The Secret to Jojo's fantastical book of fairy tales is that all the parts that have been left out and forgotten by history have been intricately woven together by a young boy named Ojwang. The challenges endured by the heroes and heroines in Ojwang's stories are ultimately overcome, a feat made possible by the love of family. This has led Ojwang toward his destiny: to save both the fairy tale world and the real world. As we allow our minds to open and our hearts to feel, we are compelled to not only consider the events of Once Upon a Time but also learn what came...BEFORE.
