APRIL’S THEME: Ordinary Kids Doing Ordinary, and at times, Extraordinary Things.
We are off to Africa again! Our return to the continent will keep the kids engaged and learning about different African countries while they are home. This month we are exploring Ivory Coast (Côte D’Ivoire), Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. We have lots of great content on our social media channels so stay tuned in!
I have probably said it before but I’ll say it again, some of my favorite children’s books are those that showcase kids from other countries and cultures just being regular kids! Books that show them going on fun adventures, being mischievous, and hanging with their friends and family. I believe that these are the stories that children can fully relate to. While stories about heroism and history are important for a number of reasons, children tend to connect with kids from other cultures when they are portrayed as kids doing kid stuff! From my experience, those are the stories that resonate.
Three of our four selections fit the bill, while the last is the story of a regular girl who goes on an EPIC adventure. These selections are fun and engaging and I am looking forward to the kiddos getting their hands on their boxes. While you wait, check out these fun stories from the African continent showcasing regular kids being…. regular!
Sign up for our April Box today so you don’t miss out on these fun stories!
-Bunmi Emenanjo
Sleep Well, Siba and Saba by Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl, Sandra van Doorn (Illustrator)
Forgetful sisters Siba and Saba are always losing something. Sandals, slippers, sweaters—you name it, they lose it. When the two sisters fall asleep each night, they dream about the things they have lost that day. Until, one night, their dreams begin to reveal something entirely unexpected… With playful illustrations and a lullaby-like rhythm, this heart-warming story set in Uganda is truly one to be treasured. (Lantana Publishing)
Welcome Home, Anna Hibiscus! by Atinuke
The award-winning Anna Hibiscus chapter book series continues! Follow along with Anna as she navigates her family life and fun adventures. (EDC Publishing)
A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest by J. A. Myhre, Jennifer Myhre
Journey through Africa with ten-year-old Mu and where one simple encounter leads to a hair-raising and life-changing quest. This first story in J. A. Myhre’s new kids’ adventure fiction series blends magical realism, page-turning action, and subtle gospel themes. (New Growth Press)
Aya: Life in Yop City by Marguerite Abouet
Ivory Coast, 1978. It’s a golden time, and the nation, too-an oasis of affluence and stability in West Africa-seems fueled by something wondrous. Aya is loosely based upon Marguerite Abouet’s youth in Yop City. It is the story of the studious and clear-sighted nineteen-year-old Aya, her easygoing friends Adjoua and Bintou, and their meddling relatives and neighbors. It’s a wryly funny, breezy account of the simple pleasures and private troubles of everyday life in Yop City.
