by Jane Kurtz (2005)
The dialogue between siblings in this text carries this story, although embedded within the story are Ghanaian folk tales that remind the children of the home they left behind so they do not forget it. The illustrations by Rachel Isadora nicely juxtapose the dark, starry night where the children are confronting their fears and the vivacious colors of Africa where their stories take place. Not only do their stories comfort Abena and Kofi because they remind them of home, but also because the stories empower the underdogs to confront their fears and continue onward. The dual stories meld nicely together.
This would be an excellent read-aloud for children of any age because of the natural feel of the dialogue and the embedded stories. It could be used to share storytelling traditions from other countries, or it could be used to show how immigrants bring their home to America through their traditions. For this reason I included the text in a text set on modern immigrant families.
The dialogue between siblings in this text carries this story, although embedded within the story are Ghanaian folk tales that remind the children of the home they left behind so they do not forget it. The illustrations by Rachel Isadora nicely juxtapose the dark, starry night where the children are confronting their fears and the vivacious colors of Africa where their stories take place. Not only do their stories comfort Abena and Kofi because they remind them of home, but also because the stories empower the underdogs to confront their fears and continue onward. The dual stories meld nicely together.
This would be an excellent read-aloud for children of any age because of the natural feel of the dialogue and the embedded stories. It could be used to share storytelling traditions from other countries, or it could be used to show how immigrants bring their home to America through their traditions. For this reason I included the text in a text set on modern immigrant families.
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