Winner of the 2021 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award!
In this moving story that celebrates cultural diversity, a shy girl
brings her West African grandmother--whose face bears traditional tribal
markings--to meet her classmates. This is a perfect read for back to
school!
It is Grandparents Day at Zura's elementary school, and the students are
excited to introduce their grandparents and share what makes them
special. Aleja's grandfather is a fisherman. Bisou's grandmother is a
dentist. But Zura's Nana, who is her favorite person in the world, looks
a little different from other grandmas. Nana Akua was raised in Ghana,
and, following an old West African tradition, has tribal markings on her
face. Worried that her classmates will be scared of Nana--or worse, make
fun of her--Zura is hesitant to bring her to school. Nana Akua knows
what to do, though. With a quilt of traditional African symbols and a
bit of face paint, Nana Akua is able to explain what makes her special,
and to make all of Zura's classmates feel special, too.