Nana Akua Goes to School

by Tricia Elam Walker, April Harrison (Illustrator)

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780525581130
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	06/16/2020
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	43,945
Product dimensions:	10.80(w) x 10.50(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD830L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Tricia Elam Walker is the author of the novel Breathing Room, among other publications. She is an award-winning fiction and nonfiction writer, cultural and fashion commentator, and blogger who has written for National Public Radio, the Washington Post, Essence magazine, HuffPost, and more. She practiced law for sixteen years prior to teaching writing in Washington, DC, and Boston. Tricia is an assistant professor of Creative Writing at Howard University and is working on several projects, including children's books, plays, and a second novel.

April Harrison, a renowned folk artist, is the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award-winning illustrator of Patricia C. McKissack's final picture book, What Is Given from the Heart, which received four starred reviews and which the New York Times Book Review called an "exquisite story of generosity." Her work appears in the public collections of Vanderbilt University, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, the Atlanta Housing Authority, and the Erskine University Museum and in many private collections. Learn more at aprilsonggallery.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/27/2020

Zura’s school is inviting grandparents to visit, and though her Ghanaian grandmother, Nana Akua, is “her favorite person in the whole universe,” Zura is worried that her tribal facial markings will draw unwanted attention. “What if someone at school laughs at you or acts mean?” the child asks. Harrison (What Is Given from the Heart) shows Zura reaching across the table to take Nana Akua’s big hand in her two small ones. Once in Zura’s classroom, Nana Akua speaks with poise. “I’m sure you noticed the marks on my face.... These marks were a gift from my parents, who were happy and proud that I was born.... I am likewise proud to wear them.” She paints Adinkra symbols on the faces of Zura’s classmates (a chart listing their meanings is included) in a visit that delights the children and their grandparents. Striking artwork by Harrison gives the characters’ faces classic sculptural contours, and the spreads’ bold patterns and colors echo a quilt of symbols that Nana Akua made for Zura. Newcomer Walker writes convincingly about how difference can cause unease among children, and her story offers a compelling portrait of a grandmother whose pride and poise put that concern to rest. Ages 4–8. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Nana Akua Goes to School:

“This lovely story explores the perennial fear of being different, while showcasing the great love between a grandparent and grandchild.” —School Library Journal, starred review
 
“An open-hearted tribute to children with immigrant parents or grandparents.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This beautiful picture book offers a helpful perspective on cultural differences within a heartening family story." —Booklist, starred review

"Walker writes convincingly about how difference can cause unease among children, and her story offers a compelling portrait of a grandmother whose pride and poise put that concern to rest.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Offers viewers both the comfort of the familiar and, for those unfamiliar with West African arts, a tantalizing introduction to interpreting symbols. Most importantly, this calls for readers and listeners to have faith in youngsters to embrace a new concept with an open mind and enthusiastic spirit.” —The Bulletin

“Lucky for readers and for Zura, her grandmother has a fascinating cultural tradition that, in her first book for kids, Tricia Elam Walker presents with extraordinary grace and nimbleness. . . . [An] eye-opening picture book.” —Shelf Awareness

“A picture book . . . that captures a complex vulnerability that every child feels at one point or another.” —The Wall Street Journal


Praise for April Harrison's What Is Given From the Heart: 

"[An] exquisite story of generosity. . . . Harrison has created soft yet dazzling illustrations for this tribute to faith, hope, and the African-American community." —The New York Times Book Review

"A sweet story . . . enhanced by delectable art from a prodigious new talent." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This final book by the late McKissack (Let’s Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout) showcases the legendary author’s signature lyricism in full force and receives a stunning, aesthetically ambitious interpretation by Harrison, a fine artist making her picture book debut." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"What Is Given from the Heart is a loving tribute to collective work, responsibility and the joy that comes from giving freely from the heart." —Shelf Awareness, starred review

"A treasure from a marvelous storyteller." —School Library Journal, starred review

From the Publisher

★ 06/01/2020

K-Gr 2—Grandparent's Day is fast approaching and Zura's classmates are very excited. Alejo is bringing in his abuelo, an amazing fisherman, who will teach the children how to catch fish. Bisou's mimi is a dentist and is going to give each child a toothbrush. Zura, on the other hand, has great anxiety about introducing her beloved nana Akua to her friends. Nana grew up in Ghana and has permanent tribal markings on her face and Zura has begun to notice that these scars can scare people. She is fearful that her classmates won't understand and will laugh and be mean to her beloved grandmother. After Zura confesses her distress, she and her nana come up with a plan. On the day of the celebration, they show the class different tribal symbols utilizing a handmade quilt and then ask the children to choose one for nana to paint on their faces. Everyone is thrilled. Mixed-media collage illustrations are the perfect medium to showcase this endearing tale. VERDICT This lovely story explores the perennial fear of being different, while showcasing the great love between a grandparent and grandchild. Pair this with Joowon Oh's Our Favorite Day for a winning story hour. Strongly recommended for purchase for all collections.—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph P.L., MI

School Library Journal

★ 2020-05-17
An open-hearted tribute to children with immigrant parents or grandparents.

Next Monday is Grandparents Day, and Zura, a brown-skinned girl of African descent, has a problem. Though excited, Zura worries about her classmates’ responses to Nana Akua, who has facial markings—a tradition of the Akan people of Ghana that identifies their tribal family. Sometimes in public, people have made negative comments and stared. When Zura tells Nana Akua her worries at home, Nana pulls out Zura’s favorite quilt, adorned with West African Adinkra symbols, and makes a plan to help Zura’s classmates understand her facial markings. On Grandparents Day, Nana and Zura wear African dresses, and Nana explains her markings, comparing them to tattoos. She invites the children to choose an Adinkra from the quilt, each of which has a meaning (explained on the endpapers), and they and their grandparents enjoy the personal introduction to Adinkras Nana gives them. Harrison contributes spectacular collage art that surrounds Zura’s family with colors, patterns, and objects, such as an African drum, pottery, art, and black dolls, that connect them with West Africa. Harrison also illustrates a full page of Nana Akua’s face, gazing directly at readers. Her brown skin, full lips, gray eyebrows, tufts of gray hair at the edges of her head wrap, and her gorgeous purple, patterned fabrics all invite readers to see Nana Akua.

A wonderful springboard for cross-cultural understanding conveyed through deeply symbolic art. (glossary, sources, acknowledgements) (Picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews