In the Small, Small Night
PreSchool-Grade 2 - An affecting story about family love and finding the courage to face new situations. Abena wakes to discover her younger brother, Kofi, in her bed. He can't sleep, afraid that a giant mampan lizard has followed him to America from Ghana. He's afraid, too, that he will forget the grandmother and cousins he left behind. Abena comforts him with two Ashanti tales. In the first, Anansi thinks he has collected all of the world's wisdom in a jar, only to learn that it can come from a young child. In the second tale, Vulture learns from slow-moving Turtle that, "When you think you are laughing at somebody else, that somebody turns out to be yourself...."Afterward, Abena confesses that she is worried about her new classmates. Kofi reminds her of Turtle's quiet perseverance, and the girl is impressed with her brother's wisdom, bringing home the stories' messages. Kofi finally falls asleep, comforted by his sister's assurance that they will always be a family, no matter where they live. The pastel illustrations are evocative and vibrant, capturing the warmth of Ghana and the cool darkness of nighttime in America. The juxtaposition of bordered and borderless art keeps the story-within-a-story format clear and easy to follow. A strong addition to any collection, this book is a must-buy for communities with African immigrant families.- Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, ORCopyright &copy; Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.