Africa South of the Sahara
Ghana
A is for Accra
By Ekow Pierre, Nana Pierre (Translator)
A is for Accra. Ekow Pierre. Illustrated by Nana Pierre. Spiderwize and Book Printing UK, 2017. ISBN 9781911596257. 40 p. (Ages 3-5). Picture book.
A is for Accra is a beautifully illustrated book, featuring a rhyming alphabetical journey around Ghana. Younger readers can learn their ABCs, while older readers can learn about Ghana and its cultures and customs. Parents can share additional information with their kids about the places, people, and foods from the glossary in the back. [gd]
Champion Runner
By Adwoa Badoe, Ashalley Mensah (Illustrator)
Champion Runner. Adwoa Badoe. Illustrated by Ashalley Mensah. Smartline Publishing and Worldreader, 2013. Published in Ghana [and the US]. ISBN 9789988600526. 17 p. (Ages 6-10). Picture book.
Abizibay is unable to attend school like the other kids; instead, he helps his father wash dishes in the school’s kitchen. In large part, Abizibay is a quiet kid who flies under the radar, but that all changes when the school holds a cross-country race. [gd]
Grandma's List
By Portia Dery, Toby Newsome (Illustrator)
Grandma’s List. Portia Dery. Illustrated by Toby Newsome. Windmill Books, 2021. Originally published by African Bureau Stories,Ghana, 2017. ISBN 9781499486322. 32 p. (Ages 5-7). Picture book.
Eight-year-old Fatima wants to help her grandma complete her chore list, but while running errands, Fatima loses the list and has to recall the list by memory. Fatima believes she remembers everything correctly, but once everything is done, she and her family realize she got everything mixed up. As Fatima moves through the list of chores, the reader experiences a typical Ghanaian neighborhood and can learn about traditional West African foods like palm nut soup, groundnuts (peanuts), and Bissap drink. 2018 Children’s Africana Book Award (CABA) winner. This book would pair well with Don’t Forget the Bacon! by Pat Hutchins. Kid’s read aloud - Grandma’s List -Storytime Haven. [gd]
The Kaya Girl
By Mamle Wolo, Sasha Illingworth (Illustrator)
The Kaya Girl. Mamle Wolo. Illustrated by Sasha Illingworth. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022. Originally published by Techmate Publishers Ltd., in Ghana, in 2012 and then by Nsona Books in 2018. ISBN 9780316703932. 336 p. (Ages 9 and up). Fiction.
A rags-to-riches tale about Faiza, a Muslim migrant girl from northern Ghana, and Abena, a wealthy doctor’s daughter from the south. The two meet by chance in Accra, where Faiza works as a porter or kaya girl and develop a deep friendship that transcends social barriers. A 2022 Kirkus Best Children's Book, a 2023 Children's Africana Book Award Honor, and a Bank St. College Best Books selection. [gd]