Ayo’s Adventure
Ain Heath Drew and Erin K. Robinson
Barefoot Books

Ayo is having difficulty falling asleep until he picks up an alphabet book that inspires a dreamy adventure across the African diaspora and in so doing he experiences a wealth of creativity from the diverse cultures whose heritage he shares.

He listens to calypso music then receives a lesson on how to play and beat on a steel band drum, tucks into some Nigerian fufu made from pounded cassava, plantain and yams,

visits a store in Ghana selling kente cloths, joins some women dancing the samba in Brazil and much more. he even travels to New York’s 1980s Bronx where hip-hop developed and tries some moves.

Alphabetically arranged, A is for Afro, B for Braids, E is for Ebony and so on with each stop having a short description and locational listing. There are also spreads at the end of the book exploring connections between the nations, cultures and traditions.

Joyful, inspiring and illuminating, vibrantly illustrated, and well worth adding to primary school collections. Ayo means ‘Great Joy in Yoruba’ the boy reminds his mother excitedly on waking. Let’s hope the book brings joy to child readers.

From the same publisher for the very young, is one of a board books series:

Democratic Republic of the Congo by Mel Nyoko and Joelle Avelino that introduces some key words as little ones follow a small child and family through ‘a day in the DR Congo’.