The chapters each feel like a stand-alone story, and are filled with wonderful descriptions and details about Anna's life in Africa with her large family. Our team is made up of book lovers who are dedicated to sourcing and providing the best books for kids. It will allow children growing up in similar settings to identify with Anna, her joys and sorrows, and at the same time provide children from other parts of the world with a glimpse of what life for a girl in an urban African setting looks like.

But the activist in me loved the essay edge of the first volume and rejoiced in parts of the later books that emphasized it, especially "Anna Hibiscus and the New Generator," and "The Other Side of the City" (Hooray for Anna Hibiscus) and "Anna Hibscus's New Clothes" (Good Luck, Anna Hibiscus). I read in an interview with the author, Atinuke, that she chose not to name the individual country - just to say that Anna Hibiscus lives "in Africa" - because she wanted to emphasize that happy childhoods and families can and do happen all over Africa, as a way of combating the slew of negative images summoned up in the West when people think of children in Africa. Then I realized that Atinuke uses this story to introduce to kids the notion of having lots of cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents around at all times.She has bright, healthy oranges and a clean dress, and sells many more oranges than the other girls, but when her father, uncle, and grandfather wonder what upset the girls selling oranges outside--some of them in very difficult life situations--Anna realizes that she made a mistake.

I think I’ll start including the Lexile measure on the chapter books I review simply because these are books where having a just-right reading level is really important. We work closely with publishers and authors to ensure that we offer the best books on the market for your child. Anna is likable and means well even though she might not make the best choices or not realize the consequences. From the pictures to the stories to the writing to the tone, everything about these books makes you feel happy and content. Very positive portrayal of extended family life (mixed race marriage)' (Children's Services Coordinator, LL reviewer).Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa, amazing Africa, with her mother and father, her twin baby brothers (Double and Trouble), and lots of extended family in a big white house with a beautiful garden in a compound in a city. This story of Anna Hibiscus, a little girl growing up in Africa, "amazing Africa," is delightful and provides a glimpse into a life many US children are unfamiliar with. If only for the diversity, but also the stress on the importance of family and the fact that Anna isn’t so sassy, I would give these to my own daughter to read.

Anna's adventures with her large family of cousins, aunties, uncles, and grandparents are fun for children anywhere in the world to read about. All this would be enough but it’s illustrator Lauren Tobia who knows how to really bring these stories to life.She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. If you are under 16, please obtain your parent/guardian’s permission before submitting or ask your parent/guardian to submit on your behalf. Aided by Lauren Tobia’s charming illustrations, readers will delight in exploring Anna’s world alongside her in this series from beloved Nigerian storyteller Atinuke. There’s not a kid in this country that won’t identify with Anna right off the bat, even if her life is entirely different from their own. I was checking around to see whether anyone had found this first book and I am pleased to discover that I am late to the party and even more pleased to discover that there is another one!

As a school librarian and a parent, I know how hard it is to find books that engage children who are beyond "readers" and ready to move into chapter books.The only book that comes to mind was City Boy by Jan Michael, and that certainly was a title for older readers.