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A review by mat_tobin
Too Small Tola by Atinuke
5.0
Tola and her relations might have become my new favourite family in children's literature. Tola, her older siblings, Moji and Dapo, along with the formidable Grandmummy, all live in Lagos, Nigeria. Their home resides in a crumbling block of flats and comprises of a single room, with bedrooms separated by a curtain. Most of the clothes and furniture are hand-me-downs whilst daddy is away in the UK earning enough money to send back so that they can afford the rent.
But none of this affects Tola. Just like her Grandmummy, she is never overwhelmed by the bigger world out there and rises to the challenge be it helping her grandmother with the weekly shopping, collecting huge cannisters of water before school or helping measure the Lagos residents for their Eid and Easter costumes. Lagos thrums with life and humour in this new series by Atinuke and glimpses are brought to life by Iwu's ink drawings.
The first in the series, this collection of three short stories is pitched perfectly for a class read in Y2 or even Summer Y1 and beyond. It would make for a fantastic independent read for those who have become confident and would do well in helping readers see that Africa is much more than a continent with mud huts and intermittent meetings with wild animals.
But none of this affects Tola. Just like her Grandmummy, she is never overwhelmed by the bigger world out there and rises to the challenge be it helping her grandmother with the weekly shopping, collecting huge cannisters of water before school or helping measure the Lagos residents for their Eid and Easter costumes. Lagos thrums with life and humour in this new series by Atinuke and glimpses are brought to life by Iwu's ink drawings.
The first in the series, this collection of three short stories is pitched perfectly for a class read in Y2 or even Summer Y1 and beyond. It would make for a fantastic independent read for those who have become confident and would do well in helping readers see that Africa is much more than a continent with mud huts and intermittent meetings with wild animals.