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Anna Hibiscus #1
Anna Hibiscus
Anna Hibiscus lives in amazing Africa with her mother, her father, her baby twin brothers, and lots and lots of her family. Join her as she splashes in the sea, prepares for a party, sells oranges, and hopes to see sweet, sweet snow.
96 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2007
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2508 people want to read
About the author
Atinuke
43 books205 followersAtinuke is a Nigerian-born author who started her career doing traditional oral storytelling. Her books include a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Winner, a Notable Book for a Global Society, a Cybils Award Winner, and an Africana Award Winner. She lives in Wales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
August 11, 2010
Rarer than quality books. More elusive than good picture books for older readers. The goal, the gem, the one kind of book all children’s librarians seek but know are so difficult to find . . . . the really well written early chapter book. Now let’s say you’ve found one. It happens. Lots exist, to a certain extent (and if you know where to look). Please do me the favor of now asking yourself the following questions about said book: (A) Does it contain characters from another country? If you answered yes, then (B) Are those characters human? At this point, we aren’t even talking about rare early chapter books. We’re talking about near non-existent ones in the American book marketplace. Even if you answered yes to both (A) and (B), can you still guarantee me that the book is really well written with phenomenal illustrations? Cause aside from the occasional White Elephant or Rickshaw Girl there's not a whole heckuva lot to choose from. That’s probably part of the reason I’m so enormously fond of this new Anna Hibiscus series by Nigeria-born author Atinuke. Not only are the stories in both Anna Hibiscus and its sequel Hooray for Anna Hibiscus charming but they manage to walk the fine line that exists between truth and perception. 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.
“Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. Amazing Africa.” Get used to those words. It won’t be the last time you hear them. Anna Hibiscus is a little girl who lives in a beautiful white compound surrounded by her extended family. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents all live together in a single home. Anna’s mother is originally from Canada, but she fits right in with everyone and the books Anna Hibiscus and Hooray for Anna Hibiscus follow Anna's small adventures with her family. One minute she’s obsessed with the idea of snow, and the next she’s singing a song for a president of another country. Sometimes she has to watch her twin baby brothers Double and Trouble, and sometimes she’s watching the family goat butt heads with the family’s new generator. Whatever the case, Anna’s a sweet, thoroughly likable character and readers will find themselves longing for a life where there are always cousins to play with, and sweet mango trees in the backyard to climb for fun.
She has a way with words, that Atinuke. It will surprise no one reading these stories that she is a professional storyteller. For example, any kid who has ever had a younger sibling that was teething will instantly understand why Atinuke uses capital letters to describe the newly awakened Double and Trouble with the sentence, “They were Awake and Angry.” The tone of the books is always dead on. Though Anna learns a couple lessons in the course of these tales, you never feel as if the books are preachy or didactic. For example, when Anna refuses to get her hair done any more, all her grandmother has to say is “Leave her. She will learn,” and you know that grandma speaks the exact truth.
Atinuke’s other great strength is that she manages to balance the contemporary and the traditional with ease. I’m sure we may have an early chapter book or two set in Africa (though none immediately come to mind) but I CERTAINLY can’t think of any that take place in a modern setting. The only book that comes to mind was City Boy by Jan Michael, and that certainly was a title for older readers. In the Anna Hibiscus books, though, uncles are calling one another on cell phones and Anna's texting her aunt across the sea. At the same time, the story "Auntie Comfort" defines the traditions of the family that are still in place. Says the book, "Anna's mother and father and aunties and uncles drive to work in their cars. They send text messages and e-mails around the world, and call from the market on their mobile phones to see what shopping needs doing. But the clothes they wear are made from colorful African cloth, waxed and dyed and printed. The languages they speak are African as well as English." So the duality of old and new are shown in a clever little tale. One that I suspect won't age all that readily.
It’s interesting to me that the very first story in Anna Hibiscus is a tale of how Anna and her mom, dad, and brothers try to take a vacation without the extended relatives, only to realize that they need them more than they thought. At first I was puzzled as to why you’d just thrust the reader into the family situation so abruptly. 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. It’s like the characters are being introduced on a stage to our applause. And once you understand the living situation (everyone lives in one big house) the rest of the book will make that much more sense. The story also reminded me more than a little of that classic folktale It Could Always Be Worse, which is fun.
Two of the stories in the books are rather similar to one another, but I appreciated their presence. Part of what makes the Anna Hibiscus tales so remarkable is that Anna learns continually about differences in class. So in the first book, the story “Anna Hibiscus sells oranges” tells the tale of Anna envying the girls outside her compound who must sell fruit to earn a living, only to learn what it really means to have to be a kid and work for a living. In the second book, “The other side of the city” shows Anna the poorer neighborhoods of her town. These are very careful little stories, but they really reinforce the message of being grateful for what you already have. That’s not the only topic Atinuke isn’t afraid to broach in an early chapter book, of course. I’ve almost never seen a book that talks about the amount of work that goes into styling African hair that is “thicker and shinier and curlier than any other hair in the whole world.” The tale of Anna’s refusal to engage in the traditional Saturday braiding and weaving of her hair and the horrific results of that choice is like no story I’ve ever read anywhere before.
Now right from the start folks might worry that the men in this book all seem to go to work while the women stay home and remain traditional keepers of the home. That is not really the case, though. One of the first stories in the book is about Auntie Comfort who lives and has a job in America and whom Grandfather worries may have forgotten her African roots (no reason to fear). In the course of that tale we learn that everyone in the home has a job. And in the second book we hear a lot about the various jobs the aunts hold in the family. It seems that only Anna’s grandfather and grandmother are always home without jobs. Not a problem as I see it.
All this would be enough but it’s illustrator Lauren Tobia who knows how to really bring these stories to life. Every character in these books looks exactly right. Anna herself is charming. Half the time (if you’re watching) her flip-flops go flying hither and thither without her notice. I love the different kinds of braided hair you notice throughout the text and the clothes. With just a few swipes of the pen, Ms. Tobia can conjure up a situation fraught with stress or the nicest, homiest family scene. If kids start yearning to belong to a gigantic fun family like the one Anna Hibiscus belongs to, at least some of the credit is going to have to go to Lauren Tobia for capturing this idyllic community.
Admittedly, I would have liked Atinuke to give her books a country and not just a vague “Africa” for where they take place. It’s great for kids to know what life is like overseas, but there’s always the danger that they’ll just assume that all of Africa is one and the same. That said, it’s hard to find much fault with such a lovely series. From the pictures to the stories to the writing to the tone, everything about these books makes you feel happy and content. Here’s hoping there are more Anna Hibiscus books somewhere in the works. A finer crop of overseas fare I have yet to find for the early chapter book set. Memorable and enchanting.
For ages 5-9.
“Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. Amazing Africa.” Get used to those words. It won’t be the last time you hear them. Anna Hibiscus is a little girl who lives in a beautiful white compound surrounded by her extended family. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents all live together in a single home. Anna’s mother is originally from Canada, but she fits right in with everyone and the books Anna Hibiscus and Hooray for Anna Hibiscus follow Anna's small adventures with her family. One minute she’s obsessed with the idea of snow, and the next she’s singing a song for a president of another country. Sometimes she has to watch her twin baby brothers Double and Trouble, and sometimes she’s watching the family goat butt heads with the family’s new generator. Whatever the case, Anna’s a sweet, thoroughly likable character and readers will find themselves longing for a life where there are always cousins to play with, and sweet mango trees in the backyard to climb for fun.
She has a way with words, that Atinuke. It will surprise no one reading these stories that she is a professional storyteller. For example, any kid who has ever had a younger sibling that was teething will instantly understand why Atinuke uses capital letters to describe the newly awakened Double and Trouble with the sentence, “They were Awake and Angry.” The tone of the books is always dead on. Though Anna learns a couple lessons in the course of these tales, you never feel as if the books are preachy or didactic. For example, when Anna refuses to get her hair done any more, all her grandmother has to say is “Leave her. She will learn,” and you know that grandma speaks the exact truth.
Atinuke’s other great strength is that she manages to balance the contemporary and the traditional with ease. I’m sure we may have an early chapter book or two set in Africa (though none immediately come to mind) but I CERTAINLY can’t think of any that take place in a modern setting. The only book that comes to mind was City Boy by Jan Michael, and that certainly was a title for older readers. In the Anna Hibiscus books, though, uncles are calling one another on cell phones and Anna's texting her aunt across the sea. At the same time, the story "Auntie Comfort" defines the traditions of the family that are still in place. Says the book, "Anna's mother and father and aunties and uncles drive to work in their cars. They send text messages and e-mails around the world, and call from the market on their mobile phones to see what shopping needs doing. But the clothes they wear are made from colorful African cloth, waxed and dyed and printed. The languages they speak are African as well as English." So the duality of old and new are shown in a clever little tale. One that I suspect won't age all that readily.
It’s interesting to me that the very first story in Anna Hibiscus is a tale of how Anna and her mom, dad, and brothers try to take a vacation without the extended relatives, only to realize that they need them more than they thought. At first I was puzzled as to why you’d just thrust the reader into the family situation so abruptly. 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. It’s like the characters are being introduced on a stage to our applause. And once you understand the living situation (everyone lives in one big house) the rest of the book will make that much more sense. The story also reminded me more than a little of that classic folktale It Could Always Be Worse, which is fun.
Two of the stories in the books are rather similar to one another, but I appreciated their presence. Part of what makes the Anna Hibiscus tales so remarkable is that Anna learns continually about differences in class. So in the first book, the story “Anna Hibiscus sells oranges” tells the tale of Anna envying the girls outside her compound who must sell fruit to earn a living, only to learn what it really means to have to be a kid and work for a living. In the second book, “The other side of the city” shows Anna the poorer neighborhoods of her town. These are very careful little stories, but they really reinforce the message of being grateful for what you already have. That’s not the only topic Atinuke isn’t afraid to broach in an early chapter book, of course. I’ve almost never seen a book that talks about the amount of work that goes into styling African hair that is “thicker and shinier and curlier than any other hair in the whole world.” The tale of Anna’s refusal to engage in the traditional Saturday braiding and weaving of her hair and the horrific results of that choice is like no story I’ve ever read anywhere before.
Now right from the start folks might worry that the men in this book all seem to go to work while the women stay home and remain traditional keepers of the home. That is not really the case, though. One of the first stories in the book is about Auntie Comfort who lives and has a job in America and whom Grandfather worries may have forgotten her African roots (no reason to fear). In the course of that tale we learn that everyone in the home has a job. And in the second book we hear a lot about the various jobs the aunts hold in the family. It seems that only Anna’s grandfather and grandmother are always home without jobs. Not a problem as I see it.
All this would be enough but it’s illustrator Lauren Tobia who knows how to really bring these stories to life. Every character in these books looks exactly right. Anna herself is charming. Half the time (if you’re watching) her flip-flops go flying hither and thither without her notice. I love the different kinds of braided hair you notice throughout the text and the clothes. With just a few swipes of the pen, Ms. Tobia can conjure up a situation fraught with stress or the nicest, homiest family scene. If kids start yearning to belong to a gigantic fun family like the one Anna Hibiscus belongs to, at least some of the credit is going to have to go to Lauren Tobia for capturing this idyllic community.
Admittedly, I would have liked Atinuke to give her books a country and not just a vague “Africa” for where they take place. It’s great for kids to know what life is like overseas, but there’s always the danger that they’ll just assume that all of Africa is one and the same. That said, it’s hard to find much fault with such a lovely series. From the pictures to the stories to the writing to the tone, everything about these books makes you feel happy and content. Here’s hoping there are more Anna Hibiscus books somewhere in the works. A finer crop of overseas fare I have yet to find for the early chapter book set. Memorable and enchanting.
For ages 5-9.
May 29, 2017
After spending two-and-a-half years living in Ethiopia and another year living in Ghana, all I can say is this book is terribly offensive. Supposedly the author was born in Nigeria, but then she should know that "Africa" is a continent, not a country. The main character, Anna Hibiscus, lives in "Africa." Because that's where her father was born. Her mother was born in Canada...a country. She should have said North America.
"Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. Amazing Africa." I've spent years on this continent and I can't tell you what that means. This book was incredibly disappointing. I read some previous reviews about how excited readers were to have an authentic "African" story, but there's nothing authentic about this. I wish there was more literature from and about this continent, but generic stories like this don't help spread the incredible cultures that exist here. I wish I had alternatives I could suggest to read instead, but so far I've only found good books for adults, not early grade chapter books.
"Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. Amazing Africa." I've spent years on this continent and I can't tell you what that means. This book was incredibly disappointing. I read some previous reviews about how excited readers were to have an authentic "African" story, but there's nothing authentic about this. I wish there was more literature from and about this continent, but generic stories like this don't help spread the incredible cultures that exist here. I wish I had alternatives I could suggest to read instead, but so far I've only found good books for adults, not early grade chapter books.
August 14, 2020
If you like this series, you may also like Younguncle Comes to Town and Younguncle in the Himalayas.
Terrific introduction to life in urban "Amazing Africa." Anna's family is well-off, and thankful, and Anna learns a lesson about less fortunate children. And Anna's mother, an import from Canada, learns the 'Village to raise a child" importance of family. And Aunt Comfort shows how one can live with traditional values in a modern world. And the last story makes me want to read the next book... so I ordered all that my (mother's, WI) library system has by Atinuke, who is of Nigerian heritage.
All that, and funny & cute & delightfully illustrated, too. And concise, & accessible, I believe, to children as young as five or six (with a mentor) or eight (reading on their own). 4.5 stars... every child, whether or not they're Nigerian, should have this series available to them.
Reread Aug. 2020: still as wonderful as I remember. The courage, love, and joy expressed herein bring prickles to my eyes....
Terrific introduction to life in urban "Amazing Africa." Anna's family is well-off, and thankful, and Anna learns a lesson about less fortunate children. And Anna's mother, an import from Canada, learns the 'Village to raise a child" importance of family. And Aunt Comfort shows how one can live with traditional values in a modern world. And the last story makes me want to read the next book... so I ordered all that my (mother's, WI) library system has by Atinuke, who is of Nigerian heritage.
All that, and funny & cute & delightfully illustrated, too. And concise, & accessible, I believe, to children as young as five or six (with a mentor) or eight (reading on their own). 4.5 stars... every child, whether or not they're Nigerian, should have this series available to them.
Reread Aug. 2020: still as wonderful as I remember. The courage, love, and joy expressed herein bring prickles to my eyes....
May 7, 2022
My kids thoroughly enjoyed!! I could actually get them to sit and listen instead of play with toys while i read😆
October 11, 2012
What a lovely story. The book showcases four different chapters with individual stories contained within about Anna Hibiscus, who is a young girl growing up in Africa with her large, loving family.
In the first story Anna, her father, her mother, and Anna's two baby brothers go on a vacation away from the family, but discover that it's very difficult to take care of babies and cleaning all by yourself. The next day, all the aunties come to help. But that's not quite enough--and so all the big cousins come to help, and so on, and so forth, until the whole family is together again, and everyone is happy.
The second story introduces Anna's Auntie Comfort, who lives away across the big wide ocean in America. She's coming to visit, but Anna's grandfather is worried that she lost her African values. Anna sends her Auntie secret texts in the hopes that Auntie Constance won't forget, but she needn't have worried.
In the third, Anna wants to sell oranges on the street like the other girls outside her house. 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. She amends for it by working hard the next day, bringing all the other girls oranges, and at the end, she's proud of how hard she worked.
The last story focuses on Anna's desire to see snow. Being half Canadian, her grandmother lives far away in Canada, and Anna sends her a letter, hoping to get a chance to visit when it snows. She waits very patiently for the letter to come back, and finds, to her delight, she has been invited for Christmas.
Each story has a subtle moral and message, and teaches the reader something about African culture without being heavy-handed. They are light, beautiful reads, and Anna is easy to relate to. Highly recommended.
In the first story Anna, her father, her mother, and Anna's two baby brothers go on a vacation away from the family, but discover that it's very difficult to take care of babies and cleaning all by yourself. The next day, all the aunties come to help. But that's not quite enough--and so all the big cousins come to help, and so on, and so forth, until the whole family is together again, and everyone is happy.
The second story introduces Anna's Auntie Comfort, who lives away across the big wide ocean in America. She's coming to visit, but Anna's grandfather is worried that she lost her African values. Anna sends her Auntie secret texts in the hopes that Auntie Constance won't forget, but she needn't have worried.
In the third, Anna wants to sell oranges on the street like the other girls outside her house. 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. She amends for it by working hard the next day, bringing all the other girls oranges, and at the end, she's proud of how hard she worked.
The last story focuses on Anna's desire to see snow. Being half Canadian, her grandmother lives far away in Canada, and Anna sends her a letter, hoping to get a chance to visit when it snows. She waits very patiently for the letter to come back, and finds, to her delight, she has been invited for Christmas.
Each story has a subtle moral and message, and teaches the reader something about African culture without being heavy-handed. They are light, beautiful reads, and Anna is easy to relate to. Highly recommended.
August 28, 2012
Here marks a new phase in my life -- Working in the Children's Department, reading kids books for fun and work. Someone came in asking for early-reader books about life in Africa and one of the librarians recommended this. She raved about it so I decided to pick it up. It's very sweet, and totally interesting: Anna Hibiscus's mom is Canadian but they live a very big-family-African life with her father's extended family. I have to say my favorite part were the beautiful, light-hearted, and well-laced-through-the-text illustrations of big happy family time and silly little Anna. I guess I am starting to realize that graphic novels were leading me back to kids books the whole time -- it is so wonderful to have text and image hand in hand creating a powerful and sweet meaning. Oh, hooray.
April 20, 2017
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. Anna's mom is from Canada and moved to Africa to raise a family with her husband who is African. Anna's adventures with her large family of cousins, aunties, uncles, and grandparents are fun for children anywhere in the world to read about.
May 17, 2019
Spending time with Anna Hibiscus will transport children into her world. A place filled with family, love and life lessons. The four stories contained in the book each share a truth that is communicated through the story and pictures without being preachy. A great step up from simple chapter books for young readers.
July 20, 2016
A beautifully written transitional book about a modern urban African life of a little girl and her huge multicultural family. A rare gem.
July 7, 2025
Read aloud with 5yo girl.
We love Anna Hibiscus! These are great as read-alouds but they’re also perfect for young girls who are ready for easy chapter books. The chapters act as little stories about Anna’s adventures and her expansive African family, and each page is adored with charming sketches and illustrations. Being centered on a large African family living in Nigeria, these books are a wonderful way to introduce an unfamiliar setting and culture to my girls to help expand their view of the world.
We love Anna Hibiscus! These are great as read-alouds but they’re also perfect for young girls who are ready for easy chapter books. The chapters act as little stories about Anna’s adventures and her expansive African family, and each page is adored with charming sketches and illustrations. Being centered on a large African family living in Nigeria, these books are a wonderful way to introduce an unfamiliar setting and culture to my girls to help expand their view of the world.
September 8, 2013
I have to admit that at first I wasn't sure how to feel about Anna being described as a girl living in Africa, making it sound like a country - but that was all too soon forgotten as sweet Anna Hibiscus found her way straight into my heart. What a lovely beginning chapter book! 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. While the author does not shy away to touch on challenging issues, she finds a wonderful balance, appreciating both modern and traditional ways and celebrating at the forefront families. I will definitely get the entire series for our library.
September 30, 2013
What a wonderful set of tales about a little girl growing up in a large, happy family in Africa!
So much in here to recommend - the traditional element of Anna's family, the way they live modern lives as well, the loving relationships, some very sweet stories about a bright and curious girl, and a whole pile of fascinating detail of African life that comes out in the pictures and stories.
This will be read to my son when he's older.
So much in here to recommend - the traditional element of Anna's family, the way they live modern lives as well, the loving relationships, some very sweet stories about a bright and curious girl, and a whole pile of fascinating detail of African life that comes out in the pictures and stories.
This will be read to my son when he's older.
August 23, 2017
This is such an interesting story. It's unique to find early reading books featuring diverse characters from other cultures. This one is fantastic.
February 4, 2019
"Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. Amazing Africa." And so begins this engaging collection of short stories about a young girl, the daughter of an African father and Canadian mother, who lives with her father's extended family in a large white house within a beautiful garden compound. In Anna Hibiscus on Holiday, Anna, her mother and father, and her twin brothers Double and Trouble, attempt to take a holiday away from all of the uncles, aunties and cousins who make their compound so noisy, only to discover that many hands make light work. Auntie Comfort sees the family's prodigal daughter, who lives in far off America, coming home for a visit. With a few hints from Anna Hibiscus, Auntie Comfort manages to reassure the family that she has not forgotten her roots. In Anna Hibiscus Sells Oranges, our young heroine imagines that the life of an orange vendor is colorful and exciting, and decides to join their ranks and sell the oranges from her family's orange trees. Her uncles and grandfather show her that her actions have hurt the girls who usually sell fruit outside their compound gate - girls whose impoverished families rely on their earnings - and Anna Hibiscus works hard to make it up to them the next day. Finally, in Sweet Snow, Anna talks, sings and dreams of the cold white stuff. When her Granny Canada writes with an invitation to visit in the summer, she asks instead to be allowed to come when it is winter.
I greatly enjoyed reading Anna Habiscus, the first in a series of chapter-books devoted to the adventures of its eponymous heroine. The author Atinuke, although she currently lives in Wales, was born and raised in Nigeria, and it's clear that her girlhood was a major inspiration in the creation of the characters of Anna and her lovable family. I liked the family dynamics here - the respect shown to Grandmother and Grandfather, the mutual help all of the aunts and uncles give one another, the role played by older children in helping to care for the younger ones - and the mixture of the traditional and modern in Anna and her family's life. I especially liked the third story, Anna Hibiscus Sells Oranges, as it highlights the vast disparities in wealth to be found in Africa (and elsewhere, of course), and the importance of thinking of the impact of our decisions upon others. Anna, who had only been thinking of selling oranges as a fun activity, and who had never considered the advantages she would have as a child of a wealthier family - her oranges were more colorful and juicy, and she, dressed in a clean and fresh dress, made a more appealing vendor than the poorer girls - learns just how hard life is in the city for those less fortunate than herself when she must work for the orange girls for a day. Recommended to anyone looking for engaging chapter-books for young people just getting going with (slightly) longer fiction, as well as to anyone interested in quality children's books featuring modern-day Africa.
I greatly enjoyed reading Anna Habiscus, the first in a series of chapter-books devoted to the adventures of its eponymous heroine. The author Atinuke, although she currently lives in Wales, was born and raised in Nigeria, and it's clear that her girlhood was a major inspiration in the creation of the characters of Anna and her lovable family. I liked the family dynamics here - the respect shown to Grandmother and Grandfather, the mutual help all of the aunts and uncles give one another, the role played by older children in helping to care for the younger ones - and the mixture of the traditional and modern in Anna and her family's life. I especially liked the third story, Anna Hibiscus Sells Oranges, as it highlights the vast disparities in wealth to be found in Africa (and elsewhere, of course), and the importance of thinking of the impact of our decisions upon others. Anna, who had only been thinking of selling oranges as a fun activity, and who had never considered the advantages she would have as a child of a wealthier family - her oranges were more colorful and juicy, and she, dressed in a clean and fresh dress, made a more appealing vendor than the poorer girls - learns just how hard life is in the city for those less fortunate than herself when she must work for the orange girls for a day. Recommended to anyone looking for engaging chapter-books for young people just getting going with (slightly) longer fiction, as well as to anyone interested in quality children's books featuring modern-day Africa.
March 4, 2025
OK
A escritora Atinuke nasceu na Nigéria, passou a infância na África e no Reino Unido, e hoje mora no País de Gales. Este livro, Anna Hibiscus, é voltado ao público infantil e celebra a África, mas tem uma estranheza principal: não informa em que região mora a pequena protagonista, tornando homogêneo um continente.
São quatro histórias, e na segunda — “Titia Conforto” — aparece o avô de Anna, preocupado porque sua filha Conforto, que foi morar na Inglaterra e agora vem visitar a família nas férias, pode ter perdido “os costumes tradicionais africanos”. O ativismo da “maravilhosa África” tem esse duplo padrão: às vezes lamenta que uma população tão diversa seja unificada — quando meros cem quilômetros podem separar povos muito distintos em política e costumes, como os ibos e os iorubás — e às vezes trata o continente como se fosse uma vila. Ainda que um livro desse gênero não precise ser detalhista, bastariam duas linhas pra Atinuke já ilustrar seus leitores sobre a múltipla África.
As histórias de Anna Hibiscus são simpáticas, mas não passam muito disto. Tendo lido recentemente O menino marrom, de Ziraldo, fica explícita a diferença de estilo e qualidade narrativa dos dois autores. (Anna Hibiscus, no comparativo, parece só uma história mais ou menos, enquanto O menino marrom tem poesia, psicologia, complexidade.) É um livro que abrirá a mente da criança brasileira pralguns costumes africanos — comer certos alimentos com as mãos, a centralidade do inhame nas refeições, os membros das famílias que dormem juntos — e que mostrará uma África que não é apenas pobre — Anna tem uma boa vida, mora numa casa grande, e num dos contos ela aprende uma lição sobre a pobreza das outras crianças que precisam vender laranjas pra se alimentar.
Por último, um ponto positivo que vale menção: Atinuke, pelo menos aqui, não é uma doente racialista. Anna Hibiscus é uma criança negra nascida na África, mas sua mãe é uma canadense de pele clara, e sua titia Conforto não viu mal algum em manter alguns dos “costumes tradicionais africanos” enquanto escolhia pra sua vida alguns dos “costumes tradicionais ingleses”. Com tantos noiados querendo incutir mentalidade de apartheid nas crianças — com mensagens subliminares do tipo “os brancos te desprezam”, “a sociedade odeia seu cabelo, portanto fale o tempo todo que o adora”, “todo mundo vai te ver como diferente na escola, então já se prepare, o racismo é como o ar” —, é bom ler um livro que não se afunde nisso.
A escritora Atinuke nasceu na Nigéria, passou a infância na África e no Reino Unido, e hoje mora no País de Gales. Este livro, Anna Hibiscus, é voltado ao público infantil e celebra a África, mas tem uma estranheza principal: não informa em que região mora a pequena protagonista, tornando homogêneo um continente.
São quatro histórias, e na segunda — “Titia Conforto” — aparece o avô de Anna, preocupado porque sua filha Conforto, que foi morar na Inglaterra e agora vem visitar a família nas férias, pode ter perdido “os costumes tradicionais africanos”. O ativismo da “maravilhosa África” tem esse duplo padrão: às vezes lamenta que uma população tão diversa seja unificada — quando meros cem quilômetros podem separar povos muito distintos em política e costumes, como os ibos e os iorubás — e às vezes trata o continente como se fosse uma vila. Ainda que um livro desse gênero não precise ser detalhista, bastariam duas linhas pra Atinuke já ilustrar seus leitores sobre a múltipla África.
As histórias de Anna Hibiscus são simpáticas, mas não passam muito disto. Tendo lido recentemente O menino marrom, de Ziraldo, fica explícita a diferença de estilo e qualidade narrativa dos dois autores. (Anna Hibiscus, no comparativo, parece só uma história mais ou menos, enquanto O menino marrom tem poesia, psicologia, complexidade.) É um livro que abrirá a mente da criança brasileira pralguns costumes africanos — comer certos alimentos com as mãos, a centralidade do inhame nas refeições, os membros das famílias que dormem juntos — e que mostrará uma África que não é apenas pobre — Anna tem uma boa vida, mora numa casa grande, e num dos contos ela aprende uma lição sobre a pobreza das outras crianças que precisam vender laranjas pra se alimentar.
Por último, um ponto positivo que vale menção: Atinuke, pelo menos aqui, não é uma doente racialista. Anna Hibiscus é uma criança negra nascida na África, mas sua mãe é uma canadense de pele clara, e sua titia Conforto não viu mal algum em manter alguns dos “costumes tradicionais africanos” enquanto escolhia pra sua vida alguns dos “costumes tradicionais ingleses”. Com tantos noiados querendo incutir mentalidade de apartheid nas crianças — com mensagens subliminares do tipo “os brancos te desprezam”, “a sociedade odeia seu cabelo, portanto fale o tempo todo que o adora”, “todo mundo vai te ver como diferente na escola, então já se prepare, o racismo é como o ar” —, é bom ler um livro que não se afunde nisso.
February 4, 2023
Rating: 4 leaves out of 5
Characters: 4.5/5
Cover: 3/5
Story: 3.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Genre: Classic/Children
Type: Audiobook
Worth?: Yeah
Hated|Disliked|It Was Okay|Liked|Loved
A quick and easy read Anna, in this story, learns a good few things about the world and how life isn't so nice and sometimes it is. Anna did kinda rub me the wrong way but I think that just comes with her being a child and not knowing her own wrong doings, but she learns a valuable lesson and she seems grateful for the lesson.
All in all it was a good little book to read.
Characters: 4.5/5
Cover: 3/5
Story: 3.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Genre: Classic/Children
Type: Audiobook
Worth?: Yeah
Hated|Disliked|It Was Okay|Liked|Loved
A quick and easy read Anna, in this story, learns a good few things about the world and how life isn't so nice and sometimes it is. Anna did kinda rub me the wrong way but I think that just comes with her being a child and not knowing her own wrong doings, but she learns a valuable lesson and she seems grateful for the lesson.
All in all it was a good little book to read.
December 12, 2021
How did I ever miss these? Quality literature for 5-8, beautiful writing, wry stories, universal themes, humor. This is the best book I have read in a long, long time.
February 22, 2023
I’m not sure why I thought this series was new. I guess I’ve only been familiar with Atinuke’s picture books about Anna Hibiscus. These early chapter books are delightful in every way. Lively, fun illustrations, gentle stories—great for kids who may not have much about what it might be like to be a child in Nigeria. Full of adventure and fun. I love these.
September 14, 2013
I just had a conversation with a colleague about grandmother names. She told me I had to think about it now that I'm going to be one. Anna Hibiscus, the protagonist, nicknamed hers, "Granny Canada." I love it. I thought of "Granny Taipei" but that sounds like "Granny Type A" which is plain ole' weird. I'm open to suggestions. "Granny Dumpling?" "Granny Foo-Foo?" "Granny Ding-Dong?" Word choice doesn't seem to be my strong suit tonight - fightin' a cold. Ah well. Anna comes from a multicultural family with a mother who is Canadian and father who is African. Africa is Anna's home with so many extended family members she can't even count them. In a series of episodes, Anna learns some lessons in growing up and having parents from two different cultures. It is hard to find books for third world kids and its especially hard to find excellent transitional readers. You get both of that in this winner of a book.
Anna has twin baby brothers called, Double and Trouble who are oodles of work for her mom and dad, especially when they are "Awake and Angry." When Anna's parents decide to go on a vacation to the beach just by themselves, her mom is looking forward to some time alone. She grew up as an only child in Canada and finds the life on a family compound a bit overwhelming. When the babies wear everyone out, Anna's dad starts to bring his family members out to the beach house for extra hands and help. Anna's mom seems to have had a change of heart regarding being only with her family and welcomes the relatives with open arms. In the next episode the family worries about Auntie Comfort who is coming to visit from America. Will she have forgotten all their customs and traditions? Will she wear "tight-tight" jeans? The next chapter shows Anna learning about class structure and how poor those are around her family compound. In the last episodic chapter, she gets a letter from Granny Canada inviting her to visit. Anna writes back and asks if she can visit during the winter because "Snow you are so sweet-o."
Atinuke is a professional storyteller which makes her books great as read alouds given the terrific sentence rhythm and word choice. Her made-up snow song in the last chapter is precious. I would love to hear her speak. This type of writing is like poetry where it is always special to hear the author's own voice in the character of his or her creation. Anna is likable and means well even though she might not make the best choices or not realize the consequences. The illustrations capture a young cheerful girl who has a life full of loving adults and relatives. My favorite page is Anna waiting for her letter to go and come back from Granny Canada. She has her fingers crossed as she watches a gecko and insects. She has her fingers crossed when her aunt braids her hair in corn rows and pony tails. My fingers are crossed that the students will like this book as well as I did.
Reading Level 3.6
Anna has twin baby brothers called, Double and Trouble who are oodles of work for her mom and dad, especially when they are "Awake and Angry." When Anna's parents decide to go on a vacation to the beach just by themselves, her mom is looking forward to some time alone. She grew up as an only child in Canada and finds the life on a family compound a bit overwhelming. When the babies wear everyone out, Anna's dad starts to bring his family members out to the beach house for extra hands and help. Anna's mom seems to have had a change of heart regarding being only with her family and welcomes the relatives with open arms. In the next episode the family worries about Auntie Comfort who is coming to visit from America. Will she have forgotten all their customs and traditions? Will she wear "tight-tight" jeans? The next chapter shows Anna learning about class structure and how poor those are around her family compound. In the last episodic chapter, she gets a letter from Granny Canada inviting her to visit. Anna writes back and asks if she can visit during the winter because "Snow you are so sweet-o."
Atinuke is a professional storyteller which makes her books great as read alouds given the terrific sentence rhythm and word choice. Her made-up snow song in the last chapter is precious. I would love to hear her speak. This type of writing is like poetry where it is always special to hear the author's own voice in the character of his or her creation. Anna is likable and means well even though she might not make the best choices or not realize the consequences. The illustrations capture a young cheerful girl who has a life full of loving adults and relatives. My favorite page is Anna waiting for her letter to go and come back from Granny Canada. She has her fingers crossed as she watches a gecko and insects. She has her fingers crossed when her aunt braids her hair in corn rows and pony tails. My fingers are crossed that the students will like this book as well as I did.
Reading Level 3.6
February 25, 2018
These chapter books are a treasure--and I'm so glad I heard Uma Krishnaswami speak about them in January or I'd never have known to pick them up. This review applies to the first four books of the series.
Through her charming protagonist (& family), Atinuke develops a picture of life in "amazing Africa" that effectively squashes many western notions about the continent while also taking western perspectives on family and clothing and vacationing and pets to task for their myopia. The other books in the series do not have as much of an axe to grind as the first, however, and as a result read a little more like story/a little less like essay. 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).
The author's note at the end of each book says that Atinuke's "stories are a medley of traditional folklore and contemporary urban life," and that description is so apt. While they do build on each other from beginning to end, each chapter also functions as a stand-alone story that examines some aspect of culture and arrives at a conclusion that supports Anna's way of life. The conclusion is not moralistic, necessarily, nor is it simplistic--but it does seek to reinforce the status quo of Anna's family as normal and good. The language is repetitive and rhythmic, mimicking the sound of the oral tradition and childhood fables--while also including details like offices and cell phones and text messages. And female presidents of other countries.
One (small) problematic element in the texts is that while many of the details in the books are quintessentially Nigeria (e.g. cassava, rolling yam balls, harmattan, English as a first language, etc.), Atinuke has never specifically named Nigeria as its location. While Atinuke might be seeking to universalize her protagonist's experience, it often reads like a condescension to potential Western readers. The repetition of "in Africa" or "the African way" or "African food" is not native language. It's the language of a diaspora, and it's odd to have it juxtaposed with such localized stories. In later books, she acknowledges that "ours is only one of many countries in Africa" (Hooray for Anna Hibiscus, 15), but it's too little too late and really doesn't address the problem that's much wider throughout the series.
Through her charming protagonist (& family), Atinuke develops a picture of life in "amazing Africa" that effectively squashes many western notions about the continent while also taking western perspectives on family and clothing and vacationing and pets to task for their myopia. The other books in the series do not have as much of an axe to grind as the first, however, and as a result read a little more like story/a little less like essay. 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).
The author's note at the end of each book says that Atinuke's "stories are a medley of traditional folklore and contemporary urban life," and that description is so apt. While they do build on each other from beginning to end, each chapter also functions as a stand-alone story that examines some aspect of culture and arrives at a conclusion that supports Anna's way of life. The conclusion is not moralistic, necessarily, nor is it simplistic--but it does seek to reinforce the status quo of Anna's family as normal and good. The language is repetitive and rhythmic, mimicking the sound of the oral tradition and childhood fables--while also including details like offices and cell phones and text messages. And female presidents of other countries.
One (small) problematic element in the texts is that while many of the details in the books are quintessentially Nigeria (e.g. cassava, rolling yam balls, harmattan, English as a first language, etc.), Atinuke has never specifically named Nigeria as its location. While Atinuke might be seeking to universalize her protagonist's experience, it often reads like a condescension to potential Western readers. The repetition of "in Africa" or "the African way" or "African food" is not native language. It's the language of a diaspora, and it's odd to have it juxtaposed with such localized stories. In later books, she acknowledges that "ours is only one of many countries in Africa" (Hooray for Anna Hibiscus, 15), but it's too little too late and really doesn't address the problem that's much wider throughout the series.
March 11, 2012
One of the things I love is when reading provides a window into another part of the world. Anna Hibiscus, a new series of short chapter books, provides a wonderful view into the world of a young girl living in a modern, middle-class African city. The author, Atinuke, creates a likeable character, a little girl children will relate to, seeing much of themselves in her stories. But children will also appreciate how Anna Hibiscus's family keeps their traditional African ways.
Anna Hibiscus is a perfect early chapter book, combining humor, nuance and a wonderful sense of cross-cultural connections. 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.
Anna Hibiscus lives with her large extended family in Africa, “Amazing Africa”. They are a middle class family who commute to jobs in the city, talk on cell phones, and send text messages across the Atlantic. But they are also a large family who still keep many of the traditional African ways, living all together in a large compound where the cousins run and play, aunties pound yam in the courtyard after getting home from work in the office, and everyone wears traditional African clothing.
Anna’s family is clearly one full of love and support, but they also have their challenges. Life is busy when you live with all your cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents. But this extended family provides wonderful support and entertainment for Anna and her immediate family.
Atinuke, a Nigerian born storyteller, has written a series that addresses issues such as cultural identity and economic issues with grace and a light hand, being both serious and humorous at the same time. Tobia's pen-and-ink sketches help young readers visualize Anna’s family, and the African customs and clothing. The stories will make young readers laugh, feel connections and understand life in modern Africa. Anna Hibiscus is followed by three other installments. Each features four short stand-alone chapters, good for readers beginning to read chapter books.
Anna Hibiscus is a perfect early chapter book, combining humor, nuance and a wonderful sense of cross-cultural connections. 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.
Anna Hibiscus lives with her large extended family in Africa, “Amazing Africa”. They are a middle class family who commute to jobs in the city, talk on cell phones, and send text messages across the Atlantic. But they are also a large family who still keep many of the traditional African ways, living all together in a large compound where the cousins run and play, aunties pound yam in the courtyard after getting home from work in the office, and everyone wears traditional African clothing.
Anna’s family is clearly one full of love and support, but they also have their challenges. Life is busy when you live with all your cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents. But this extended family provides wonderful support and entertainment for Anna and her immediate family.
Atinuke, a Nigerian born storyteller, has written a series that addresses issues such as cultural identity and economic issues with grace and a light hand, being both serious and humorous at the same time. Tobia's pen-and-ink sketches help young readers visualize Anna’s family, and the African customs and clothing. The stories will make young readers laugh, feel connections and understand life in modern Africa. Anna Hibiscus is followed by three other installments. Each features four short stand-alone chapters, good for readers beginning to read chapter books.
January 10, 2012
My very favorite early-chapterbook discovery that I've made as a parent. (Is it still an early chapterbook if there aren't chapters? This is a collection of four different Anna Hibiscus stories, all around the same reading level as Frog & Toad, my lifelong favorites.)
Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa ("Amazing Africa!") in a big white house with her large and loving extended family, including her mother, who is a Canadian expat (and who is still occasionally hit by culture shock). The stories are simple, funny, vivid and fun, perfect for young kids (my son ADORED them), but also laced with strands of wicked humor aimed directly at any adults reading the stories out loud. As an expat myself, I loved that aspect of the family culture, and I know my son identified with having grandparents and other relatives who live in a faraway country over the sea...but really what made these stories so great was the sweetness and humor of the various family interactions, which are universal.
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. The physical descriptions in this book are so vivid and loving and enthusiastic (juicy sweet mangoes hanging on the tree in their garden! warm sand on the beach and beautiful white houses!), I bet there are a ton of kids who beg to go to Africa after reading this book. (Mine did!) And as a parent, I was really glad to find such a lovely book set in a different culture than the one my son is growing up in, to start to get across the idea of multiculturalism at an early age, but in a completely non-didactic way.
We checked this book out of the library, but I'm planning to buy a copy to keep, and we're looking for all the other Anna Hibiscus books, too.
Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa ("Amazing Africa!") in a big white house with her large and loving extended family, including her mother, who is a Canadian expat (and who is still occasionally hit by culture shock). The stories are simple, funny, vivid and fun, perfect for young kids (my son ADORED them), but also laced with strands of wicked humor aimed directly at any adults reading the stories out loud. As an expat myself, I loved that aspect of the family culture, and I know my son identified with having grandparents and other relatives who live in a faraway country over the sea...but really what made these stories so great was the sweetness and humor of the various family interactions, which are universal.
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. The physical descriptions in this book are so vivid and loving and enthusiastic (juicy sweet mangoes hanging on the tree in their garden! warm sand on the beach and beautiful white houses!), I bet there are a ton of kids who beg to go to Africa after reading this book. (Mine did!) And as a parent, I was really glad to find such a lovely book set in a different culture than the one my son is growing up in, to start to get across the idea of multiculturalism at an early age, but in a completely non-didactic way.
We checked this book out of the library, but I'm planning to buy a copy to keep, and we're looking for all the other Anna Hibiscus books, too.
August 21, 2018
Some things I loved about this book and other things I did not:
First, I loved that this book is about a bi-racial and bi-cultural couple. That is really hard to find in children's literature. I love that both cultures were celebrated. I love that Africa was shone in a positive light- lots of cultural pride. And lots of Canadian pride as well!
I did not love some of the messages in the book. One particular part comes to mind. Anna wants to sell oranges like the other children in the village (her family has means, and other children in the village do not). Her grandfather tells her that she doesn't have to sell oranges because she is "blessed." She ends up selling oranges and therefore the other children don't and don't have money therefore. While it is a very fine line, there are a couple of things that concern me. First, of course this child is blessed to have food to eat, but it begs the question- are the other children not blessed? If so, it sort of creates an unintended value system and judgment cast. Second, there is something great about her better understanding her impact when she chooses to engage in selling oranges- her sales cause harm to those around her. It is something to consider, and I am glad the author touched on it. However, I don't think the answer is her just being thankful and playing and not engaging in an entrepreneurial activity. I wish there had been more exploring as to how she could partner with those other children. Anyway, I know it is a delicate subject with a lot of pitfalls, but that was something we really discussed after that chapter.
Other things I didn't love: the brothers are called Double and Trouble. If I am remembering correctly, sometimes they place value on the way to do things, as if that is the "right" way. Again, I LOVE that they illustrate how another culture does child rearing, respect, etc. But again, these are differences- one is not "right" or "wrong" just different.
First, I loved that this book is about a bi-racial and bi-cultural couple. That is really hard to find in children's literature. I love that both cultures were celebrated. I love that Africa was shone in a positive light- lots of cultural pride. And lots of Canadian pride as well!
I did not love some of the messages in the book. One particular part comes to mind. Anna wants to sell oranges like the other children in the village (her family has means, and other children in the village do not). Her grandfather tells her that she doesn't have to sell oranges because she is "blessed." She ends up selling oranges and therefore the other children don't and don't have money therefore. While it is a very fine line, there are a couple of things that concern me. First, of course this child is blessed to have food to eat, but it begs the question- are the other children not blessed? If so, it sort of creates an unintended value system and judgment cast. Second, there is something great about her better understanding her impact when she chooses to engage in selling oranges- her sales cause harm to those around her. It is something to consider, and I am glad the author touched on it. However, I don't think the answer is her just being thankful and playing and not engaging in an entrepreneurial activity. I wish there had been more exploring as to how she could partner with those other children. Anyway, I know it is a delicate subject with a lot of pitfalls, but that was something we really discussed after that chapter.
Other things I didn't love: the brothers are called Double and Trouble. If I am remembering correctly, sometimes they place value on the way to do things, as if that is the "right" way. Again, I LOVE that they illustrate how another culture does child rearing, respect, etc. But again, these are differences- one is not "right" or "wrong" just different.
April 5, 2016
Anna Hibiscus lives in a large house in an African city with her Canadian mother, African father, grandparents, aunts and uncles, many cousins, and twin baby brothers. This first volume of the Anna Hibiscus series introduces Anna through several realistic events of everyday life, including a holiday trip with her parents and brothers to an island beach, a visit from an aunt who has moved to the United States, and an invitation to visit her grandmother in Canada to see snow for the first time.
The brief episodes in Anna Hibiscus provide sweet little slices of life in Africa, as setting and character play a particularly large role in the book’s appeal. Young readers will enjoy comparing and contrasting the African setting with their own surroundings, noticing similarities in the prevalence of cell phones and the internet, while also spotting important cultural differences, such as the custom of using one’s fingers when eating a traditional African meal. The low-key narration owes much to oral storytelling, and the reader will feel as if she is sitting at the feet of Atinuke as she spins delightful tales about Anna. The text is complemented by Lauren Tobia’s cute drawings, which further depict the people, dress, food, and landscape of Africa.
Anna Hibiscus is an excellent choice for 1st through 3rd grade readers transitioning from easy readers to chapter books. Parents looking for a good early chapter book to read aloud to younger children will also want to check this out.
-John D.
Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.
The brief episodes in Anna Hibiscus provide sweet little slices of life in Africa, as setting and character play a particularly large role in the book’s appeal. Young readers will enjoy comparing and contrasting the African setting with their own surroundings, noticing similarities in the prevalence of cell phones and the internet, while also spotting important cultural differences, such as the custom of using one’s fingers when eating a traditional African meal. The low-key narration owes much to oral storytelling, and the reader will feel as if she is sitting at the feet of Atinuke as she spins delightful tales about Anna. The text is complemented by Lauren Tobia’s cute drawings, which further depict the people, dress, food, and landscape of Africa.
Anna Hibiscus is an excellent choice for 1st through 3rd grade readers transitioning from easy readers to chapter books. Parents looking for a good early chapter book to read aloud to younger children will also want to check this out.
-John D.
Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.
March 21, 2012
I would give this to:
- Families looking for a fun, gentle read-aloud. I can imagine this working for 4 year olds (who like to listen to longer books) on up through 1st or 2nd graders.
- Kids who are looking for chapter books a little more challenging looking than The Jackson Friends Series (like Pa Lia's First Day) by Michelle Edwards or the Little Rat books by Molly Bang.
- Kids who like the Clementine books by Sarah Pennypacker. This one is a little shorter and might feel a little easier than Pennypacker's titles, but I think it would still be enjoyable
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. I really enjoyed it, though my daughters, who devour books with super-exciting plots, would probably not read this themselves.
- Families looking for a fun, gentle read-aloud. I can imagine this working for 4 year olds (who like to listen to longer books) on up through 1st or 2nd graders.
- Kids who are looking for chapter books a little more challenging looking than The Jackson Friends Series (like Pa Lia's First Day) by Michelle Edwards or the Little Rat books by Molly Bang.
- Kids who like the Clementine books by Sarah Pennypacker. This one is a little shorter and might feel a little easier than Pennypacker's titles, but I think it would still be enjoyable
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. I really enjoyed it, though my daughters, who devour books with super-exciting plots, would probably not read this themselves.
June 11, 2011
Anna Hibiscus is the perfect multicultural story for 2nd and 3rd graders. Anna lives in Africa with her parents, grandparents, lots of aunts and uncles, and cousins. Her house is a compound and she is never alone. Each of the four chapters (Anna Hibiscus on Holiday, Auntie Comfort, Anna Hibiscus Sells Oranges, and Sweet Snow) is a story that can stand alone. The reader learns many facts about how a child's life is very different in Africa. Anna also learns a few tough lessons about how fortunate she is in Anna Hibiscus Sells Oranges.
This book would be perfect to read a chapter aloud to a class an an introduction to other cultures. A great way to compare and contrast our lifestyle with Anna's as well.
This book would be perfect to read a chapter aloud to a class an an introduction to other cultures. A great way to compare and contrast our lifestyle with Anna's as well.
April 4, 2012
I loved reading this book with my daughter. It is precisely the type of book that more kids should read in order to show young learners the many different types of people there are in this world. Each chapter begins with the same refrain: "Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. Amazing Africa" (7). The repetition sets the stage for the amusing focus in each chapter but also reminds us that we are in fact somewhere other than the United States. I mostly enjoyed the ways in which the story focused on different ways of life in Africa, not merely on the privileged. Anna's experiences are universal yet specific to her African homeland, providing for a great experience for children!
October 13, 2013
Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke (2010)
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Format: Book
Plot summary: Anna Hibiscus lives in beautiful Africa with her large, extended family.
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory (strong language, sex, death, religious overtones, violence, etc.)
Review citation (if available):Pierce, Lonna. School Library Journal , Jan2013, Vol. 59 Issue 1, p60-60,
Section source used to find the material: MCPL Booklist "Realistic Stoires"
Recommended age: 1st-3rd grade
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Format: Book
Plot summary: Anna Hibiscus lives in beautiful Africa with her large, extended family.
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory (strong language, sex, death, religious overtones, violence, etc.)
Review citation (if available):Pierce, Lonna. School Library Journal , Jan2013, Vol. 59 Issue 1, p60-60,
Section source used to find the material: MCPL Booklist "Realistic Stoires"
Recommended age: 1st-3rd grade
June 18, 2014
Anna lives in Africa with her very large family...grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins, mom, dad and her brothers Double and Trouble. She is a sweet girl whose life is quite different from a typical American child, especially one who grows up in the city. My 9 year old and I enjoyed reading this book separately and discussing it together.
June 30, 2024
I was surprised how much I ended up liking this book. Will come back and read again when my babies are 6 as well. Kept the attention of 8yo boy and 6yo girl and 3 yo boy, and I hope they go to bed thinking about some of the lessons Anna Hibiscus experienced, rather than having to learn them all themselves the hard way.
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