"My dad says if you lose a tooth in Africa and put it under a gourd, you will get a chicken from the African Tooth Fairy!" That's Amina speaking, as she and her family set out from their home in Portland, Oregon, to visit her father's family in Bamako, Mali. Amina's older sister, Penda, was eight when she wrote this charming and true personal narrative about Amina, and their father, esteemed children's book artist, Baba Wagué Diakité, illustrated it. His vibrant folk art paintings on white ceramic tiles depict daily life in the family compound in Bamako, where Amina eats with her family from a big communal bowl, sleeps under a mosquito net, and plays games with her cousins. Best of all, when her wobbly tooth finally falls out, she gets two beautiful black and white chickens to care for.
THEMES: AFRICAN AMERICANS. CHICKENS. FAMILY LIFE. TRAVEL.
- A glossary, a song, and a recipe for African onion sauce round out a book filled with charm.
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