{"id":39248,"date":"2021-04-18T20:44:18","date_gmt":"2021-04-19T00:44:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=39248"},"modified":"2021-04-18T20:44:18","modified_gmt":"2021-04-19T00:44:18","slug":"review-of-too-small-tola-by-atinuke-illustrated-by-onyinye-iwu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=39248","title":{"rendered":"Review of Too Small Tola, by Atinuke, illustrated by Onyinye Iwu"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Too Small Tola<\/em><\/p>\n

by Atinuke
\nillustrated by Onyinye Iwu<\/p>\n

Candlewick Press, 2021. First published in the United Kingdom, 2020. 89 pages.
\nReview written April 6, 2021, from a library book
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

Too Small Tola<\/em> is a short chapter book about a small girl named Tola, who lives with her older brother and sister and their Grandmommy in an apartment in Lagos, Nigeria. This is a brilliant chapter book, with a girl not wanting to be thought of as small navigating a very interesting setting.<\/p>\n

I like the way this book, as good beginning chapter books do, is full of everyday concerns of a child the same age as a beginning reader. But the everyday concerns of a child in Lagos, Nigeria, are super interesting for an American child.<\/p>\n

There are three stories in the book, with plenty of illustrations along the way. Here\u2019s how Tola is introduced at the start:<\/p>\n

Tola lives in a run-down block of apartments in the megacity of Lagos, in the country of Nigeria. She lives with her sister Moji, who is very clever; her brother, Dapo, who is very fast; and Grandmmommy, who is very-very bossy. <\/p>\n

Tola is the youngest in her family. And the smallest. And everybody calls her Too Small Tola, which makes her feel too-too small.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the first story, Tola goes shopping with Grandmommy. What makes it extra interesting is that she carries what they buy in a big basket on her head. But they end up with heavy loads for both of them and need lots of rest along the way \u2013 rest that comes with treats.<\/p>\n

In the second story, \u201cSmall but Mighty,\u201d their apartment doesn\u2019t have water, so they must go fill their big jerry cans with water from the pump outside the apartments. But there\u2019s a line, and Tola doesn\u2019t want to be late to school, but she has to stop and help Mrs. Shaky-Shaky. That story has a wonderful reversal after a bully is mean to Tola, but Mrs. Shaky-Shaky thwarts the bully.<\/p>\n

The third story has Tola helping their injured neighbor, a fine tailor, get measurements all over the city so he can make fine clothes for Easter and Eid. Tola is as good at taking measurements as the tailor himself, and the story tells about her brother taking her on his bike to different parts of Lagos, meeting many different people.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all about a relatable kid in a wonderfully interesting setting. Tola is indeed small, but mighty!<\/p>\n

atinuke-author.weebly.com<\/a>
\ncandlewick.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Fiction\/too_small_tola.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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