Hooray for Anna Hibiscus!

Gr 1–3—Anna Hibiscus is a young girl who lives in West Africa. Although her life and her customs differ from those of children in other countries, she shares the same childhood curiosity and emotions. Anna lives in a big white house with her immediate and extended family. In these four tales, listeners follow along with Anna as she starts school, sings for a foreign president, refuses to get her hair braided and has to deal with the consequences, and learns how her life differs from the lives of her grandparents and how people on the poor side of her city struggle to survive. Anna has a playful and silly side, so her stories make for fun listening. Mutiyat Ade-salu narrates Atinuke's second title (Walker, 2008) in the series with a sweet voice, using African accents for speaking roles and painting a clear picture of Anna's adventures. A great choice for classroom or home listening.—Jenny Ventling, Greene County Public Library, OH