Too Small Tola

A very good book. Lovely story and sweet illustrations . My kids are enjoying reading the book . It is fun .

Such a cute book. Recommend for a grade 3 class. The students loved Tola's adventure into the city and the various characters in her community.

These are wonderful books. My 7 year old has read them all, really recommend

As with her Anna Hibiscus series, Atinuke presents the reader with a delightful character that is impossible not to like. Tola lives with her older brother, Dapo, older sister, Moji, and her Grandmommy in a broken down apartment building in Lagos, Nigeria. The book is divided into three stories. The first story finds Tola and her Grandmommy walking to the market to buy supplies which they then have to carry home. Tola's siblings make fun of her for being too small, but refuse to take her place. The trip proves to be busy and exhausting, but is made easier when the two stop for some rest and treats along the way. The second story revolves around Tola's efforts to get to school on time even though she has to help get water from the pump in the street because the water and electricity is off in the building. She runs into a bully and other challenges that make it seem likely she will be late for math, her favorite subject. The last story sends Tola and her brother, Dapo, out running errands to help a neighbor who injured his leg in an accident. Both children learn a lot and have the opportunity to further develop some of their talents as they help their neighbor prepare for the upcoming Eid and Easter holidays. I thoroughly enjoyed reading these stories by Atinuke. She has a gift for pulling her readers into the worlds she creates. I enjoyed the characters, especially spunky, determined Tola, who definitely NOT too small despite her small size. The setting is wonderfully depicted, giving me and young readers a glimpse into a way of life quite different than most places in the United States. Despite the challenges that Tola faces though, she if easy to relate to and a delightful companion for a time. I look forward to reading and sharing this book and future volumes.

Another triumph for Atinuke--and a gift for the children who read her books. She has written the amazing Anna Hibiscus series, the funny and touching No. 1 Car Spotter series, charming picture books, and even an overview for children of interesting information about the countries of Africa. Too small Tola follows the Anna Hibiscus and No. 1 Carspotter books by taking us inside the life of a child of Africa. Anna is the privileged but thoughtful child of a loving extended family in the city; the No. 1 Car Spotter is a poor but industrious and quickwitted child in a rural village; Tola is a poor child in a city, living with her siblings and her grandmother and showing that she can help solve problems that even the adults struggle with. I have shared these books with many children. They bring laughter, compassion, and knowledge about the lives of African families that can help promote international understanding. I cannot praise these books too highly. They are invaluable for children who have connections to Africa and can see themselves in the characters of the books and for children who know nothing about this huge and fascinating continent and the people who live there. I greet every new Atinuke book with joy.

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.