Anna Hibiscus

Product Information

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. According to the author’s note this is set in Nigeria where Atinuke grew up and since Anna’s city is a lagoon it’s probably Lagos, but I would be surprised if most kids (and their parents) sat down to puzzle that out.

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In the 8th title of the series about the universally loved Anna Hibiscus, written by internationally renowned Nigerian storyteller Atinuke, Anna Hibiscus is worried: her twin brothers, Double and Trouble, have boundless energy. 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 text is complemented by Lauren Tobia’s cute drawings, which further depict the people, dress, food, and landscape of Africa.

That is because the stories tackle key issues such as living in an inter-generational household, the tensions of having family in the diaspora, the challenges of living with gross inequality, the experience of urban-rural divides in a family and many others. I really enjoyed it, though my daughters, who devour books with super-exciting plots, would probably not read this themselves. 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. 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.

but really what made these stories so great was the sweetness and humor of the various family interactions, which are universal. 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.

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. Anna Hibiscus is an excellent choice for 1st through 3rd grade readers transitioning from easy readers to chapter books. Atinuke is a professional storyteller which makes her books great as read alouds given the terrific sentence rhythm and word choice. In the final book of this wonderfully charming illustrated series, Anna Hibiscus proves just how amazing she is. Admittedly, I would have liked Atinuke to give her books a country and not just a vague “Africa” for where they take place.

The eighth and final title in this brilliant series about Anna Hibiscus, who lives in Africa with her large extended family, by an internationally renowned Nigerian storyteller. We're learning about different cultures, and this book set was the perfect choice to learn about African culture. The author, Atinuke, creates a likeable character, a little girl children will relate to, seeing much of themselves in her stories.