Anna Hibiscus' Song

Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. She is so happy she doesn't know what to do - so she asks around the family, but their answers though good, are not quite enough - until Anna Hibiscus finds her own answer. Anna Hibiscus has already appeared in a couple of longer stories ideal for bed time reading. Here she is presented in full colour through Lauren Tobia's attractive, warm-hearted illustrations that effectively capture a sense of the colour and vibrancy of the African setting while emphasising the close-knit family situation. The illustrations compliment Atinuke's simple, repetitive text as Anna moves from one member of the family to another discovering the different ways her relatives have of finding satisfaction. They all work - but only up to a point, and Anna's discovery of her own way to express her happiness is both neat and satisfying. Young readers will absorb much from this introduction to Anna and her world. It is encouraging to have a picture book that shows not just another culture, but a mixed race family - and though the setting is clearly distinctively African, the family environment and the theme is universal.

Suggested Reading Age 3+