Aneel s grandparents have come to stay, all the way from India. Aneel loves the sweet smell of his grandmother s incense, and his grandfather, Dada-ji, tells the world s best stories. When he was a boy, adventurous, energetic Dada-ji had the power of a tiger. Hunh-ji! Yes, sir! He could shake mangoes off trees and wrangle wild cobras. And what gave him his power? Fluffy-puffy hot, hot roti, with a bit of tongue-burning mango pickle. Does Dada-ji still have the power? Aneel wants to find out but first he has to figure out how to whip up a batch of hot, hot roti Overflowing with family, food, and a tall stack of fun, Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji is sure to warm the heart and tickle the tummy. Hunh-ji! Yes, sir!
Early Years (ages 2-6)
The Leopard’s Drum: An Asante Tale from West Africa
Because Osebo the leopard won’t share his magnificent drum with anyone, Nyame the Sky-God offers a reward to whichever animal presents the drum to him.
This Is the Tree
A lyrical description of the ancient baobab tree and how it provides shelter and nourishment to wildlife of the African plain.
The House With No Door: African Riddle-Poems
A collection of original poems created from riddles of various African tribes.
The Three Little Dassies
In this adaptation of the traditional folktale, three little dassies (also called rock hyraxes) build their houses in the Namib Desert of Southern Africa, hoping for protection from the eagle that lives atop a nearby mountain.
The Royal Drum: An Ashanti Tale
A read-aloud rebus treasure from the Ashanti in Ghana. Who is the laziest animal of all? All the animals gather together to help make a drum for the king of the jungle, but Anansi makes certain that Monkey ends up with the hardest job of all.
How Snake Got His Hiss: An Original Tale
Explains how long ago a self-absorbed snake became responsible for the hyena’s spots, the lion’s mane, the monkey’s chattering, the ostrich’s speed, and its own unique shape.
Nabulela: A South African Folk Tale
When the village girls cruelly trick the daughter of their king, he will forgive them only if they kill Nabulela, a treacherous white-skinned monster. A tale of the Nguni people
Baby Baboon
When lazy Leopard cannot catch Hare for his dinner, he goes after Baby Baboon instead.
Ananse’s Feast: An Ashanti Tale
Unwilling to share his feast, Ananse the spider tricks Akye the turtle so that he can eat all the food himself, but Akye finds a way to get even.