Koi and the Kola Nuts : A Tale from Liberia by Verna Aardema

We did love this book! The story is everything my mother did teach us about being kind to everyone because life is mysterious. Besides the illustrations from Joe Cepeda are amazing!! It is a great read, funny and cute. A perfect book to read aloud. And it is even better if you play the african accents!!! Definitively A+ from us.

"Koi returned late from his hunting trip and learned that his father, Chief Ogumefu had died. What's more, the village Wise Man had divided the royal possessions among Koi's brothers. All that was left for Koi was a kola tree. Koi picked the nuts and set out to explore the world. Along the way he met a snake, some ants and a crocodile all of whom ask for his help which he gladly gave. Koi then met Chief Fulikolli who told Koi he could marry his daughter and gain half his chiefdom if he could succeed in three challenges. While at first they seemed impossible, those he helped along the way help him in return. Aardema has enhanced this Liberian tale she first published in Tales from the Story Hat (1960) with ideophones (words that mimic the actual sounds)."