This week in the library, third graders picked up their passports and resumed their round-the-world journey in books. On Monday, students focused on Ghana, a small West African nation. We looked at pictures, viewed the flag, and learned that the word “ghana” means “warrior king” and was the title of the ancient empire which was actually called Wagadugu. Storytelling is an integral part of daily life in Ghana, and the Ananse tales are loved by Ghanians of all ages. We shared the story, Ananse and the Impossible Quest, along with beautiful pictures of embroidered folk art from the book African Tales: A Barefoot Collection, by Geina Mhlophe and Rachel Griffin. We also chuckled at a humorous West African version of Little Red Riding Hood by Niki Daly: Pretty Salma. Students noticed many similarities and differences between this version and the familiar one. We concluded with book browsing and checkout. Happy Reading!
