An African Princess - Hardcover

Lyra Edmonds

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0385606176 ISBN 13: 9780385606172

Publisher: Random House Childrens Books, 2004

Synopsis

Lyra's mama tells her that she's a princess from Africa. But Lyra's not sure if real princesses live in the city and have freckles. This story is based on the author's life, about a young girl who discovers her roots.

About this title

About the Author

Lyra Edmonds enjoys painting fast and jogging slowly. She is of mixed
heritage and explores this theme in AN AFRICAN PRINCESS, her first book, which journeys from the tentative realization to the proud acknowledgment that whoever we are is always cause for celebration. Lyra Edmonds lives in East Sussex, England, with her husband, three children, and two cats.

Anne Wilson was born on Ascension Island, in the South Atlantic Ocean, and has lived in England since the age of four. Formerly a freelance
illustrator, she now focuses her work on children's books. She says she
seeks warmth and inspiration by submerging herself in a variety of cultures and environments, then sharing her experiences through her creative life.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–Lyra's mother has always told her that she is descended from a princess captured in Africa and taken to the Caribbean. When the girl shares this information with her schoolmates, they don't believe her, and she begins to doubt who she is: "There are not many African princesses who live on the tenth floor and have freckles like me." One day, Lyra's mother tells her that they are going to visit "our African princess, Taunte May." Although specific places are not mentioned in the text, Wilson's colorful mixed-media illustrations suggest that the girl and her family dwell in a large city in Europe or America and they travel to a tropical, exotic country–in the Caribbean perhaps. Taunte May ends up teaching Lyra about African princesses all around the world who are part of her family. By the time the girl returns to school, she is once again confident about her true identity. Edmonds's delivery of this message is light and brief, but clear nonetheless. There is still room for more books showing princesses of color, making this one a welcome addition. Pair it with Joyce Carol Thomas's The Gospel Cinderella (HarperCollins, 2004).–Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House Childrens Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0385606176
• ISBN 13: 9780385606172
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32