Synopsis
Do you want to inspire a child to love himself or love herself and love others? Sunne's Gift is the inspirational diversity and inclusion-focused best-selling children's book about Sunne, a magical being or "magbee" with kinky hair that grows toward the sun. The creator, Nyame, imbues Sunne with the power of the sun. Sunne's straight-haired siblings, Earthe, Watre, and Winde have unique powers of their own. When Sunne is teased and bullied by siblings because of Sunne's natural, kinky, curly, "nappy" and spirally afro-textured hair, Sunne desperately tries to change. Join Sunne and the other children as they learn that there is beauty and power in difference. Sunne's Gift's message of self-love, self-esteem, anti-racism, diversity and inclusion, natural hair acceptance, and bullying prevention, coupled with its sci-fi imagery, make it a hit with people of all ages. It is a spectacular gift for any occasion, but it is especially appropriate for baby showers, birthdays, confirmations, rites of passage ceremonies, and graduations. This is the softcover version! The sequel, Earthe’s Gift: How Earthe Overcame Procrastination to Reclaim the Gift is equally powerful and teaches children the social and emotional lesson that they must have grit and a growth mindset to reach their full potential.
Sunne’s Gift is about celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion like Teach Your Dragon About Diversity by Steve Herman, Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor and Rafael López, All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman, and It’s Ok to be Different: A Children’s Picture Book About Diversity and Kindness by Sharon Purtill and Sulata Saha.
Sunne’s Gift is also about protest, power, resistance, and anti-racism in the vein of A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara and Anti-Racist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi.
Sunne, the main character of the book learns to love Sunne’s naturally kinky hair. Therefore, readers who appreciated Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry and Vashti Harrison, I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley and E.B. Lewis, and Big Hair, Don’t Care by Crystal Swain-Baits will love Sunne’s Gift.
It is a story about understanding one’s self-worth and inherent power. In that way, Sunne’s Gift is reminiscent of I Am Enough by Grace Byers and Keturah A. Bobo and Sulwe by Lupita Nyongo.
Finally, Sunne’s Gift is an African diaspora folktale so readers who loved Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe and Why Mosquitos Buzz in People’s Ears: A West African Tale by Verna Aardema will love Sunne's Gift.
*Kirkus Review – Awarded Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2020
"A picture book presents an original fable about a magical being who learns the consequences of believing bullies’ lies.
In the beginning, Nyame, the Creator, is “bored with the barren world.” With just a thought, Nyame makes many magnificent things, then creates four magical beings: Sunne, Earthe, Watre, and Winde. Each of the beings, called magbees, has a special gift and an appearance that symbolizes that power. ….In this series opener, Davis’ beautiful illustrations give the magbees a wonderfully mythical feel. His emphasis on depicting diversity perfectly evokes the theme of valuing differences. Yawson’s language adopts a formal vocabulary—imbued, dwell—to emphasize the folktale tone. Her use of Nyame as the Creator, drawing on the tradition of the Akan people of Ghana, may encourage readers to seek out more original stories from that area. The author’s choice to show the bullies realizing the magnitude of their actions is almost as potent as the portrayal of how Sunne embraces self-worth.
An impressive legend with the feel of an older tale and a highly relevant theme."
-Kirkus Reviews
À propos de l'auteur
Ama Karikari-Yawson earned a BA from Harvard University, an MBA from the Wharton School and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Her unique understanding of social issues, business and the law has enabled her to become a relevant voice on issues as varied as diversity, sexual violence, and personal empowerment. She is a frequent contributor to publications such as The Huffington Post and The Atlantic. In 2013, a painful experience with bullying inspired her to write her best-selling fable about difference, Sunne's Gift. Ms. Yawson became so personally invested in spreading the book's message of healing and harmony, that she quit her six-figure job as a securities lawyer to become a full-time, author, storyteller, speaker, and edutainer. Her life-changing workshops and training sessions incorporate storytelling, drama, dance, history, cutting edge psychological research and legal analysis in order to truly propel participants towards healthier and more successful lives. She is also the creator of the folkloric character for Kwanzaa, Kwanzaa Nana. Through the Kwanzaa Nana series, students learn practical tools for community activism and social justice. Ms. Karikari-Yawson lives in the New York area with her husband and two kids and she continues to write books, perform stories, and conduct training programs. She can be reached at ama@milestales.com and 347-886-2026.
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