Too Small Tola and the Three Fine Girls by Atinuke illustrated by Onyinye Iwu

Tola lives with her older sister Moji and her younger brother Dapo and their hardworking Grandmummy in Lagos, Nigeria. Daily life is a struggle for this small family but there is love and laughter in their simple home. One of the daily tasks, which the children are expected to complete while Grandmummy is away selling groundnuts by the side of the road, is sorting the rice and removing stones.  This will seem an incredible task to a young reader in affluent Australia. I had no idea cheap rice was sold with stones.

"The family can only buy cheap sacks of rice. Cheap sacks of rice have many small stones in them, stones that must be picked out."

Tola settles into this task but her brother and sister are distracted. Dapo wants to practice with his ball and Moji wants to study on her computer. Tola is unhappy but she is also determined to help her Grandmummy and she knows it is essential to sort the rice. Then there is a disaster. A pair of precious earrings are knocked on the floor.  One is found but it seems as though the other is lost. How can Tola wisely save the day?

In the second story Grandmummy becomes very seriously ill. She has put some money aside for emergencies. The money must now all be spent on medicine and it is up to the three children to work out how to earn money for food because it seems Grandmummy will be ill for some weeks. Moji cannot miss her school work so she cannot help. Dapo should help but he seems more interested in the mechanics who are working near the roadway so it is once again up to Tola to sell the groundnuts. Dapo is annoying but by the end of this chapter you will cheer that he has found a much better way to help his family.

In the third and final story, Tola would love to go to the masquerade parade but Grandmummy explains she cannot go alone. Tola also sees some girls who look very fine. They have more money than Tolo's family. She sees three girls and you can read about them here:

"A girl walking towards her. A girl wearing a pink skirt and a T-shirt embroidered with a silver heart."

"A girl, Tola's age comes out of the shop. She is wearing a pair of jeans ... (that fit) her all the way up and way down and they have no stains at all. ... Her jeans are cool. Her denim jacket is cool. Her hair that falls down her back like a black waterfall looks freshly washed and cool, cool cool!"

"She is staring at (another) girl wearing a traditional buba and blouse in matching bright-red cloth with white aeroplanes printed on it."

Tola longs for new clothes, better hair, and most of all to attend the Masquerade. Grandmummy is so wise. She knows Tola is a very special girl and so she finds a way to make this dream come true.

This is the second collection of stories built round Tola and her family in Lagos; it is a delight. Atinuke is a storyteller herself and these are stories that demand to be read aloud. They are just the right length, full of atmosphere, built round situations that arise out of Tola’s everyday. Books for Keeps

Once again, Atinuke has provided both a window and a mirror for children to immerse themselves in when adventuring with Tola in a different culture, and for children from urban Nigeria to see their homes and communities reflected in a book. Miss Clevelands Reading

As you read this is the second book in the Too Small Tola series. I highly recommended the first book and I am going to say the same thing about the second which is equally good. This is a book series which should be added to all Primary school collections. You can see the art from this book on Onyinye Iwu's web page.