EARLY CHAPTER BOOK SERIES: Too Small Tola and the Three Fine Girls & Too Small Tola Gets Tough by Atinuke & Onyinye Iwo
REVIEW
Too Small Tola lives with her Grandmommy, her sister, Moji, and her brother, Dapo, in a rundown apartment in Lagos, Nigeria. She loves to go to school and has an affinity for math. The book is divided into three chapters. In each chapter, Tola deals with a different challenge. In Tola Saves the Day, Grandmommy's precious earrings get lost when Moji and Dapo mess around instead of helping Tola clean the rice. Tola's small size proves to be a boon when one of the earrings proves to be especially illusive. In the second story, Tola Takes Control, Grandmommy gets malaria and Tola and Dapo must sell ground nuts in her place, but Dapo isn't much help as he prefers to hang out with the car mechanics set up nearby. And in the third story, Tola and the Three Fine Girls, Tola wrestles with jealousy of three girls who she observes buying fine things. But she discovers that no material possessions can beat the value of support and love at home. I love these stories, not only because Tola is 'mighty' despite her nickname, but also because it gives me a window into what life is like for those from different backgrounds and places as myself. Well-written with appealing black-and-white illustrations scattered through each chapter, Too Small Tola and the Three Fine Girls is a fine, fine, fine book for young chapter book readers.
REVIEW
The three stories in Too Small Tola Gets Tough focus on the experiences of Tola, her Grandmommy, her sister, Moji, and her brother, Dapo, during the lockdown that occurred during the COVID pandemic. Each chapter in the book reads as a separate story. In Trouble for Too Small Tola, Tola gets caught between her Grandmommy and her siblings when rumors of a coming lockdown don't discourage Dapo and Moji from sneaking out to a party, leaving Tola to cover for them. Too Much for Tola finds Tola and Grandmommy alone in their rundown apartment in Lagos, Nigeria facing the lockdown with no income. When no money comes from Tola's father or brother, the food runs out and Tola and her Grandmommy must use rent money to buy food, but it's not enough to satisfy Tola's growling tummy. The help of a neighbor leads to the events of chapter 3. Tola Gets Tough sends Tola off to work for a very wealthy family in order to get enough to eat and provide money for her Grandmommy. It was hard to read about her sleeping alone in a concrete bunkhouse. But Tola is indeed 'mighty' and tough' as she works hard as a house maid and proves her value when she uses her talent for math to catch a thief. I'll admit I'm a huge fan of these Tola stories. Not only do they have a great character in small, but mighty Tola, but the stories also provide a glimpse into a world so different than my own. The writing flows smoothly and the black-and-white illustrations add an appealing glimpse into Tola's world. A great series for young chapter book readers.
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