Kente for Jojo by Bernard Mensah, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

A boy wakes up on a special day and races to put on his Kente shirt. As the family heads out, his father tells him the story of Kente. Today is the day they pick out the Kente pattern for his little brother, Jojo. At the Kente store, Kente line the walls and the workers sit at looms weaving. He wants something special for Jojo, so he approaches one of the weavers and they work together to pick a pattern and weave it just for Jojo. When the boy makes a mistake, it becomes part of Jojo’s Kente too. 

This picture book celebrates Kente and its importance in Ghanaian culture. The book ends with more details about Kente, including a longer version of the legend, a brief history, and what the colors mean. The warm and loving family allows the boy to take the lead in deciding on his baby brother’s Kente, instilling a sense of tradition and responsibility to the entire book. The illustrations are filled with cloth patterns and the glowing characters. Done in collage, paint, pen, marker and thread, the illustrations capture Kente on the page.

A beautiful look at Kente and its importance to one little boy. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Alfred A. Knopf.