AUTHOR: MARA ROCKCLIFF

ILLUSTRATOR: ANN TANKSLEY

Sometimes the best gifts are those that come from people who have little but give all they have. That was the heart behind this true story of a little girl from the Cameroons who reached out to America during one of its darkest periods; the Great Depression.

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: The story most often coming out of Africa is one of poverty- stricken villages in desperate need of help from across the sea. Many well-meaning efforts are initiated to address the issues that make life difficult in this part of the world. For that reason it was refreshing to find a story where the tables were turned and Africans were reaching out to help people in a city miles away in the United States. Dedi is moved by the concern of her missionary teacher who receives news from New York of the struggles people are undergoing during the Great Depression in America. She requests help from her mother and the adults in her village without success. They point out how little they have and the challenge of making ends meet for their own families. However, Dedi’s sincerity touches their hearts and an amazing response takes place. Mara Rockliff and Ann Tanksley provide a moving portrayal of the best of the human spirit in words and illustrations drawn from a true event in the lives of a little girl with a big heart!

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