AUTHOR: ANNE SHELBY

ILLUSTRATOR: JOHN WARD

Visit a country store where the African American owners welcome customers near and far to enjoy much more than the stuff they can buy on the shelves.

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: I bought this book largely because it depicted a black family as entrepreneurs which is rare in children’s literature. Not only do they work together as parents and daughter but also welcome in their neighbors to fellowship and build the connections that are so vital in close-knit rural communities. It also speaks of a simpler time when conversation around a pot-bellied stove could go late into the night and a child’s greatest treasure was a brown paper bag filled with rainbow colored candies. Shelby and Ward’s collaboration is a rich and vibrant slice of Americana that will warm your heart and for some spark a sweet and heartwarming walk down memory lane.

For more about our learning services and resources visit http://www.martacollier.com.