written by Giselle anatol
Small-girl Zora knows her stories are going to change the world. Although her neighbors might not believe her outlandish tales, she's sure they're the key to ending the drought in her town. If she can make people laugh at her stories, she'll be able to gather enough tears to bring back her mama's garden and more. But when things don't go exactly as planned, Zora learns that with creativity, determination, and faith, a little magic might be possible.
Filled to the brim with references to Zora Neale Hurston's classic characters and details from her own life, Small-Girl Zora and the Shower of Stories is a joyful tribute to an icon of American literature and the everlasting power of storytelling.
“Figueroa, who illustrated Anatol’s Small-Girl Toni and the Quest for Gold (2023), enlivens Small-Gril Zora’s enthusiasm in full color, effusive with details on every page. Mr. Starks’ store interior is particularly memorable, with signs for S&H Green Stamps and Buster Brown Bread."
-Kirkus
“Double-page spreads highlight Zora’s smallness in relation to the larger world, her expressive brown face and perky braids dynamically relaying her glee as well as her frustrations with the skeptical adults. Mixed-media artwork pops with vibrant colors in Zora’s sky-blue dress and buttery-yellow sun, and texture is used to great effect, particularly in the natural elements such as moss hanging from trees and towering sugarcane.”
-Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“The real delight is seeing the multilayered lives of those folks, from the farmers to business owners to those lounging in mansions, all mirroring the richness of Eatonville’s history. It’s a delight seeing Black history that doesn’t focus on oppression; instead, it’s about the power of imagination and the worth of the written word.”
-SLJ, Starred Review
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