Thursday, January 24, 2019

Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora


A generous woman with a yummy pot of red stew discovers the joys to be had in giving in this sweet book. 

And just so you know, you pronounce Omu like Ah-moo. Omu means queen in Oge Mora's parent's Nigerian. Omu is what Mora called her grandmother--Queen. I love that!


The collage illustrations are vibrant and fun


Omu makes a lovely pot of red (calico) stew. She is quite sure this will be her best ever dinner.


While it cools, she sits down to read her book. I love her. 

While it cools, the delicious smell wafts out to the neighborhood. 


(You might not be able to see it, but her potholder is made out of a scrap of a map. Which I love)

Throughout the afternoon, she shares her best ever dinner with a boy, a police officer, a hot dog vendor and many others. 


Until finally, Omu has nothing left to share. Just when she is feeling a bit down about this situation, there comes a knocking on the door. 


And all the grateful recipients of Omu's generosity have returned bearing gifts of food for Omu's dinner. 


Generosity takes center stage here, but I love that a sense of community and the ten fold return on that generosity are also bit players. 

Through sharing, Omu has enriched the lives of her neighbors and that has enabled them to be generous as well. 

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