Too Small Tola Gets Tough

January 1, 2023

Gr 2-4-In this series addition, Tola and her family face the challenges of COVID-19. The Nigerian girl lives in a run-down room in Lagos with her Grandmommy, braniac sister Moji, and mechanic brother Dapo. One day, the talk turns to countries like London having their citizens lockdown in their home. Grandmommy feels like that this would not happen in Nigeria because of people needing to work desperately to survive. Soon enough, the lockdown reaches Lagos, and citizens are told by the police to remain at home. Moji's teacher comes to collect her so she can stay with her and keep up with schoolwork. Dapo's boss also comes to get him so he can continue to work on cars. Once both her siblings leave, Tola and Grandmommy grow despondent. As Tola and Grandmommy start to run out of food and money, their neighbor Mr. Abdul suggests Tola go work for a wealthy family, the Diamonds, who need a house girl. Tola begins to adapt to her job. She happens to see that the receipts for the Diamonds's generator oil don't add up, and informs Mr. Diamond. He is so happy that Tola stopped him from being robbed that he gives her enough money for three years of Grandmommy's rent, and the girl gets to finally reunite with her beloved family. Atinuke's stories interweave with Iwu's charming illustrations so effortlessly that readers will be enthralled by the Tola's timely adventures. VERDICT This gives readers and their families a big message of hope, strength, and triumph in this series addition about COVID-19.

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February 15, 2023
A young Nigerian girl grapples with the impact of a global pandemic. While the run-down apartments Tola lives in may not look like much, they are home to her family--Grandmommy, brother Dapo, and sister Moji. Dapo, 15, has a job as a mechanic that brings in so much money that Grandmommy doesn't have to sell groundnuts anymore. Moji is focused on the assignments she has to complete for her fancy school, while Tola is excited to show off her excellent math skills now that she attends school, too. Then an unexpected sickness sweeps the globe. Initially, Tola and her community believe it won't reach them, but then things shut down. Moji's teacher invites her to stay at her home so that she may continue her education during the lockdown. Then Dapo's employer sends for him so that he can continue earning money. Finally, Tola and Grandmommy are left alone, but supplies are running low. Tola begins work as a house girl for a notable Nigerian family, whom she unexpectedly helps by using her impressive math abilities. Each new chapter begins with a brief summary of what came before, bridging the tales into a cohesive unit. The author empathetically portrays the harsh reality some populations faced during quarantine, along with the disparity between wealthy and low-income people, in a way that will be manageable for young readers. The plain language and realistic illustrations convey a whirlwind of emotions. Remarkable and timely. (Fiction. 7-9)

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