Waiting to Welcome: A New Baby Story from West Africa

by Samantha Cleaver (Author) Bri Marie McNish (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Readers are invited to a joyous cultural celebration full of delicious food, laughter, and love in Samantha Cleaver and Reuben Nantogmah’s charming picture book, adorably brought to life by debut illustrator Bri Marie McNish.

In Ghana and some other west African countries, when a baby is born, the extended family prepares for a whole week to welcome the little one at a celebration called an outdooring. Andani can't wait to meet her new baby cousin, but a week is so long!

As her aunties and uncles prepare cassava, tuo zaafi, fufu, and other delicious foods for the outdooring, Andani will have to patiently (well, okay, sometimes not so patiently) wait to perform the most important job of all: being the first to greet the little one by name.
Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

Kirkus

A joyful tale, steeped in cultural meaning.
Samantha Cleaver

Samantha Cleaver and Reuben Nantogmah have been partners of one kind or another for more than 10 years. Their picture book collaboration started in 2020, when Samantha asked Reuben for input on a picture book idea about a west African outdooring ceremony. Reuben shared his knowledge and insights, and their book Waiting to Welcome was born. Now, Samantha and Reuben write stories that help them share and celebrate their kids' bicultural Ghanaian-American family, traditions, and community. Outside of writing, Samantha and Reuben have four kids, and enjoy exploring local greenways, cooking, and watching Japanese TV with their kids.

Bri Marie McNish is a self-taught illustrator based in New England. At a young age, she was instilled with a love of fairy tales and fables, and now she aims to create art that features inclusive characters and cozy settings she wished she saw in the media she loved as a child. When not illustrating, she has a deep love for black tea, romantic comedies, and especially her loud cat, Garfield. Waiting to Welcome is her first picture book.

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781250883599
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Feiwel & Friends
Publication date
July 16, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV011010 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | United States - African-American
JUV013040 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | New Baby
JUV030010 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Africa
JUV017080 - Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Other, Non-Religious
Library of Congress categories
-

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