A young boy on a crowded bus discovers that, after some wiggles and giggles, there’s room for everyone in this lighthearted rhyming picture book set in Zanzibar.
The dala dala rumbles and roars as Musa and Dada drive off to the shore—but the bus stops for multiple detours: “Do you need a ride? It’s hotter than peppers out there in the sun! Come in, there’s room for everyone!”
One stop becomes two stops which soon becomes ten, and Musa wonders when it will end: “How can any more people get in? We’re already smushed like sardines in a tin!” But there's always room for one more, if you make the room, which is the heartwarming take-away from this bouncy, joyous tale in rhyme.---from the publisher
40 pages 978-1534431393 Ages 4-8
Keywords: bus, family, rhyme, fun, diversity, diverse books, Africa, stories in verse, 4 year old, 5 year old, 6 year old, 7 year old, 8 year old, African author
Read alike: Mushrooms in the Rain
Meet the author: Naaz Khan is a writer and educator with a diploma in refugee studies from the American University in Cairo, and a master of arts in international education from Columbia University. She draws inspiration from her experiences living in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kenya, and India, where she was born. She currently lives in Washington, DC, where she makes room for hiking, biking, working for An Open Book Foundation, interfaith gatherings, and playing her ukulele.
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Musa and her Dada are rumbling along aboard the daladala on their way to the shore by the blue crystal waters of ..... Zanzibar. Yep, we are not in Kansas anymore. How lovely. How wonderful to take our children around the world - get them curious about where this country might be located on our planet - and perhaps make them dream of seeing those blue waters. But I digress...
When suddenly the bus driver honks and stops and then asks one old man if he needs a ride. That man with his sweaty old feet and his bike with no seat (rhymes) climbs in much to Musa's DISMAY. But you know what? Turns out there is just enough room - plenty of room - for those sweaty feet. On they go.
Next the daladala stops and the bus driver invites a herder with two (count 'em) two goats and a vendero with three baskets of fruit ---could there possibly be room enough for this crew?
THE MITTEN, THE UMBRELLA, MUSHROOMS IN THE RAIN have all asked the question- will there - could there possibly be - enough room for more?
With a wiggle and a giggle it turns out ....well, I guess you need to take that ride to the crystal blue waters and see just how it turns out. Fabulous, highly entertaining, diverse books at their best - and so, so much fun.
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
