Books

Red Robe, Blue Shirt

By Seshil Kim, Illustrated by Sanna Stanley. YeoWon Media, Korea, 2008.

Ages 4-9. A Maasai boy longs for a blue shirt being sold by a vendor. He has neither the money to buy the shirt nor is it socially acceptable for him to wear such a shirt as a member of his village. Eunballet uses all of his creativity to acquire the shirt, but even so is laughed at by his friends until he proves his bravery.

Amistad

Grosset & Dunlap 2005, Story by Patricia McKissack, illustration by Sanna Stanley

Monkey For Sale

Written and Illustrated by Sanna Stanley. Farrar Straus & Giroux 2002, ISBN #0-374-35017-5
Kirkus Reviews: "The observant young reader will detect and enjoy the circular story of trading among the villagers and the inevitable return of the monkey."

It's market day in Luzolo's village, and she has a five-franc coin to spend. Her parents tell her that on market day, "No one gets something for nothing."

She must choose wisely, they say, and bargain for a fair price. There are so many things Luzolo would like to have, but she remembers to be careful as she spends her money.

Then she and her friend Kiese discover that Mama Lusufu has a wild monkey for sale, and the girls embark on an elaborate chain of barters and bargaining to rescue the monkey.

Selected for inclusion in Notable Trade Books for Young People, 2002 by the Children's Book Council and the National Council on the Social Studies Awarded 2002 Henry Bergh Honor in Fiction, Humane Heroes by the ASPCA.

"Delicate etchings in luxurious jungle hues trace the two girls' efforts to orchestrate a chain of trades to save the monkey just in time." Publisher's Weekly

". . . an involving, escalating pace. The unusual techniques of etching and hand-painted chine colle result in black line illustrations on textured paper, richly colored, detaiiled, and surprisingly graceful . . .The folkloric structure of this tale makes it especially suited for reading aloud, while the clearly evoked images of everyday village life make it particularly useful for culturally inclusive collections and curricula." Bulletin of the Center For Children's Books

Monkey Sunday

Written and Illustrated by Sanna Stanley. Farrar Straus & Giroux 1998

The New York Times Book Review (8-17-98): "Great fun to read aloud."
School Library Journal (4-98): "The vibrant folklike illustrations...are alive with movement and color."

Luzolo can't sit still! But there are times when she is expected to, as when her father, the village preacher, is leading a church service. On the day of the Matondo, a celebration of thanksgiving, Luzolo decides that she will show her father that she can do the impossible. But when all the village animals disrupt the ceremony and a monkey swings down from the rafters, no one can sit still!

The Rains Are Coming

Written and Illustrated by Sanna Stanley. Greenwillow 1993

School Library Journal (7-93): "A good read-aloud...a discussion starter on Africa, weather, or language."

Publishers Weekly (4-19-93): "Visually absorbing".

Contact:
Sanna Stanley
18 Harkness Dr., Madison CT 06443, 203-421-1118; SMSanna@aol.com