Welcome to The Cat’s Meow Giveaway Hop! To celebrate Black History Month, I’m sharing the children’s book, The Big Buna Bash. One of my US readers will win a copy of this book courtesy of the sponsor. Keep reading to find out about this book! Be sure to enter all of the giveaways at the bottom of the page.
Thanks to our hosts, The Kids Did It and The Mommy Island
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The Big Buna Bash
by Sara C. Arnold; illustrated by Roberta Malasomma
Age Range: 5 – 8 years
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 3
Hardcover: 36 pages
Publisher: Brandylane Publishers, Inc. (February 5, 2020)
Almaz, a young Ethiopian girl adjusting to her new school and classmates, gets embarrassed when she suggests the word buna—the Ethiopian word for coffee—for a vocabulary activity, as her classmates and teacher have never heard of it. After a hard day of teasing, her family suggests she hosts a Big Buna Bash for her classmates and teacher to help them learn about the significance of coming together to chat over cups of coffee.
The ceremony exposes readers of all ages to a culture different than their own and gives children of diverse backgrounds the courage to open themselves up to their peers.
From the author: “It’s fun to learn about other traditions other than our own,” says Arnold, who learned about Ethiopian traditions as an Aunt to an extended family or both Ethiopian and Israeli decent. “Not everyone is the same, and that’s okay. Children notice differences, so let’s show them that it feels good to embrace and value the things that make each person or group of people different.”
My review
Have you ever been the “new kid”? I have! It’s scary isn’t it? Well, it’s even scarier if you’re the new kid, and you have a different cultural background than your peers. Though I wasn’t culturally different from my peers, it helped me to have a friend take me under her wing the very first day. Almaz has a friend like that at her school. But even having a close friend isn’t enough to stop Almaz from being embarrassed when she uses a word no one in her class has heard of. When she tries to explain, and even tries to have a party, no one understands. However, when Almaz presents her show and tell, her friends change their mind. They want to know all about this new word and the significance of it.
This book is very informative, yet it’s not too difficult for children to understand. The Big Buna Bash is a great teaching tool, not only about what buna is, but also what it means to accept new friends whose customs are different from yours. I think your kids will enjoy this one!
About the author
Sara Arnold is just a woman who loves coffee, especially buna! Born in the U.S., Sara immigrated to Israel in 1981, and teaches English in Jerusalem. She hopes this book will encourage children to understand and respect people different from themselves. You can find her at www.saraarnoldbooks.com or email her at
sa****@ne*******.il
Enter the giveaway ENDED
One US blog follower will win a copy of The Big Buna Bash courtesy of the sponsor. This giveaway is open to the US only to ages 18+. This giveaway is void where prohibited. By entering this giveaway, you’re agreeing to the privacy policies of this blog. Entrants need a profile picture on their social media accounts from which they’re entering, or entry will be void. The winner has 48 hrs. to claim the prize or another winner will be chosen.
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