I LOVE stories containing African American heroines: The Road to Paris by Nikki Grimes is one!
We need more books with POC on the cover! I found this lovely little book at a thrift shop! Grimes, an African American author, is the winner of several Coretta Scott King awards. The Coretta Scott King Award is awarded to authors and illustrators who promote and embrace all minorities and ethnic groups. Which, now that I think about it, is kinda like me!
But back to The Road to Paris. The main character of the story is a young African-American girl, who is actually mixed. But once the author discusses young Paris’ background, the topic is only barely discussed later, of which I have mixed feelings. Paris is a young child placed in foster care, but who is a delightful child who fits in easily everywhere. The racial issue presents itself briefly in the story, often like in real life: sometimes you are confronted with these issues and sometimes you don’t. And most of the time, Paris is just a young girl.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who reads children’s literature because the main character and most of the supporting characters are African American but yet the story could be about any child. Most any child could relate to Paris’ feelings of starting a new school or making friends or playing in the snow.
Add this to your Diversity Reading Challenge. And grab a copy for a friend.