Brown Toy Box

Kwesi and Nana Ruby Learn to Swim

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$12.05 $17.99 In stock

Kwesi likes spending time at the lake with his friends, except there's one tiny problem... he can't swim. But guess what? Neither can Nana Ruby! When she comes over for dinner one night, she tells Kwesi about when she moved from Ghana to the US and the history of segregation that kept her out of pools and caused a fear of water among many Black people. "So I will never learn how to swim?" Kwesi asks. But Nana Ruby tells him they will call on the strength of Mami Wata, the sea creature of West African legend, to conquer their fears together. This touching intergenerational story teaches the importance of naming, acknowledging and facing fears. *End notes include more information on West African cultures, including the Akan people, day names, and adinkra symbols. *Teaches kids about the history of segregation of public pools and beaches in an accessible way

Customer Reviews (5.0 / 5 · 5 reviews)

Eli ★★★★★

My niece asks for this one at bedtime constantly now, mostly because Nana Ruby turns out to be just as scared of the water as Kwesi is. The dinner-table scene where they finally admit it to each other got a bigger laugh out of her than anything else we've read this month.

Elizabeth ★★★★★

The way Kwesi's fear of the lake is handled felt so real to my son, who's been nervous about swim lessons himself. Nana Ruby admitting she can't swim either made him laugh and relax about it. We've read it four nights straight now.

Owen V. ★★★★★

My 5-year-old asks for this one at bedtime constantly, mostly because Kwesi is scared of the water just like she is. The way Nana Ruby admits she can't swim either makes it feel less embarrassing for kids.