One of my favorite parts of planning a trip is choosing which books to bring along. Reading on vacation adds to the sensory experience of being in a new place—it helps deepen the connection to both the location and the experience itself.
We recently stayed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, a beautiful African-themed resort with buildings that wrap around the savanna, offering views of zebras, giraffes, ostriches, and more. Guests can sample African cuisine at the resort’s restaurants and explore an impressive collection of African art displayed throughout the property. It’s truly a spectacular resort.
I was especially excited to select African-themed books to bring on our trip. It felt like the perfect opportunity to learn more about African culture and animals. Here are the books we brought along and enjoyed:
Mama Panya’s Pancakes is a story of a boy named Adika who is on his way to the market with his mother to buy supplies to make pancakes. Along the way, Adika keeps inviting friends over for pancakes and his mother is sure there won’t be enough to go around. But one by one, all their guests bring a little something and it makes for an abundant meal shared with friends. This is a heartwarming story that gives a look into life in Kenya, as well as introduces Kenyan words and names.
https://amzn.to/439gUC3https://amzn.to/439gUC3
The Lion & The Mouse is a beautifully illustrated rendition of a classic Aesop fable. Set on the African savanna, this is a nearly wordless story of a mighty lion who spares a mouse’s life, and in return the mouse later saves the lion’s life. Pickney’s watercolor illustrations make this such an enjoyable read for adults and children alike.
Bringing The Rain to Kapiti Plain is based on a Nandi folk tale and is told in the rhythmic style of “The House That Jack Built.” It’s about a herdsman who makes it rain on the dry plains by shooting an arrow into the clouds.
We really enjoyed For You Are A Kenyan Child. It’s a rhythmic book that tells the story of a boy who wakes up in his Kenyan village and takes his grandfather’s cows out to graze, then gets caught up in all the village happenings. There’s quite a bit of African language introduced in this story, and my 5 year old gasped and said “Jambo- like Jambo House!” when the word came up in the book. I loved the illustrations and vibrant colors.
We All Went On Safari is an animal counting story. Kids are introduced to ten different African animals as well as some Tanzanian names and attire.
Hop aboard a safari led by the Cat In The Hat! Safari, So Good! is filled with facts about African animals- did you know giraffes tongues are 18 inches long?
This is a sweet story about having courage to be yourself. Gerald is a giraffe who wants nothing more than to dance at the Jungle Dance, but everyone knows giraffes can’t dance. Toddlers and preschoolers love the rhythmic pace of this story.
While not African themed, this comforting classic still fits the vibe. This is a mostly wordless story of a gorilla who steals the zookeepers keys and lets all the animals out of their cages. They all follow the zookeeper home right into his bedroom. This is one of my 2 year old’s favorite books.
Rachel From Florida🪿 