Ain Heath Drew

Ari J. is in the first grade now, and she knew this school year would be perfect. She had perfect clothes. She had a perfect pair of glasses to give her perfect sight. She would be making perfect grades. She had the perfect friends: DJ, Rae, Dylan, and Taj. She even had the perfect teacher, Ms. Windsun. The only not-perfect thing about Ari J. was her wild, unruly, kindergarten hair.

Ari J. is in the first grade now, and she knew this school year would be perfect. She had perfect clothes. She had a perfect pair of glasses to give her perfect sight. She would be making perfect grades. She had the perfect friends: DJ, Rae, Dylan, and Taj. She even had the perfect teacher, Ms. Windsun. The only not-perfect thing about Ari J. was her wild, unruly, kindergarten hair.

“As a lifelong literacy advocate, I seek out children’s books that help kids explore the world around them. Ayo’s Adventure is a journey through the sights and sounds of the African diaspora. I loved hanging out with Ayo on his adventure. I learned so much” – LeVar Burton, actor and children’s literacy advocate" "Ayo told his mother all about the cultures, celebrations, and places he'd visited...He told her how Black people around the world fought, rebelled, and resisted, to create, innovate, and inspire." One night as Ayo sits in front of a world map, his dad explains, "Our ancestors came from many nations in Africa. We are still connected to them today..." "What do you mean, Dad?" "I'll tell you more about this tomorrow, Ayo. Right now, it's bedtime." But when Ayo drifts off to sleep, his dreams take him on an extraordinary journey through space, time and the alphabet to discover cultures of the African diaspora. "H" is for hip-hop, and "K" is kente cloth. "M" is for Mansa Mansa to and "R" is for revolution. He learns just how much the African diaspora has inspired the entire world in this A to Z exploration of Black history and culture. Country labels, inset boxes and pronunciation guides on each page provide additional background information. Extensive endnotes dive deeper into the African diaspora and the cultures featured in the story.