Merce Lopez News Today

Young Musa and his sister hop aboard the daladala that will drive them from town to the Zanzibar shore. The vehicle is already crowded; nevertheless, when the driver sees an elderly man walking his bike, he stops. “It’s hotter than peppers out there in the sun! / Come in, there’s room for everyone!” offers the driver, which becomes the text’s lively and welcoming refrain.

Another year, another January and I am ready to snuggle up with some delightful picture books. Now that school is back in session, perhaps you and your little ones would appreciate a bit of quiet reading time just for fun. When everything around me feels too much (come on, 2022 — you’re supposed to be better!), my brain processes things slowly — even when I’m reading. So, picture books are a perfect antidote to the woes of the world and my sluggish gray cells. If you haven’t become acq...