"Sandwiched between endpapers of yellow-lined paper showing the upper- and lowercase cursive alphabet, this quiet story shouts the pricelessness of literacy.(...)
A marvelous tale of one girl’s passion for reading, writing, and learning." ~ Kirkus Starred Review

“ (…) Younger children will likely relate to and enjoy Ayobami’s perseverance to attend class. The framework of “naming” animals will also likely appeal to early elementary school–aged children, particularly as they themselves are learning about—and how to write the names of—various animals (…) A solid purchase for elementary school libraries.” ~ School Library Journal

"With the feel of an Aesop’s fable, this story is both empowering and reflective of the joy school can bring to children whose lives have been disrupted by war. Beautiful illustrations in graphite, watercolor, and colored pencil lend an ethereal, magical quality to this unnamed place, where dangerous creatures have endearing faces, and
letters of the alphabet flutter around Ayobami like protective stardust." ~ Booklist