Jollof Day

Illustrated by Annalise Barber-Opp
Hardcover
$19.99 US
10"W x 10"H
On sale Jan 28, 2025 | 40 Pages | 9780593406441
Preschool - 3
Reading Level: Lexile AD610L | Fountas & Pinnell N
A picture book bursting with life and flavors about a son and his father cooking up a beloved dish that originated in West Africa—jollof recipe included!

Early in the morning while the sun is still rising, a young boy wakes his father for something special—it’s Jollof Day!

With clanging pots and pans, lots of chopped tomatoes and onions, and a secret blend of spices, this father and son dance to the music of kitchen noise while something delicious burbles on the stove.

With bouncing text that begs to be read aloud and exuberant illustrations full of momentum, Jollof Day is a celebration of the dishes that bring a family together.
Bernard Mensah works in software engineering by day and writes stories by night. He is the author of titles like Esi the Brave and Yawa the Adventurer. He is passionate about Black and African representation in publishing and founded HabermanNerds to nurture and promote African storytelling. He grew up in Ghana, climbing trees, playing soccer, and dreaming up stories at the library. Bernard now lives in the United Kingdom with his two rambunctious boys. View titles by Bernard Mensah
"Mensah’s bouncy text makes lovely use of alliteration and vocabulary . . . vibrant, billowing illustrations and illustrated text that dances across the page. . . . this one will make an ideal read-aloud any day of the year." —Kirkus
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo

About

A picture book bursting with life and flavors about a son and his father cooking up a beloved dish that originated in West Africa—jollof recipe included!

Early in the morning while the sun is still rising, a young boy wakes his father for something special—it’s Jollof Day!

With clanging pots and pans, lots of chopped tomatoes and onions, and a secret blend of spices, this father and son dance to the music of kitchen noise while something delicious burbles on the stove.

With bouncing text that begs to be read aloud and exuberant illustrations full of momentum, Jollof Day is a celebration of the dishes that bring a family together.

Author

Bernard Mensah works in software engineering by day and writes stories by night. He is the author of titles like Esi the Brave and Yawa the Adventurer. He is passionate about Black and African representation in publishing and founded HabermanNerds to nurture and promote African storytelling. He grew up in Ghana, climbing trees, playing soccer, and dreaming up stories at the library. Bernard now lives in the United Kingdom with his two rambunctious boys. View titles by Bernard Mensah

Praise

"Mensah’s bouncy text makes lovely use of alliteration and vocabulary . . . vibrant, billowing illustrations and illustrated text that dances across the page. . . . this one will make an ideal read-aloud any day of the year." —Kirkus

Photos

additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo

Reading with Purpose Summit Event

On Monday, June 10th, Penguin Random House Education and DK Learning co-hosted a Reading with Purpose Summit Event in collaboration with Molly Ness, PhD. The event took place at Penguin Random House’s NYC headquarters and included sessions featuring leading education experts and a lunchtime author panel. The in-person professional learning event was built to show

Read more

2024 Elementary School Collection

The Penguin Random House Education Elementary School Collection features outstanding fiction, nonfiction, and picture books from Penguin Young Reader’s, Random House Children’s, DK, and Grupo Editorial, as well as children’s publishers distributed by Penguin Random House. Explore online or download this valuable resource to discover great books in specific topic areas such as: Leveled Readers,

Read more

DK Learning Phonic Books Sampler Request

Thank you for your interest in DK Learning | Phonic Books. To download the DK Learning | Phonic Books sampler with four complete readers, please click here and complete the form. Once your information is successfully submitted, a link to download the sampler will be provided on the confirmation screen.   Click here to learn

Read more

PRH Education Translanguaging Collections

Translanguaging is a communicative practice of bilinguals and multilinguals, that is, it is a practice whereby bilinguals and multilinguals use their entire linguistic repertoire to communicate and make meaning (García, 2009; García, Ibarra Johnson, & Seltzer, 2017)   It is through that lens that we have partnered with teacher educators and bilingual education experts, Drs.

Read more