KAMAU & ZUZU FIND A WAY

A boy and his grandmother learn that home is where you make it.

Kamau and Mama ZuZu, both of whom present Black, wake one morning stranded on the moon, unaware of how they got there. With no memories of his village, Kamau is excited for the change of scenery, while homesick ZuZu creates a new life using treasured possessions. Out of the photo of her mother grows “a large quilt of stars to keep them warm,” while the river of tears she cries becomes their drinking water. Meanwhile, worried family members Back Home search for them. After a letter from Kamau mysteriously appears in his father’s pocket, his family writes back, placing their missives in the nearby sea. Realizing that “none of the roads Back Home lead here,” ZuZu resolves to “find a way to live, as people do.” Examining the challenges of being forced to leave one’s home, this visually gorgeous, nuanced work echoes stories from the African diaspora as well as global areas of conflict. Girmay’s folkloric text is simple and straightforward yet deeply moving as she explores the emotions, both good and bad, involved in navigating a life-altering situation. Ejaita’s textured, flat illustrations use saturated color to brilliant effect as bright colors pop off the page against a background of deep, dark blues and blacks.

A stunning and empathetic look at the struggles of displacement.