ZORA, THE STORY KEEPER

When Aunt Bea can no longer tell stories, young Zora becomes the new storykeeper.

Zora loves hearing family stories from Aunt Bea, who taught acting and uses her theatrical skills, including costumes, to evoke various relatives. Through the family book filled with photographs, names, and dates, combined with Aunt Bea’s storytelling, Zora learns about Grandma Jean’s swim coaching days and Grandpa Tom’s preaching. Zora’s page is near the end of the book, and Zora wonders which parts of her life Aunt Bea will focus on. When Aunt Bea becomes weak, her storytelling suffers, and Zora helps her with the stories. Before they reach Zora’s pages in the book, Aunt Bea dies. But she has left Zora the book, with Zora’s role named on her pages and an envelope of photographs to add to the book, including ones that tell a story of Aunt Bea’s life. This deeply moving tale of family history and connections, loss, memory, and legacy offers a beautiful way to talk to children about the contributions people make during their time on this Earth and is a striking representation of a Black family full of ordinary and outstanding people. Every word of Wilkins’ text is well chosen, and Coulter’s stunning, emotional art, a unique combination of photographs and mixed media, is a memorable visual depiction of a range of tender moments. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Powerfully immersive.