Overview
A young girl celebrates the courage and cleverness of her ancestors and the generations of resistance they inspired!
Mae and her grandmother, Coco, spend the day preparing Coco’s garden for a full-moon celebration with neighbors and friends. This will be the night that Mae, herself, shares her ancestors’ powerful story of rebellion and survival. Through music, food, and joyous revelry, Coco and her guests honor the legacy of two courageous women—Yaya and Paanza—who carried grains of rice hidden in their braids to forge a new life when they escaped enslavement.
The stories of these West African “rice carriers” have lived on through oral tradition, but are being shared in this picture book for the very first time. Written by a historian and children’s literacy advocate, this celebratory book captures the spirit of good rebellion and great community. It was inspired by real rice carriers, Yaya and Paanza, and includes backmatter text and photographs.
Mae and her grandmother, Coco, spend the day preparing Coco’s garden for a full-moon celebration with neighbors and friends. This will be the night that Mae, herself, shares her ancestors’ powerful story of rebellion and survival. Through music, food, and joyous revelry, Coco and her guests honor the legacy of two courageous women—Yaya and Paanza—who carried grains of rice hidden in their braids to forge a new life when they escaped enslavement.
The stories of these West African “rice carriers” have lived on through oral tradition, but are being shared in this picture book for the very first time. Written by a historian and children’s literacy advocate, this celebratory book captures the spirit of good rebellion and great community. It was inspired by real rice carriers, Yaya and Paanza, and includes backmatter text and photographs.
While major retailers like Amazon may carry A Night for the Rice Carriers, we specialize in bulk book sales and offer personalized service from our friendly, book-smart team based in Portland, Oregon. We’re proud to offer a Price Match Guarantee and a streamlined ordering experience from people who truly care.
We’re trusted by over 75,000 customers, many of whom return time and again. Want proof? Just check out our 25,000+ customer reviews—real feedback from people who love how we do business.
Prefer to talk to a real person? Our Book Specialists are here Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST and ready to help with your bulk order of A Night for the Rice Carriers.