The Big Buna Bash: One Little Girl's Story About Being Different and the Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony

My 5 year old granddaughter is partly Ethiopian and I got her this book to teach her about her heritage. It's such a nice story and teaches children about other cultures and sharing their own culture with others without feeling awkward. We plan to host our own Buna Bash this summer when she gets together with her cousins!

This is a wonderful book in teaching appropriate social skills to children and adults who might lack them. Almaz was able to manage her emotions by sharing her disappointment with her friend Eleanor and her family. It also teaches children to be resilient and creative to turn awkward experiences at school or elsewhere because they came from a different culture. Almaz turned her embarrassing moments to teachable moments and became an ambassador of her culture. I recommend this book.This review was based on a complimentary pre-release copy

Teasing can be devastating when you are new at school. And Almaz takes a very brave step when she invites her entire class home to learn about an Ethiopian custom. It's a win-win situation: more understanding, more acceptance. We need more books like this.

Anyone who has a connection to Ethiopia will love sharing this book with young readers.

" Buna means "coffee" in Ethiopia. The buna ceremony is an important part of Ethiopian and Eritrean culture. During the ceremony, the hostess prepares the coffee in front of her guests and then serves it as a sign of friendship and hospitality. A buna ceremony is not only about drinking coffee, but also a way of bringing people together!"This book is just lovely in text and visually. Warning, it will make you want a hot cup of coffee.Almaz, Is a first grade girl and is a a new Ethiopian immigrant. She feels embarrassed during roll call because her name is different from her classmates. Here, Almaz wishes for a regular name like everyone else in the class.One morning in her Language Arts class she makes a mistake concerning a native word Buna, which leaves her feeling very embarrassed. As a result, she is taunted and teased by the other children.At home Almaz breaks down and shares her hurt feelings to her mom and big sister. Big sister says HER friends think A Buna party sounds like a lot of fun. So, they decide to throw a buna bash so her classmates can experience Ethiopian culture and traditions.I like how the family turns a sad, hurtful situation into a happy, heartwarming one. I do believe this age child would be accepting of a different kind of party and want to attend.The illustrations are rich and greatly support the storyline. The story highlights that children should be proud and embrace their heritage and uniqueness in this diverse world. And, we should be receptive and accepting of those who different to us.

My wife, daughter, and I were lucky enough to meet the author in person at a storytime reading of The Big Buna Bash at our local independent bookstore. It was a wonderful experience, and so encouraging to be able to introduce our child to such a beautiful story that celebrates cultural difference and shows kids a way to introduce and share their culture with those who may not be familiar with it. The illustrations beautifully capture the characters's emotions, and make it easy to understand and empathize with where Almaz is coming from. Some adults could benefit from being reminded of what it is like to encounter antagonism born of ignorance and how to compassionately and constructively respond to it. Thank you so much, Sara, for putting this universal and timely story out there, for sharing some of your own personal story in the process, and for creating such a warm space for us to share some of our stories. Everyone should read this book!

I love coffee and this story about how sharing the experience of preparing & drinking coffee together in Ethiopia is encouraging. This is a great introduction to conversations about differences in appearance, celebrations, and experiences. It would make a lovely gift included with coffee and a special cup. Adults and children could enjoy this book together for read aloud time. I was pleased to have the opportunity, provided by NetGalley, to read and review this book.

This is one of my new favorite read alouds! A must have for your classroom!Almaz was feeling uneasy about sharing her culture with her friends at school. Even though she was pretty sure that everyone else's parents loved coffee just as much as her parents! With her nanas help she learns that sometimes you have to step outside of your comfort zone to share with people! And while it might be scary, most of the time you'll find that you had more in common than you even knew! This book is multicultural, encourages sharing, encourages connecting with others who aren't like you at first glance, and is beautifully written and illustrated! Get it for your kiddos, your friends who love coffee, and for a classroom library!

It is a heartwarming book... teaching us about Ethiopian coffee tradition infused with humourous family stories...