The little regent

Yewande Daniel-Ayoade

Book - 2024

"THE LITTLE REGENT begins with a short blurb, offering context on the Yoruba tradition of regency: "Among the Yoruba tribe of West Africa, when a king dies without a son, his daughter will rule until the kingmakers choose a new king. These female rulers are called regents." The story begins when Abioye is declared the temporary ruler of her West African village following her father the king's death, much to the chagrin of the village chiefs. At first Abioye is afraid--she is only seven after all and has no idea how to rule. But her mother reminds her of her father's wise words: "those who will rule must first learn to serve." The next day, the little regent abandons her stuffy meetings with the chiefs--whe...re she feels that she isn't serving anyone at all--and wanders about the village, taking in the problems of her people and trying to understand how she might serve them. In the meantime, the chiefs complain that Abioye is a bad ruler who skips her meetings and walks about the village like a commoner. The time comes for the villagers to vote for a new king, but they refuse. With Abioye's help, the village has flourished: the fishers catch more fish, the cooks have clean water, and the children have a place to play while their parents go to the big market. Abioye has proven that she understands what it means to serve her people, and her people demand to keep her. For the first time in the village, a female regent becomes king. This is an empowering princess story that breaks away from Eurocentric tropes and sends the message to all children--regardless of gender--that their voices and actions are valuable and powerful. THE LITTLE REGENT touches on themes of service in leadership, gaining respect rather than demanding it, and gender equality. Yewande sets the tone with a hint of folklore and fable-esque nostalgia and builds a lively and immersive setting with details of West African culture that speak to her own Nigerian heritage. It also ends with a significant message that honouring the legacy of our loved ones for the betterment of ourselves and those around us sometimes means breaking with tradition."--

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Subjects
Genres
Fiction
Picture books
Published
Toronto : Owlkids Books 2024.
Language
English
Main Author
Yewande Daniel-Ayoade (author)
Other Authors
Ken Daley, 1976- (illustrator)
Physical Description
1 volume (unapged) : color illustrations ; 27 cm
Issued also in electronic format
ISBN
9781771475624
Contents unavailable.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

The law made her the head of her small West African village, but only her ability to watch and listen will make this little girl a leader. Abioye is 8 years old when her father, the king of her village, dies and she must assume the role of the regent, an interim ruler appointed, per Yoruba tradition, when there is no male heir. Grieving her father and seeking counsel from her mother, Abioye must face detractors who question her ability to rule because of her inexperience and her age. Initially, she even doubts herself. Bright, full-color illustrations show a lively village bustling with activity in celebration of their new leader, even as Abioye herself is somber as she feels the weight of her newfound responsibilities bear down on her and reflects on her late father's approach to leadership. Her loving and supportive mother advises her to follow in her father's footsteps of service-minded rule: "Start by watching and listening." With this, Abioye considers the needs of the cooks, the fishers, the children, and all the villagers beyond the palace walls, which frustrates her chief critics but wins her the overwhelming support of the village, ultimately making her interim role a permanent one. She becomes the first girl to hold the position of king. This empowering, well-paced tale concludes with a hopeful author's note that provides greater context about Yoruba culture. A subtly radical education on service and leadership. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.