Legends of Nigeria for Kids: Yoruba & Igbo Folktales, With Words to Take You

What if a trickster tortoise could teach your child their first words in two languages at once?Legends of Nigeria brings together ten folktales - five from the Yoruba tradition, five from the Igbo - each one a story your child can fall in love with on its own, and each one followed by a short "Words to Take With You" box carrying both Yoruba and Igbo forward, side by side, story after story. Meet Ijapa the tortoise as he tricks a market, outruns a boastful hare, and wins a king's riddle with nothing but patience. Meet Mbe, his Igbo cousin-in-spirit, as one clever lie about "all of you" comes apart in the clouds. Watch a girl learn patience at her grandmother's loom, a boy learn to think four moves ahead over an Ayò board, a humble drummer chosen over wealth and strength, and a shy storyteller find her voice under a full moon.Every tale is honestly sourced - documented tradition or clearly flagged as inspired-by, never invented and passed off as ancient. Every story ends with a Moral Callout Box built for real conversation, not a lecture. And this volume is upfront about its own scope: Nigeria is home to over 370 languages and ethnic groups, and this book carries just two of them, Yoruba and Igbo, as a starting point - with more of the country's languages planned for future single-language volumes in the Legends of Africa series.Perfect for diaspora families building a bridge to two heritage languages at once, classrooms exploring West African folklore, and any child ages 6-10 who loves a tortoise clever enough to get caught.Look for the next volume in the Legends of Africa collection, each one a deeper dive into a single culture's stories, wisdom, and words.