Our Story Starts in Africa

Award-winning writer Patrice Lawrence's picture book Our Story Starts in Africa is a sensitively told story of Black history from its very ancient origins to its dynamic future, vibrantly illustrated by Jeanetta Gonzales. The story follows Paloma as she visits her family in Trinidad and learns about her ancestral roots through her Tante Janet's tales of warrior queens, talking drums, and treasures. The book explores the journey of her family from Africa to the Caribbean, through colonization and enslavement, to the rise of a diverse and successful community. It challenges reductive narratives often found in children's books about Africa and offers a rich, personal connection to Black history.