Mayen Is Almost Here — Come Meet Her
Some lessons arrive wrapped in a party.
That’s the quiet magic of a good children’s book: it can hand a child something they’ll carry for the rest of their life, and all they think they’re getting is a story about cake and balloons. They don’t notice the gift slipping in through the side door. That’s the point. That’s the craft.
And on June 14th, I get to hand you one. We are taking preorders for the delivery planned on or before 7/5
Mayen and the Unexpected Gift is the book I’ve been working toward, and it’s nearly in your hands. So before launch day arrives, let me introduce you to the little girl at the center of it.
Who Is Mayen?
Mayen is a Lagos city girl who knows exactly how a birthday is supposed to go.
She knows the balloons. She knows the cake with her name on it. She knows the particular joy of a day built around one small queen — and she has every intention of having that day, thank you very much.
This year, though, her birthday takes an unexpected turn. Instead of her usual celebration, she finds herself in her family’s village, Midim — a place of drums and dust and puff-puff, of aunties who do not suffer foolishness, and of children she’s never met. And she is not thrilled about it. (If you have ever watched an eight-year-old be served a plan she did not approve, you already know the face Mayen is making.)
What happens next, I’m going to let you discover for yourself. But I’ll tell you this much: by the last page, Mayen is not the same girl she was on the first.
The best children’s books don’t lecture. They let a child arrive at the lesson herself — and feel like she found it on her own. That’s what I set out to make.
What’s Inside
This is a beautifully illustrated chapter book for readers ages 6 to 10 — old enough to read along, young enough to still believe a story can change them.
It celebrates Nigerian culture without sanding off a single edge: the language, the food, the texture of village life, rendered for children who live between two worlds and rarely see themselves on the page. For the diaspora kids who’ve never seen a heroine who looks like them and sounds like home — this one’s for you.
And because the conversation shouldn’t stop on the last page, every copy includes a bonus learning guide — prompts, activities, and questions for families, students, and teachers who like to keep the conversation going. (There may also be a raffia fan to draw and a hidden flower to find. I’ve said too much.)
Empathy, generosity, culture, and the power of belonging — folded into a story every child can relate to.
Come to the Reveal —June 14th
Here’s the part I’m most excited about.
I’m not just releasing this book quietly into the world. On Sunday, June 14th, I’m revealing it live from Los Angeles—on Zoom, with readers joining from the US, Lagos, T&T, London, and beyond. There will be a live reading. There will be a roll call of every city in the room. There will be chat, a giveaway, and the particular thrill of watching a book meet its readers for the very first time. We are taking pre-orders that will ship in or before July 5th.
It’s free. You only have to claim your seat.
👉 Grab your Zoom invite here — leave your email, and I’ll send the link, plus the first word when preorders open.
And they open that same day. If you’d like to skip the line and order the book-and-workbook bundle directly from me, you can do that right here — same form, same warm welcome.
It’ll be on Amazon too, and wherever you shop for books on July 7 th
The book reveal is Sunday, June 14· 2 PM PST · 5 PM EST · 10 PM Lagos.
There’s a reason I chose this story to send into the world first — but that’s a tale for another post. For now, all you need to know is that Mayen is almost here, she has something to give you, and I’ve saved you a seat to meet her.
Calling readers and the culturally curious individuals. Come celebrate. Bring the little ones. Share and spread the word.
See you on the 14th. 🎈
— Ama
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