My Day with the Panye

The panye means we are graceful when the load is heavy. We are strong, even when the earth is not. We are family, fed from love.

Fallon is going to the market with Maman. She ties her hair in a sun-yellow mouchwa, and places the panye carefully on her head. Fallon's toes tingle, she takes few few steps towards the door, and, BOOM!, the panye falls on the floor. "Little by little the bird builds its nest," Maman says, "not everything is learned fast.” As they walk past colourful walls under swirls of blue, cloudless sky, Maman carries the panye still on her head, graceful and strong. At the market, they buy their dinner, filling the panye with all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Then, as the sun dances across the sky, it's time to go home, and time for Fallon to try once again to carry the panye. Will she be able to hold her head, graceful and strong, like Maman?

Tami Charles writes books for children and young adults. Her middle grade novel, Like Vanessa, earned Top 10 spots on the Indies Introduce and Spring Kids' Next lists, three starred reviews, and a Junior Library Guild selection. Her recent titles include a humorous middle grade, Definitely Daphne, picture book, Freedom Soup, and YA novel, Becoming Beatriz. Find Tami online at tamiwrites.com, on Instagram as @tamiewrites and on Twitter as @TamiWritesStuff.

Sara Palacios is the illustrator of How to Code A Sandcastle, Flying Girl, 'Twas Nochebuena, and many more books. She is also the recipient of the 2012 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor for her work on Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match/Marisol McDonald no combina, which has been described as "vibrant" and "eclectic." A native of Mexico, Sara graduated from the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico City with a degree in Digital Graphic Techniques and went on to earn BFA and MFA degrees in Illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Find Sara online at sarapalaciosillustrations and on Instagram as @sarapalaciosillustrations.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.