Alliah L. Agostini – författare

Shiny blue cookie tins promise a delicious bite. But what’s inside this one? A sewing kit? Old photos? Shiny car keys?From Teta to Nai Nai, none of the grown-ups seem to know that tins are for cookies! Will this group of friends ever find their treat?Based on the cultural phenomenon of putting random items in cookie tins, this paper-over-board picture book is a hilarious page turning read aloud, perfect for the holiday season or anytime reading.

Some feelings are so big, that one word just doesn’t cut it.It’s the first day of school for Afua! There’s no one word to name her feelings. Is she scared? Excited? Oh wait, she’s scarecited! Her own combination of both. Why should she have to choose?'Flute' is fly cute. 'Shurious' is shy curious. And of course, 'hangry' is hungry angry.As Afua navigates the highs and lows of her first day, she realises the possibilities are endless!SCARECITED ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL is a vibrant and fresh picture book that reminds us all that having the courage to be our authentic self is always just enough, and you can feel more than one big emotion at the same time. If there isn't already a word to describe how you feel, you can make it up yourself!

Get out your shovels and fossil brushes for this delightful Step 2 reader following a family's search for fossils!A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEARAva loves rocks! But what she really really loves are fossils! Ava and her family are on a mission to dig up some fossils. They dig in their backyard, in the park, and by the creek but still no fossils. But Ava will not give up! The family head out to the beach for one more fossil hunting adventure! Will Ava finally be able to dig up her very own fossil? Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories, for children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.

Celebrate Juneteenth and radiate #BlackJoy through traditional food and cultural activities. A commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States, the Juneteenth holiday has been observed in the Black community for over 150 years. In The Juneteenth Cookbook, Alliah L. Agostini, author of the popular children’s book The Juneteenth Story—which won the 2022 Black Kid Lit Award for Best Historical title—brings the tradition to your home through historically accurate recipes and educational family activities. With captivating illustrations of 18 quick and easy recipes, follow along with little Alliah and her grandparents as they explore the historical origins of the holiday through food. Make, share, and enjoy kid-friendly takes on some of the most popular Juneteenth celebration foods, including:   Red Velvet Ice Cream Sandwiches Frances Price’s Calico Potato Salad Saucy Pulled Chicken Sliders with Bangin’ Barbeque Sauce Freedom Fizz (homemade red pop) Hot Links & Chow Chow Relish Corn Muffins with Hot Honey Butter Mac 'n' Please Sweet Potato Pie Bars And more! All recipes use simple and accessible ingredients, which can be easily substituted for a variety of diets and preferences. Each recipe can also easily be multiplied for larger groups, and the instructions are written with families in mind so everyone from toddler to grandparent can participate in crafting the ultimate Juneteenth celebration spread! Alongside all the delicious recipes, you’ll also learn a brief history of barbeque and it’s importance to the Juneteenth holiday and Black culture in America. Keep the celebration going with five fun and educational activity sections that include crafting projects (creating an African medallion necklace and designing your own Juneteenth gear with block printing); table and field games (playing mancala and having relay races); on-site or virtual field trips (visiting museums and historic locations or joining Juneteenth celebrations in culturally important American cities); and dancing to the music of the holiday with Alliah’s Cookout DJ 101 tutorial. These activities are perfect for families, community groups, or classes and bring elements of the road to emancipation and Juneteenth’s history to life. Comprised of 90 percent cooking and 10 percent family and community engagement, The Juneteenth Cookbook brings kids and families a sensory-rich, hands-on exploration of this important and historic American holiday.

Discover the history and importance of Kwanzaa, a week-long December holiday celebrated in Black, African, and African American cultures. In The Kwanzaa Story, little Alliah (of The Juneteenth Story fame) is all grown up and, along with her husband LeVaur, teaches their children Daphne and Alistair why they celebrate Kwanzaa as a family and as a community. This beautifully illustrated storybook shares the origins of the holiday—rooted in Africa, born in Los Angeles—giving historical and cultural context on how a joyful celebration was birthed after the Watts Rebellion and during the Civil Rights Movement. The journey includes:The history of the holiday, complete with timelineKey figures of the Civil Rights Movement and their part in the creation of KwanzaaThe seven guiding principles of Kwanzaa, known as Nguza SabaThe seven core symbols used during Kwanzaa rituals, including the kinara (candle holder) and the mishumaa saba (the seven candles in red, green, and black)How Kwanzaa is celebrated todayAnd more!2025 marks the 60th observance of Kwanzaa. The Kwanzaa Story offers Black, African, and African American children the opportunity to connect with their culture and the holiday in a meaningful way, and to see themselves and their family traditions represented on the page with accuracy and joy. This book also exposes children of different backgrounds to a new end-of-year cultural celebration, taking them on an engaging and educational journey about the principles and traditions of the holiday. This visually captivating guide to understanding Kwanzaa encourages young readers to connect with the holiday and its social impact. Follow along as Alliah and her family discover the cultural significance of Kwanzaa's principles and symbols, providing a tangible element to the holiday that will allow kids and family members to fully and joyfully participate in its celebration. Readers of all ages will love learning about the amazing history and traditions of Kwanzaa through the wise and educational storytelling in The Kwanzaa Story. The Holiday Celebration series from becker&mayer! kids honors the diverse holidays and milestones that shape the cultural fabric of the United States. Though these traditions may have originated elsewhere, brought to our shores by ancestors from around the world, they have endured and evolved to weave the vibrant tapestry of American life. The series includes picture books and their companion kid-friendly cookbooks that share stories uniquely representative of the American experience—an experience that is multilayered, eclectic, inclusive, and joyfully beautiful.Also available from the series:The Juneteenth Story, The Juneteenth Cookbook, The Dia de Los Muertos Story, and The Dia de Los Muertos Cookbook.

Meet Tac, an unusual cat! Her pounce shakes the house, her zoomies are a doozy, and her hairballs are . . . well, fireballs. But she’ll always be family. Right?Perfect for fans of dragons and in the tradition of Not Quite Narwhal, this laugh-out-loud picture book shows that love can overcome even the biggest, most unlikely differences!When Tyra finds a box labeled “free kittens,” Dad says she can pick just one to adopt. So Tyra chooses Tac: a BIG kitten who’s a little different from other cats.Tyra makes sure Tac has tons of toys to play with, lots of cozy places to cuddle, and plenty of love and affection. But everything about Tac, from her zoomies to her hairballs, is bigger, louder, and fierier than other cats.Then one day, Tac’s mischief gets out of control, and Dad says “ENOUGH!” Can Tyra find a way to prove Tac is part of the family, differences and all?With spare, sweet text and humorous illustrations that tell another, more dragon-y side of the story, No Cat Like Tac sends the funny but heartfelt message that family is about being yourselves, but choosing each other.

Nothing like that baby hair, baby waby baby hair! A joyful celebration of newborns and toddlers, highlighting the beauty of their precious curls and coils. An inclusive and rhythmic celebration of babies and their ever-evolving hair, perfect for 3 to 7 year olds still rocking their baby hair.From no hair to 'fro hair and just-got-my-first-haircut-hair, delight in playful descriptions of diverse baby hair styles seen on newborns to toddlers. Love That Baby Hair! encourages young ones in the earliest stages of life to embrace the characteristics that make us special and unique.A perfect read-aloud picture book for young readers to learn about positive self-image and self-confidence.

It’s the weekend, first in June;speaker’s blasting out big tune!Cousins, aunties, uncles, friends,pack the house and fun begins.Shane is shy, but loves to dance—and all year long, he’s picked up cansto earn some money toward his goal:high-tops with a pump-up sole.But then the speaker blows—it’s done!Will this stop his family’s fun?Can Shane come through to save the dayand bring back Big Tune Saturday?Set a vibrant Caribbean-American neighbourhood and told to a rhythmic beat, Big Tune is a story of Black-boy joy that touches on determination, the confidence to express who you are, selflessness, and community gratitude.