Small-Girl Zora and the Shower of Stories: A Tall Tale Based on the Life and Work of Zora Neale Hurston

Gr 2-6–Not nonfiction but a tall tale, this book tackles the past with wry humor through the character of Zora, a delightful terror in the vein of Eloise or Olivia, but with a softer center. Based on the childhood of Zora Neale Hurston, this Zora is also a storyteller, her joy bubbling through plots that showcase a wild imagination with a strong moral center. Through a mix of equally vital narrative text and speech bubbles, readers see Zora hatch a plan to solve the town’s drought by literally providing growth through her stories. She gathers the tears of joy and sorrow spurred by her tales, using them to help gardens grow and reach the sun itself. Readers witness her frustration at the practical, small-minded townfolk who don’t appreciate the immense value of her yarns. The real ­delight is seeing the multilayered lives of those folks, from the farmers to business owners to those lounging in mansions, all mirroring the richness of Eatonville’s history. It’s a delight seeing Black history that doesn’t focus on oppression; instead, it’s about the power of imagination and the worth of the written word. In the end, Zora’s scheme doesn’t work quite how she thought. But the value of her creativity still gets ­acknowledged and ­admired. ­