Jonah Larson

Recommended Ages: Gr.

Plot Summary: Jonah was abandoned by his mother under a tree in his home country of Ethiopia. Zenebach found him and wanted to keep him, but she couldn't add another to her family. She took Jonah to an orphanage. He was adopted by white people in Wisconsin. In elementary school he want through some "rascal years" where he made a lot of bad choices, like ripping up his classmates work, and slide across the floor on his belly after spilling paint. One day he found a crochet needle in a bag of craft supplies and taught himself how to crochet from online tutorials. He started with a dishcloth then learned how to make so many other kinds of things. Once he brought his crocheting to school, he finally stopped getting in trouble.

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Recurring Themes: family, adoption, behavior, race, crochet, calm

Controversial Issues: "white savior" even though it's not expressed that way

Personal Thoughts: My favorite part of this book is how a kid of color is sharing his love of crocheting. While there are lots of kids from Africa into white families, I wonder the impact, legality, and impact of that. I appreciate that Jonah and his family are finding ways to stay connected to the community where he's from. I also wonder if his experience further amplifies the stereotype of Black kids making bad choices, even though it's framed in such a normal way. This book is too long for a readaloud.

Genre: autobiography

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