The Magic Callaloo

Per an author’s note, Cooke “pays homage to my ancestors and the roads they walked for freedom” in this “Rapunzel”-reminiscent telling. “Long, long ago, Somewhere far, far away,” the leaves of a callaloo tree grant wishes to a small village’s residents, who “had everything they needed and everything they wanted.” When a greedy man from the village desires “ALL for himself,” he steals the tree and wishes for extravagances, neglecting the plant until only one leaf remains. When a couple who wish for a child are told where the leaf is, they bravely retrieve it, wishing upon it for a child who is born with “luscious Afro curly locks” that grow “far and wide” under their care. The child—Lou—is kidnapped and exploited for years by the evil man, who cuts her hair until a wise old woman persuades him to let her braid it. The intricate patterns (“marked with tenderness”) form a map for Lou to find her way home, where a tiny seed falls from her. Bass’s vibrant gouache illustrations conjure a lush and fanciful landscape, befitting this moving work that twines magic, map, and story. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3–7. (Sept.)