EMEKA'S GIFT

From one small boy to ten grinning cousins, Onyefulu (A Is for Africa, 1993), crafts a numbers book to teach and delight. Emeka, a little boy from the Igala tribe in southern Nigeria, travels to his grandmother's village. En route, he encounters neighbors and passes through the market, imagining the gifts he would like to take to ``Granny,'' an important part of his extended family. When he arrives at his destination, she makes clear that his presence is the best gift of all. Through Emeka's eyes, readers learn about the lives of the Igala: the spinning game children play, the markets where villagers meet, the brooms and hats used every day, the mortar and pestle for grinding up food. Onyefulu ably relays the rhythm of daily life in full-color photos of musical instruments, the greetings of Emeka's cousins, in his grandmother's face. A graceful counting lesson. (Picture book/nonfiction. 3-9)