Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends! Fall is around the corner…and that means lots of new books from the publishers! As you know, I especially love sharing books written by kid-lit friends…and what makes this one even more special is that it is the author’s picture book debut…PLUS, the talented Doris Imahiyerobo-Umoinyang is offering a FABULOUS GIVEAWAY which you’ll find out more about when you scroll through the post. But first, let’s get a look at the cover.

MEET FREIDA AMENZE FRIDAY

Written by Doris Imahiyerobo-Umoinyang

Illustrated by LaRonda Gardner Middlemiss

Published by Spork/Clear Fork

Ages: 5-8

Themes: Diversity, self-esteem, Nigerian culture

Synopsis: From Amazon
Freida Amenze Friday is starting at a brand-new school, and she’s nervous. With a unique name, Nigerian parents, and homemade lunches that smell different from everyone else’s, she worries she’ll never fit in. But with a little courage, a lot of Puff-Puffs, and the support of her family, Freida discovers that being herself is the best way to belong.

This heartwarming picture book celebrates culture, identity, and the power of embracing what makes us unique. Inspired by the author’s own childhood as a first-generation Nigerian-American, Freida’s story encourages kids everywhere to be proud of who they are-because standing out can be the very thing that helps you fit in.

1. Why I Love This Book
   1. I love books that act as mirrors and windows…helping children feel seen and heard while introducing kids to cultures they may not know much about.
   2. I love books that are filled with vivid art which engages young readers and keeps them turning the pages.
   3. I love books that inspire children to be inclusive and compassionate.

And I also love when authors stop by to share a little bit about how their stories came to be.

ME: Welcome, dear Doris! You know how excited I am for your debut picture book…you’ve put in so much HARD WORK and LOVE…and I’m so proud of you! Can you share a bit about the book?

DORIS: Thank you so much for inviting me, dear Vivian. I am happy to share a bit about the book as well as answer any questions you may have.

ME: What inspired Meet Freida Amenze Friday?

DORIS: The inspiration for Freida came from my own childhood experiences of feeling different.

I was bullied for the way I looked, the way I smelled, and even the foods I ate. Things that were completely normal and familiar to me at home suddenly became things that made me feel like I stood out at school. I learned very early that something being unfamiliar to someone else doesn’t make it wrong, strange, or less worthy of respect.

There is a saying I love: “Don’t yuck someone else’s yum.”

That idea became part of the heart of Freida’s story.

Food is such a powerful way to introduce children to culture because it invites curiosity. Instead of saying, “Why do you eat that?” or “Why does your food smell like that?” we can teach children to ask better questions: What gives this food its smell? How is it prepared? Where does this tradition come from? What does it mean to your family?

Curiosity can either create distance or build a bridge, depending on how we use it.

Freida is my way of inviting children to cross that bridge.

ME: Why was it important for Freida to be Nigerian-American?

DORIS: I am proudly Nigerian, and I am proudly American. I don’t see those identities as competing with one another.

For many children of immigrants, however, learning how to hold both identities can be complicated. There can be pressure to fit in, to sound a certain way, eat certain foods, pronounce your name differently, or sometimes even distance yourself from the culture your family came from.

But I believe children shouldn’t have to choose.

Meet Freida Amenze Friday is about the beautiful—and sometimes messy—journey of figuring out how to blend two worlds. It isn’t always easy. There are expectations, traditions, beliefs, language, food, family dynamics, and cultural differences to navigate.

But it can also be incredibly rewarding.

And the truth is, whether we choose it or not, the world is going to ask us to interact with people who are different from us. I want children to have the tools to do that with curiosity, confidence, kindness, and respect.

ME: Why does this story feel particularly relevant right now?

DORIS: We are living through a time when conversations about immigration, identity, race, belonging, and who is considered “American” can feel incredibly heated.

I am deeply empathetic toward immigrants and families who are navigating uncertainty and fear. At the same time, I believe we can hold two ideas at once: We can have compassion for people and their circumstances while also believing in laws, due process, and the importance of a functioning legal immigration system.

For me, those ideas aren’t contradictory.

What I hope Freida encourages is a more human conversation. Before we make assumptions about someone’s name, accent, food, clothing, family, or where they came from, can we pause and become curious?

Can we ask questions without making someone feel like they have to defend their existence?

Can we learn about one another without requiring anyone to abandon where they came from?

Those are conversations I hope this book can begin in classrooms, libraries, homes, and communities.

ME: What do you hope children take away from Freida’s story?

DORIS: I hope children who have ever felt different see themselves in Freida and realize that different does not mean less than.

I hope children of immigrants understand that their journey of balancing cultures may not always be easy, but there is tremendous beauty in being able to carry more than one world with you.

And I hope children who haven’t experienced that struggle learn to become better friends and classmates to those who have.

Sometimes inclusion isn’t about having all the answers. Sometimes it starts with learning how to ask a better question.

ME: What was the journey to publication like?

DORIS: Let’s just say…Murphy’s Law definitely showed up for this book!

Everything that could happen, happened.

There were challenging moments, delays, disappointments, and plenty of times when I wondered whether I should keep going. Publishing a children’s book is not nearly as simple as having an idea, writing the manuscript, and seeing it on a bookshelf.

There is so much that happens behind the scenes, and some of it is incredibly difficult.

But I kept going.

That is probably one of the biggest lessons I took away from this experience: don’t give up on the story you believe needs to be told.

If I could encourage another aspiring children’s book author, I would say: Keep writing. Keep learning. Keep submitting. Keep revising. Keep showing up.

And when Murphy’s Law comes knocking, take a breath, adjust, and keep moving.

ME: What would you say to other authors who are trying to break into children’s publishing?

DORIS: Be the change you want to see in children’s literature.

Write the stories you wish you had as a child.

And don’t underestimate the importance of seeing yourself represented in a book.

When I think about the little girl I once was—the child who was teased because of how she looked, smelled, spoke, and ate—I realize that Freida is in many ways a response to that little girl.

I couldn’t change what happened to me as a child.

But I can help create a different experience for another child.

And that is incredibly powerful.

ME: How can parents and teachers talk to children about cultural differences without making children from different backgrounds feel like they are “the other”?

DORIS: I think it begins with teaching children that differences aren’t something to fear or ridicule. They are opportunities to learn. We can teach children to ask questions respectfully, listen to the answers, and understand that they don’t have to adopt someone else’s culture to appreciate it.

ME: In a time when conversations about race and immigration can be so divisive, what role do you believe children’s books can play?

DORIS: Children’s books can give us a place to begin conversations before children inherit the fear, assumptions, and divisions that adults sometimes carry. A story can allow a child to meet someone different from them and first see that person as a child—with feelings, family, humor, hopes, and dreams. That human connection matters.

I also believe we can teach children that compassion and respect for immigrants do not require us to abandon the idea of laws or due process. We can have thoughtful conversations about immigration policy while remembering that the people affected by those policies are human beings.

ME: What do you hope children learn about being American from Freida’s story?

DORIS: I hope they understand that being American doesn’t require everyone to look, sound, eat, or live the same way.

America is a country made up of people with different histories and traditions. Loving where your family came from doesn’t make you less American, just as embracing American life doesn’t require you to reject your heritage.

Freida doesn’t have to choose between being Nigerian and being American.

She gets to be both.

ME: Oh Doris…I love all of this so much! Thank you for being so generous with your time…and with your insights and inner thoughts! And thank you for sponsoring this FABULOUS GIVEAWAY.

Here’s a little bit of info about Doris:
Doris Imahiyerobo is a Nigerian-American children’s book author, educator, and advocate who believes every child deserves to see their culture and identity represented with authenticity, dignity, and joy.

She holds a Master’s degree in Education Administration and has more than two decades of experience in early childhood education, including serving as a director of centers with up to 150 children and leading teams of 40 educators.
Doris’s own childhood experiences with bullying and exclusion because of her cultural differences did not diminish her love of education—they inspired her to become the change she wanted to see. Today, she advocates for culturally sensitive and accurate children’s literature in schools and classrooms.
Her debut picture book, Meet Freida Amenze Friday, follows a first-generation Nigerian-American girl navigating identity, belonging, cultural pride, and the sometimes humorous journey of growing up between two cultures. Doris hopes her stories help children embrace what makes them unique while developing curiosity, empathy, and respect for others.

Dear friends…ONE LUCKY PERSON is going to win a SIGNED copy of MEET FREIDA AMENZE FRIDAY…and also a VIRTUAL COOKING LESSON WITH DORIS! Yes! The winner gets to make Puff-Puffs, the recipe you’ll find at the back of the book.

Check out the graphic for all of the particulars…you need to follow me and follow Doris…you need to repost this post on your social media…and you need to TAG TWO FRIENDS in your post. You can share on Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook – whatever your favorite social media platform is…and of course, you can share on more than one platform…let’s help spread the word about this important book! And in your comment, please share about a time you were embarrassed or surprised or proud of something in your culture or heritage.

Helping books become successful so they will get into the hands of young readers is our end goal, right? Here’s how YOU can help.
Buy the book
Review the book on Amazon
Review the book on Barnes & Noble
Put the book on your Goodreads Want-To-Read Shelf and review it after you read it
Ask your local library to purchase copies of the book for their collection
And of course, Spread The Word!

Thank you for spending your precious time with us! Don’t forget to enter the Fabulous Giveaway!!! And have a wonderful weekend.