Amber likes to visit her Aunt Phoebe who owns "things and things and things." She calls it her "collection of life"but Amber's father calls it "junk. " Aunt Phoebe can tell the history of everything she owns. Much of it comes from the African continent and is part of her family heritage. Amber is especially intrigued with Aunt Phoebe's "talking cloth"-- adinkra cloth from Ghana--because every color and every symbol has a meaning. Sharp oil paintings reflect the pride that Amber feels in her heritage and the enthusiasm for it that she shares with her aunt. (Ages 4-7) Honor Book, CCBC Coretta Scott King Award Discussion: Illustration

Energetic Aunt Phoebe, a collector of life, shows her niece Amber a finely embroidered and hand-printed adinkra cloth from Ghana, which was at one point reserved for royalty. Using her imagination, Amber is transformed by the adinkra into an Ashanti princess. Full-color illustrations.