Welcome back to Once Upon a Ban! Every month, you’ll receive two newsletters from us. The first newsletter introduces our featured book of the month with a call to action to check it out from your local library or purchase a copy. The second newsletter shares more about the author and, as the months go on, provides updates on book censorship efforts around the country.

We hope you enjoyed this month’s book, Thank you, Omu by Oge Mora, as much as we did! What did you think? Did you decide to read it with your family? Did it spark any interesting conversations?

About Author Oge Mora

Oge Mora is a first generation Nigerian American author and illustrator. Her debut book, Thank You, Omu, began as a class project during Mora’s time at Rhode Island School of Design. It was seen by an art director from Little, Brown and Company who liked the story so much, it was picked up for publication.

The artwork in Thank You, Omu was created with a combination of paint, markers, pastels, patterned paper, and book clippings. Mora received praise for her unique art aesthetic and Thank You, Omu was awarded the Caldecott Honor in 2019 for its illustrations. She also was featured on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for Art and Style in 2021.

More Books by Oge Mora

We’ve spent the last couple of weeks reading more books written or illustrated by Oge Mora. We found wonderful stories that have sparked some great conversations in our home. Here are a few of our favorites.

Saturday, written and illustrated by Oge Mora, is the story of a Mom and Daughter who look forward to their weekly routine together. On this particular Saturday, nothing goes according to plan and they’re reminded that time together is what’s most important. This book was also on the Central York banned book list along with Thank You, Omu.

The Oldest Student, illustrated by Oge Mora, tells the incredible true story of Mary Walker, who was born into slavery, freed at age 15, and learned to read nearly 100 years later. The story follows her 121 year’s of life and teaches us that you’re never too old to learn.

I’m From, illustrated by Oge Mora, explores a day in a young boy’s life. From homemade pancakes, to school, to his bedtime routine, this book recognizes how life’s moments define who we are and where we are from.

You can find these books and more by Oge Mora at our Bookshop.org affiliate store. Once Upon a Ban earns a commission and all proceeds will be donated to charities fighting to preserve the freedom to read.

Bring The Story to Life

It only takes a few minutes to read Thank You, Omu, but what we learn from the story can stay with us for years to come. Here are some ideas to take your reading one step further.

• Recreate Omu’s stew at home. Yummy Medley has a recipe for Nigerian Tomato Stew just like the one Omu makes. Maybe make a little extra in case your neighbors come knocking!

• Get crafting and create a paper stew. Try this Thank You, Omu inspired craft from Beautiful Blackbird and make a collage stew with your kids.

Our family decided to recreate Omu’s stew this past weekend. From grocery shopping together to pick out ingredients, to the kids checking the door for neighbors over and over, we had a blast! Yummy Medley’s recipe was delicious and we reread Thank You, Omu again as a family at the dinner table.

Whether you make real stew or a paper one, we hope you and your friends or family have a great time with these activities!

What’s Next

We’ll be back in your inbox next month with our featured story for March. In the meantime, always feel free to drop us a note at [email protected].

Before February passes by, we also want to take a moment to acknowledge Black History Month and the opportunity to celebrate all that Black Americans have contributed to our country.

Books written by Black authors are being banned across the country at disproportionate rates. Seeking out more stories by Black authors at our local library this month and year round is one way we can help increase demand for these stories and stand up to censorship.

Spread the Word

Know someone who shares our passion for reading banned stories like Thank You, Omu? Send them a link to our signup page to receive our next newsletter and view past editions. Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky to join the conversation on the freedom to read!