Freedom Braids: Diverse & Inclusive Children's Book
CHF 13.00
Day after day, Nemy toils in the sugarcane fields, until one night she follows a woman known as Big Mother to a concealed shack. Inside, she discovers a group of women intricately braiding each other's hair. However, these are no ordinary braids; within each detailed design lies a hidden secret – a message expressing their desire to escape, along with a map to aid their journey. Will the paths woven by these brave women lead Nemy to a new home where she can experience freedom? This picture book is a tale of love, liberation, and legacy, inspired by the true story of enslaved African women in Colombia who crafted maps to freedom through their braids.
Endorsed by Amnesty International, this book powerfully narrates the journey of an enslaved child who discovers friendship, solidarity, and a chance for freedom.
Highlights:
Featured in The New York Times
Oprah Daily’s Best Kids Books on Race and Racism
Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards Finalist 2025
A Just Imagine Book Breeze Pick for October
Children’s Book Council’s Hot Off The Press in September 2024
Bookstagang Awards, Best Picture Books of 2024
ir home countries may feel - the excitement and sorrow, the fear and courage.
We love it because
DIVERSE/INCLUSIVE
LANTANA: "We believe that the importance of reading for pleasure cannot be overstated. A combination of academic research, empirical study and common sense shows that when children identify with books - their settings, themes or characters - they are more likely to enjoy reading them. At Lantana, we’re proud to publish books in which a greater number of children can see themselves reflected, because our books feature characters from under-represented and marginalised groups who are rarely the main characters in stories. This way, we hope to ignite the spark that will grow into a lifelong love of reading."
About the brand
Diverse & inclusive children's books
We are an award-winning children’s book publisher and social enterprise with a mission to publish inclusive books by under-represented voices celebrating every kind of child and family. Because ALL children deserve to see themselves in the books they read.
Our books have been making a splash since day one. They have been reviewed in The Guardian, The Observer, The Independent, The Sunday Times, the Irish News, the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
In October 2018, Lantana was selected as one of ten entrepreneurial startups to join OXFO L.E.V8, an intensive mentorship scheme supported by the University of Oxford, designed to nurture high potential ventures. Lantana was the only publishing company to make it onto the programme, besting around 230 other applicants after an extensive interview process, and one of only three businesses with female CEOs.
We are justly proud that our primary printing partner in Hong Kong has won a series of sustainability awards. We print all of our books with non-petroleum based inks on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper to minimise our carbon footprint.