In the months and weeks leading up to our trip, I sprinkled in books about Ghana throughout our learning time. We tried to soak up what we could about the people, the land, and their culture by reading about the lives of children – real and fictional – who spend their days living life in the country we wanted to fall in love with.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases using these links for books about Ghana at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

Several of the picture books about Ghana were enjoyable re-reads for my family as they’re covered in my Amazing Africa! and Joyful Generations Heritage Packs, but the novel, The Kaya Girl, was entirely new to all of us.

• Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson – Born with one deformed leg, Emmanuel was dismissed by most people—but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams. Emmanuel hopped to school more than two miles each way, learned to play soccer, left home at age thirteen to provide for his family, and, eventually, became a cyclist. This inspiring true story was turned into a film, Emmanuel’s Gift, narrated by Oprah Winfrey.
• One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway – Inspired by true events, One Hen tells the story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who turns a small loan into a thriving farm and a livelihood for many.
• Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Gerald McDermott – In this traditional Ashanti tale, Anansi sets out on a long, difficult journey. Threatened by Fish and Falcon, he is saved from terrible fates by his sons. But which of his sons should Anansi reward? Calling upon Nyame, the God of All Things, Anansi solves his predicament in a touching and highly resourceful fashion.
• Sosu’s Call by Meshack Asare – This is a story about a resourceful boy and how he helps save his village when they needed him most. Like Emmanuel’s Dream, the hero has a disability, so it’s a great book for bringing up important discussions with children.
• The Kaya Girl by Mamle Wolo – This is a novel that my 11-year-old read during the trip, and she was too excited to make connections between the places mentioned in the book and the things we were seeing everyday. When Faiza, a Muslim migrant girl from northern Ghana, and Abena, a wealthy doctor’s daughter from the south, meet by chance in Accra’s largest market, where Faiza works as a porter or kaya girl, they strike up an unlikely and powerful friendship that transcends their social inequities and opens up new worlds to them both.

After arriving in Ghana, we had the pleasure of meeting teen author L’amour Ansah (@aftermykind) at a local market. She’s the oldest in a family of six homeschoolers and author of the Effie Series books. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to scoop up all of her books about a little girl named Effie who explores Ghana with her mom, and I’m so glad that I did. They’re written in English but contain local Twi words, and they’re sweet stories that offer an excellent introduction to the country and culture. They also served as special souvenirs for us to remember our time in Accra.

I hope your family will enjoy some of these wonderful books about Ghana, and if you do, please be sure to come back and let me know which one was your favorite!