Keisha Leads the Way

Release: 1996

Keisha is excited when her Volunteer Day assignment is at a hospital! She's always wanted to do something important to help people, just like her parents. Her father is also chosen to visit the class and share his stories about being a volunteer paramedic. Keisha tries to share some things she's done that have been important as well. But as her father's exciting stories begin to impress her class more and more, Keisha begins to feel left out...and she begins to feel the daily things she does to help her family are insignificant in comparison. Disappointed and hurt, Keisha visits Ellie's attic.

On her adventure, Keisha refuses to stay home with the women in her village while the men join her father, the chief, on an important journey. Secretly following them, Keisha comes upon an old woman who needs her help. But what can make Keisha give up her mission?

Adventure Locations

Ancient Central Africa (Along the Congo River Basin)

Adventure Characters

Ms. Austin

Noah Cummings

Brittany Foster

Wiri

Mama Loma

Sofi

Mbele

Bibi Isubu

Book Gallery

Illustrated by Eric Velasquez

Keisha is excited about Volunteer Day and her father visiting her class! Keisha hopes that she can do something important one day, like her parents.

As the class gathers around Keisha's father, engaged in his exciting paramedic stories, Keisha begins to feel ignored and insignificant.

Through the attic mirror, Keisha finds herself in an African village! Keisha was supposed to watch Sofi as her nurse-sibling, but somehow ran off...

Keisha watches in awe as a young girl balances a basket on her head expertly.

The women in the village begin to prepare the meals, handing the girls two bowls because they are expected to care for a nurse-sibling.

Keisha notices that the girls eat in a group separate from the men, but she can still overhear a plan that sounds more exciting than cooking and watching children in the village.

Keisha tries to sneak out of the village and follow her father, the chief, and the other men on an adventure.

Keisha finds an old woman stranded. She has no family and is in poor health. Keisha decides to help her.

Keisha brings the woman to her own village family and takes care of her as much as she can. Will the woman survive the night?

Keisha talks to her mother about her feelings of not feeling appreciated or important.

Collection

• Ancient African princess dress, collar, crown, and sandals
• Rattan throne
• Bead bracelets and hair pick

Back to: Keisha Vance