A little girl is tasked with ruling her West African village in this empowering story about breaking from tradition and leading with your heart

After the king of a West African village dies, his eight-year-old daughter Abioye is made the temporary ruler, or regent, until a new king is chosen. The chiefs scoff at this decision—a little girl can’t be regent! Even Abioye herself doubts whether she’s up to the task. But her late father’s words of wisdom comfort and guide her: Those who will rule must first learn to serve.

The next day, amid meetings about taxes and titles, Abioye keeps her eyes and ears open for ways to serve her people. When she hears about their dried-up well, their leaky boats, and their hungry children, she decides to devote herself to helping the villagers instead of attending stuffy meetings with the chiefs. With her ideas and support, the village flourishes. But as the villagers praise her leadership, the chiefs complain that she is abandoning her duties, and announce that it's time for a new king. When the time comes for the villagers to vote for their new ruler, they reject all the other candidates and crown Abioye instead, making her the first female king the village has ever had!

Author Yewande Daniel-Ayoade draws on Yoruba traditions and culture to craft a highly original, uplifting feminist fable. Abioye’s journey will inspire readers, regardless of age or gender, to discover their inner strength, wisdom, and capacity to lead.

YEWANDE DANIEL-AYOADE is a Nigerian-Canadian author whose children’s love for princesses inspired her to write this book. When she is not working as a management consultant, Yewande can be found cooking, baking, singing, or playing board games. Yewande lives in Calgary, Alberta, with her husband and five children.

Yewande Daniel-Ayoade's profile page

KEN DALEY est né à Cambridge, en Ontario, de parents ayant immigré de la Dominique, dans les Antilles. Ken est diplômé honoraire de la Art Centre of Central Technical School et diplômé en technologie architecturale du Humber College de Toronto. Il a exposé ses œuvres au Canada, aux États-Unis et dans les Caraïbes, et son travail figure dans de nombreuses collections privées.

KEN DALEY is an award-winning artist/illustrator who lives in Tillsonburg, Ontario. His art and illustrations are inspired by his African-Caribbean heritage, and he has exhibited his work in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. Ken has illustrated numerous children's books including Joseph’s Big Ride, Jayden’s Impossible Garden, A Feast for Joseph, Black Boy, Black Boy, The Little Regent, and more, as well as received an Américas Award Honor Book and a Kirkus Best Picture Book for Auntie Luce's Talking Paintings.

To learn more about Ken, visit: https://www.kendaleyart.com.

Ken Daley's profile page

• Nominated, Blue Spruce Award
• Commended, Best Books for Kids & Teens

"A subtly radical education on service and leadership."

Kirkus Reviews

"The drama is compelling – kids will really root for Abioye and will be thrilled by the idea that a kid could be king. The delightful artwork does a nice job of showing the dynamic setting of the Yoruba village, with colorful fabrics and majestic structures."

Youth Services Book Review

"An excellent educational tool for teaching children about cultural diversity, leadership, and gender roles."

Canadian Review of Materials

"Yewande Daniel-Ayoade delivers a beautiful tale on the importance of learning to trust oneself... The Little Regent speaks to the importance of leading through compassion and understanding, and learning to value tradition while making space for necessary change."

Quill & Quire