For families
A story to share at home about feeling scared and finding courage.
Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa
Esi the Brave
A joyful picture book about courage and Ghanaian culture.
Ages 4–8Picture book
Esi is a brave Ghanaian girl who loves monsters and ghosts and things that go bump in the night. When her family goes to the Kakamotobi Festival — a vibrant masquerade celebration in Winneba, Ghana — Esi insists she's not afraid of anything.
Kirkus Reviews: Starred
~$17.18Personally signed
Final price confirmed at checkout
Made to order · allow 4–6 weeks for delivery.
Peek inside
Take a look at some of the colourful pages from Esi the Brave.
Perfect for storytime, courage and big feelings
For schools
Explore Ghanaian festivals, courage and resilience in the classroom.
For librarians
An illustrated story that brings Ghanaian culture to storytime.
For conversations
Talk about fears, family and what being brave means.
Reviews (5)
★ Starred“Mensah's onomatopoeia-laced narrative is a delight… A monstrously good time.”
— Kirkus Reviews
★ Starred“This cinematic picture book about conquering fear is sure to be a favorite read aloud.”
— Shelf Awareness
“My daughter kept saying, 'Esi did it even though she was scared.' That line seemed to stick with her long after we'd finished the book.”
— Parent
“Read this with my Year 1 class. The children were desperate to talk about which parts they would have found scary.”
— Teacher
“Bought this for my granddaughter. We ended up reading it twice in one visit.”
— Grandparent
For schools and libraries
Teacher resources for classroom activities, discussion and creative learning.
Book details
Esi is a brave Ghanaian girl who loves monsters and ghosts and things that go bump in the night. When her family goes to the Kakamotobi Festival — a vibrant masquerade celebration in Winneba, Ghana — Esi insists she's not afraid of anything. But when the festival's masked dancers surround her and she gets separated from Mummy and Daddy, Esi must find real courage to face the swirling, twirling monsters and demand her parents back. A joyful celebration of bravery, Ghanaian festivals, and the moment a child discovers what being truly brave means.
- Age range
- 4–8
- Format
- Hardback
- Publisher
- Dial Books (Penguin Random House)
- Year
- 2024
- ISBN
- 978-0593406410
- Illustrator
- Raissa Figueroa
