Nana, Nenek and Nina

Nina loves her grandmothers, and they couldn’t be more different. While Nina lives in San Francisco, her grandmother Nana lives in England, and Nanek lives in Malaysia. And while Nina reflects on her experiences visiting each, her loving relationship with both is central. As she explores the diverse dress, food, environment, chores, pastimes, and daily rituals at each home, readers can visualize the similarities and differences in each grandmother’s values, customs, and beliefs, promoting the inclusion of multicultural heritage in the exploration of diverse families. This colourful picture book can be read aloud in a primary classroom to encourage students to explore their unique cultural heritage. It may lend itself to opportunities for classroom discussions about family relationships, bi-cultural families, and bridging relationships across distances. It may also encourage students to share some names for particular objects highlighted in the book in their mother tongues, inviting a deeper cultural understanding.