This little book store in Leimert Park has been on my list for a very long time. It's shameful to me that it took us this long to get there, especially since I've known of it's existence for many, many years. Well, it turns out that we happened to pick the perfect day for our inaugural visit since it was children's story hour that day, which is held on the third Saturday of each month. In walk these two beautiful women, Baki and Ellaraino, carrying baskets overflowing with toys, books, cowrie shells, and instruments, their arms laden with beads and bracelets. "Hello, children!" they greeted them with ancestral pride, and us adults couldn't help but also feel special. 

They shared stories of coyotes and lizards, and clever riddles, songs, taught us some Yoruba greetings, and there was even a little theater involved. We each picked out a stone in commemoration of slave children whose prized toy possessions often consisted of little more than that. And to top it all off there was a little limbo, which I was too involved in to photograph….

We hope to make this a monthly tradition of ours, as there was so much history and meaning packed into those 60 little minutes. I wish I had taken more photographs. Perhaps next time I won't be so enthralled…or shy.