Michelle Lord - Tanis New Home: A Refugee Finds Hope and Kindness in America

Tanis New Home

2020 Tanitoluwa Adewumi

Tommy Nelson, PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214

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Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Tommy Nelson. Tommy Nelson is an imprint of Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a
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Illustrated by Courtney Dawson

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Adewumi, Tani, 2010-author. | Dawson, Courtney, illustrator.

Title: Tanis new home: a refugee finds hope and kindness in America / Tanitoluwa Adewumi; with Michelle Lord; illustrated
by Courtney Dawson.

Description: Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2020. | Audience: Ages 5-9 |

Summary: The incredible true story of Tani Adewumi, a Nigerian refugee who garnered international news coverage
after winning the New York State Chess Championship at the age of eight. Tanis story of finding a new life in America
reminds children that perseverance and hope make a difference--and small acts of kindness can make the world a better
place-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020021812 (print) | LCCN 2020021813 (ebook) | ISBN 9781400218288 (hardcover) | ISBN
9781400218332 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Adewumi, Tani, 2010---Juvenile literature. | Chess players--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature.
| Refugees--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature. | Nigerian Americans--Biography--Juvenile literature. |
Determination (Personality trait)--Juvenile literature. | Kindness--Juvenile literature. | Christian biography--Juvenile
literature.

Classification: LCC GV1439.A34 A3 2020b (print) | LCC GV1439.A34 (ebook) | DDC 794.1092 [B]--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020021812
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020021813

Printed in China

20 21 22 23 24 DSC 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Mfr: DSC / Dongguan, China / October 2020 / PO# 9589870

In a home that felt as secure as a
castle, in a fine neighborhood in
Nigeria, Tani Adewumi lived with
Dad, Mom, and his big brother,
Austin. Their home was usually quiet
and calm... until grandparents
and aunts and uncles and cousins
crowded inside.

Tani gobbled pounded yam and
glugged egusi soup.

His great-uncles tapped the udu
drums. TUM-TUM, TUM .

Mom and her sisters danced until
the street vendors called,

E kaaro .
Good morning.

Tanis family packed everything, and
Dad sped across Nigeria. Six hours
later, he steered through an opening
in a tall wall. Tani peered at the
unfamiliar house.

Dad bolted the door.
Mom yanked the curtains closed.

But Austin made Tani feel safe.
Ive got a great game, Austin said.
Chess. He sketched lines on a
sheet of paper. Color every other
square. Tani worked his crayon side
to side as Austin scissored another
page into pieces.

Then they moved the paper pieces
across the homemade board.

Tani didnt understand the rules, but he liked taking turns.

One morning, Tani awoke to see a chair
wedged against the front door. Marks
in the wooden door. Cracks in its frame.
Boko Haram had found them. They had
tried to break in.

We are going to America, said Dad.

Tanis heart thrummed like an udu drum.
TUM-TUM, TUM.

What does America look like?

Youll see, said Dad.

A few days later, Tani climbed into a real
airplane! They flew for hours , slipping farther
and farther from home.

He saw their new place.

His parents lived in a teeny
room on the fourth floor.

Tani and Austin lived in a
teeny room on the fifth floor.

Two narrow beds. A dresser.
A window. This is a room, not a
home, Tani said.

Outside cars BEEPED and
SCREECHED . Someone
screamed.

The city sounds were the same
in Nigeria. Still, he wished his
parents were down the hall as
theyd always been.

Then Tani went to a new kind of
class chess ! But this chess was
nothing like Austins game.

Tani learned how pawns ,
rooks , and knights move.

He learned that the queen is the
most powerful piece.

Tani imagined capturing another
players king to win a game.

Coach Shawn said, Sometimes
neither player can win. A tie in chess
is called a draw .

After school, Tani
raced to ask if he could
join the chess club.

Mom stared at the
sidewalk. The cost was
too much.

But... Mom said. Let me
see what I can do.

Suddenly, his challenger swiped