“Makeda Makes a Mountain” A Diverse Early Reader, Level 2

Author: Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Illustrator: Lydia Mba

Genre: Easy Reader Level 2

Recommended Ages: 4 - 8

Summary:

This diverse early reader shows Makeda and her family are cleaning their house for a big party! They make a huge pile of things they don’t use anymore. But Makeda isn’t ready to throw anything away—each object feels special to her.

Instead of tossing them out, Makeda uses her imagination to find new ways to reuse and create with what she has—turning old things into something amazing.

Themes:

• Creativity and imagination

• Reusing and recycling

• Family teamwork

• Problem-solving and resourcefulness

  
  

My Thoughts:

Makeda Makes a Mountain is a warm and joyful story about creativity and caring for the things we already have. I loved how Makeda sees possibility in everything—where others see junk, she sees new beginnings.

I also really appreciate that this easy reader features strong representation. It can be hard to find early-level stories that reflect diverse experiences, and this book does it beautifully. Makeda’s creativity doesn’t stay just with her—she shares her ideas and imagination with her classmates, showing how art and kindness can inspire a whole community.

The bright, expressive illustrations by Lydia Mba bring Makeda’s imagination to life and help readers connect with her story in meaningful ways. It’s a wonderful reminder that we don’t always need something new to make something beautiful—sometimes, the best creations come from what’s already around us.

Classroom Integration:

Classroom Activities (Ages 4–8)

• Reuse Craft Time: Bring in clean “junk” items (boxes, bottle caps, fabric scraps) and let students build something new—just like Makeda!

• Story Connection: Discuss why it’s good for the planet to reuse and recycle.

• Writing Prompt: “If I could make something new out of old things, I would make…”

• Vocabulary: reuse, recycle, creative, imagination, mountain

Student Reflection:

• What helps you when things feel hard?

• What can you make from something old?

(Students can write or draw their responses)

Why Makeda Makes a Mountain is Important for Diversity and Inclusion:

Makeda Makes a Mountain is a joyful, important early reader that centers a confident, imaginative Black girl—representation that is still far too rare in beginning-reader books. Early readers are often a child’s first experience seeing themselves in stories, and it matters deeply that they encounter characters who reflect the beauty of diverse identities, families, and cultures from the very start of their reading journey.

Makeda’s creativity, problem-solving, and self-assurance offer an empowering mirror for young Black readers, showing them that they belong not only in stories, but as the heroes of those stories. For students of all backgrounds, this book provides a window into different lived experiences while reinforcing universal themes of perseverance, imagination, and pride.

Books like Makeda Makes a Mountain set the tone for a child’s reading life—where every reader feels welcome, every story is celebrated, and every child sees themselves as capable of climbing mountains, big or small.