YOKKI AND THE PARNO GRY

A boy’s dream gives his family hope.

Yokki and his family are Travelers, or Romani. They live in canvas tents, sell their handmade goods, and mend household objects when not working in the fields. Yokki has a special gift that is treasured; he tells “the best tales.” But one year, work is hard to find and money is scarce. Finally finding a place where they can rest, the family gathers around the fire and listens as Yokki tells a tale “from his dreams,” of a great horse called the Parno Gry. Still, things get worse for the Romani family as they are forced to sell almost all their possessions. Grandma, the Phuri Dai, agrees that a story about the horse will help lift their spirits. It is a tale of wonder, as the great white steed carries them all to a green land of plenty. And so the story remains with all the following generations, who “believe that as long as they value children’s imaginations, the Parno Gry will inspire them with new ideas and possibilities.” O’Neill, an honored Traveler storyteller from the British Isles, and Quarmby have collaborated on a gentle story of a different culture in which dreams inspire. Nelissen’s mixed-media illustrations are softly textured, colorful, and atmospheric.

A Romani story to share and treasure.