This was an okay read. It is for a much younger audience than me, but I'm glad I read it. As a Ghanaian, I enjoyed seeing familiar places being talked about.

A beautiful exploration of culture and privilege. Of wealth divide and relativity. I like that the characters are all learning from each other, be it facts, skills, or appreciation. I like, too, the exploration of how culture is lost when a society is westernized. Contemplative and meandering in an artistic way.

I really enjoy books set in other countries, as well as touching on different areas, foods, cultures, etc. of that country. This book has a bit of all of that & I feel educated on Ghana having read it. I love the friendship that these two share & the growth that they go through having met. There is a pretty bit twist that is beautiful and touching. I highly recommend this read!! Such a powerful book.

I loved this story! I am always looking for books with diverse characters and this was a great addition to my library. I enjoyed the cover art as well, it is very enticing.

When I saw the Kaya Girl Tour appear it really intrigued me so much I knew I really wanted to get on that Tour and when I did I was over the moon.

I am trying to diversify my reading and have not really read stories set in Ghana and I was not disappointed. The friendship between Abena who did not want for nothing and Faiza who worked in the Market where Abena's Aunt had a shop. was a beautiful thing to watch and be part of. That's all I am saying about the book as you really really really need to read it but I will say Mama Wolo's storytelling was sooooooooooo good I did not want to put the book down and I admit in parts I did have a sob or two. So for all these reasons Kaya Girl four stars.

This was really different to what I’ve been reading lately but it was a refreshing read that I think many readers, especially young ones, will enjoy. I personally saw a lot of my international upbringing reflected in Abena’s experience and that is actually what made me choose my current career path. 3.5 stars rounded up

Abena is a young Ghanaian girl who comes from a very privileged and wealthy family. She goes to the American school, has international friends, belongs to the ‘rich circle’, and spends the majority of her time hanging out in malls, buying imported products and not really knowing much about her country. One summer she gets sent to live out the weekdays with her aunt Lydia while her mother has gone to London to give birth and her father works at his clinic. Abena’s meant to help her aunt at her store at the local market and what starts as an exercise in ‘torture and boredom’ turns into a life-changing experience when she meets Faiza, a kayayoo or female market porter.

I really loved watching the friendship form between Abena and Faiza. It’s written with such honest emotion and heart and it was clear how important their relationship was to each other. It was wonderful seeing Abena go through her eye-opening journey as she really immerses herself in the local market and learns about the rich mix of cultures within Ghana. She goes through such a humbling experience and it was lovely to see how open she was to learn about how different people's experiences can be coming from different backgrounds. There were some really sweet moments with the other ladies in the market place and it was so easy to visualise because it reminded me of those feel-good moments in heartwarming movies when something great happens at the pinnacle of a story!

Mamle Wolo’s writing was beautiful in its simplicity and she really made Ghana come alive with her vibrant descriptions of the bustling market, rich foods, mixed languages and varied customs. I really appreciated learning about the socio-cultural aspects of the country alongside Abena and I know that what we’re shown in this story probably only touches the tip of the iceberg.

I will say that the first half of the book ends rather abruptly and it felt quite bittersweet but since there was a part two, I had a feeling I knew what was coming and I wasn’t wrong. The second part takes place 15 years in the future and while it was obviously meant to be a happy moment, I did feel like it was too simplistic and almost unrealistic? Could the journey that Faiza experiences actually happen in real life? Yes, probably. But I felt like the way it was written in this story was almost too perfect, if that makes sense? Ultimately though, I did enjoy this story. It had a great heartwarming friendship and I also loved learning just how rich and diverse the Ghanian culture is.

Wonderful book showing the social class differences in Ghanaian culture when Abena, while visiting her auntie and helping her in her shop, meets Faiza, a kayayoo. Abena likes the laughter and freedom she feels with Faiza. When auntie leaves Abena in charge of her shop one day, money goes missing and auntie suspects Faiza. She forces Faiza to leave. Abena looks for Faiza the next day, but when Abena takes ill she is forced to go back to her family. While home recovering, Abena wonders will she ever see Faiza again?