When Tani Adewumi was just six years old, he and his family escaped Boko Haram's violent persecution in their native country of Nigeria. Tani was thankful to be safe in the new land of America, and he had never seen anything like the buildings and bustle of New York City! He was also thankful for the homeless shelter his family could live in while they waited for a new home, even though it was hard having no TV, no kitchen for his mom to cook meals, and no refrigerator where he could get a snack whenever he was hungry. Tani liked New York; the people there were kind to him and his family. As Tani settled into his American school, he began learning--and falling in love with--the game of chess. With joy and determination, Tani studied hard, practicing chess for hours on the floor of his room in the shelter. Less than a year later, he won the New York State Chess Championship at the age of eight. Today, through hard work and the kindness of others, Tani and his family have an apartment of their own. Despite being on the other side of the globe from the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who surrounded him in Nigeria, Tani found a place to belong. Through beautiful textured digital illustrations and a captivating story, this picture book biography shares Tani's dreams and struggles with young readers ages 4-8. Tani's New Home tells the inspiring true story of a boy who faced difficult circumstances with joyful energy, optimism, and passion. This book is an engaging personal read for children just learning about the power of hope, and young readers will be excited to see how ordinary people showed Tani and his family love, encouragement, and community--reminding us that we can each make the world a more welcoming place, a place where we all belong.

My Name is Tani: The Amazing True Story of One Boy's Journey from Refugee to Chess Champion The story that is inspiring everyone! Soon to be a Paramount motion picture. Draw deep into the dramatic account of escape from terrorism. Tani Adewumi's story begins amid Boko Haram's reign of terror in Nigeria, but this doesn't stop him from pursuing a most unlikely dream. At the age of eight, when Tani and his family's lives are threatened, they are forced to flee for their lives and seek asylum. The odds were against Tani for ever finding a prosperous life in a foreign city, once enjoyed in his native Nigeria. But sometimes the unexpected is found in the most unlikely circumstances. As Tani's family becomes a target for capture and killings, their miraculous escape takes them across an ocean to New York City. Tani's father, who comes from a royal family and has left behind thirteen employees in Nigeria, becomes a dishwasher and an Uber driver to support his family. Tani's mother, whose family helps to oversee the finances for a large Nigerian printing press, worked at a bank for more than eight years but is now training to become a home health aide. After eighteen months, the family is still at a shelter, unbeknownst to Tani's classmates. One day Tani asks his parents if he can join the chess program. It seems unlikely since a fee is required. His mother writes to the coach, who offers Tani a scholarship. Tani jumps in to learn the game. The result is not only an unexpected twist of events in a chess competition but also the rescue of an entire family. In My Name is Tani, we witness the crossfire between miracle and mayhem. A young boy with only a dream in his heart recounts his harrowing escape from Boko Haram's grips and changes his destiny in the process when he finds purpose in the most unlikely of places - a chess championship. In step with The Girl from Aleppo, and in the spirit of I am Malala, Tani's story sheds light on living through terror. This story of community and hope recounts the lengths parents will go through to find safety for their family. It's a story of what happens one you dare to dream.