Here Comes Our Bride is an informational story about African weddings and the way their ceremonies are done. All the information given in this book was very helpful because most people probably only understand their wedding traditions for their country or religion and not other places around the world. In my opinion, this book helped me learn a lot about the African culture. I enjoyed the pictures that occurred throughout the book. For example, on each page they displayed an actual photograph from people in Africa and how they perform their traditions, rather than having illustrations. This helped me understand their culture and traditions a lot more! The picture I believe showed the most throughout the story was when they were sharing the nuts. This was important because the nuts, in their country, “represent friendship, harmony and peace between people.” Which brings me to my next point, the facts throughout the story. On each page there are yellow block describing what the photo may represent or how different things are done in their country. In my opinion, this is very important throughout the book because it helps you understand more in depth how things process in Africa. For example, the author explains towards the end of the book in a caption, “Some time after the traditional marriage, a wedding ceremony is held in a church, mosque or registry office according to the couples religious beliefs.” If it weren’t for that fact, I would have thought their weddings just consisted of drawing on the floor and creating a wish for the future. ( )

Here Comes the Bride is an informational book all about African weddings. It was helpful in understanding the special traditions that many readers would not be aware of otherwise. An example from the text is, “To cement their new friendship, the families often tease each other, which helps break the ice after the formality of traditional meetings and tasks.” Instead of illustrations, this book has real pictures to give readers a real idea of what African weddings are like. For example, we are able to see pictures of the clothes and dresses that are worn during these special ceremonies. There are facts about African weddings on each page, allowing readers to get a more comprehensive idea of all of the traditions. The big idea of this book is that people have many different customs and traditions all over the world. ( )

The informational children’s book, Here Comes Our Bride, teaches the reader about African culture and how they celebrate weddings. I liked reading this story because of the pictures, which are actual photographs of real weddings and people in Africa. One page includes a picture of a bride wearing a headdress, jewelry, and gown, which informed me exactly how African women dress for their wedding. I also like the book because it includes several captions with fun facts throughout the story. One caption explains, “The family of the groom-to-be try to impress their future in-laws by making formal speeches.” I like how the book includes different fun facts because it provides additional background information of what the culture or tradition is like. The big idea of the story is that every culture and family has different traditions or ways of celebrating. I was able to look at the different pictures and make comparisons to my own personal traditions. This is a great informational children’s book that I would recommend to children who are interested in learning about other cultures. ( )

From Booklist
K-Gr. 3. Far from the reverential, there is a lively mix of the traditional and the contemporary in this photo-essay about a wedding in Benin, Nigeria. Osaere is a doctor; Efosa is an architect. As Onyefulu points out in her introduction, the wedding is a family affair, and the close-up, full-color photos show the formal visits, when the relatives bring all kinds of gifts, including jewelry and foods (kola nuts stand for peace and harmony; schnapps is for the ancestors). After the formality, there is lots of teasing to cement the friendship. Then an old man talks to the ancestors, and Osaere and Efosa are married in traditional robes. Much later, there's a church wedding (he's in a tux; she wears a wedding gown), with even more guests, foods, and gifts. A young boy narrates the story, and kids will enjoy learning about the Nigerian ritual while they recognize the universal excitement of wedding pageantry and bonding. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
Ekinadose wants his Uncle Osaere to get married so he can go to a wedding. When visitors come to see his grandfather and leave with a list, Ekinadose is puzzled. But the mystery is solved when the visitors return with palm wine, alligator pepper, yams, and money — and Ekinadose gets to attend two weddings!
The colorful sights and sounds of a Nigerian wedding and the ensuing community preparations come to life in Ifeoma Onyefulu's new photographic picture book. Seen through the eyes of young Ekinadose and told in sensitive, simple first-person text, the traditional West African wedding ceremony and the religious ceremony that always follows show the beauty and richness of a time-honored culture. ( )