ICS Teacher’s Book Wins Prestigious International Award

It’s a book connected closely to the ICS Addis community’s heart.

We are proud to celebrate ICS Addis Amharic Teacher Fasika Adefris. Her recent book The Gabi That Girma Wore—co-authored with former ICS colleague Sara Holly Ackerman—has won the 2025 Children’s Africana Book Award for Best Picture Book.

Inspiration and Collaboration Across Continents
The project began when Fasika’s former colleague Sara, now based in New York, reached out with the idea of writing a story modeled on The House That Jack Built, but rooted in Ethiopia’s rich textile tradition. Despite being continents apart, the two worked tirelessly through Zoom meetings, research, interviews, and shared videos. Fasika gathered insights from local weavers and elders, while Sara brought her editorial background. Their collaboration, paired with beautiful illustrations by Ethiopian-American artist Netsanet Tesfaye, brought the story to life.

The Story of the Gabi
The book highlights the deep connection between the Gabi—a traditional hand-woven Ethiopian cloth—and the people who make and wear it. Step by step, it shows how a simple cotton seed becomes something cherished, cozy, and culturally meaningful.

An ICS Connection
ICS Addis played a central role in making this project possible. Fasika and Sara first met here, teaching side-by-side in the same classroom. Fasika guided Kindergarten students through a hands-on Gabi project, while Sara encouraged storytelling and literacy. Their shared experiences at ICS grew into broader initiatives: collaborating on volunteer projects to distribute books across Ethiopia, co-authoring bilingual children’s stories, and promoting literacy in multiple languages.

"The opportunities ICS provided us allowed us to continue our collaboration and friendship, which has now reached a global audience,” Fasika said.

Growing Recognition
Since its release by Little, Brown and Company, The Gabi That Girma Wore has been read at schools and libraries in New York, Philadelphia, and Minnesota, reaching both Ethiopian diaspora and international audiences. It has recently gained global attention, with Scholastic Educational Group ordering 3,000 copies for schools.

Most notably, the Children’s Africana Book Awards Committee has named it a 2025 Best Picture Book, with Fasika invited to receive the honor this November at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The Open Book Foundation will also sponsor school visits where children will receive signed copies of the book.

A Celebration of Global Citizenship
This achievement reflects the heart of the ICS values—celebrating diversity, fostering belonging, and nurturing global citizenship. Fasika’s work not only honors Ethiopian tradition but also inspires children around the world to see the beauty of cultural storytelling.

Pleas join us in congratulating Fasika Adefris and Sara Holly Ackerman on this remarkable achievement and for continuing to represent the spirit of ICS Addis on the world stage.