Ages 7-10; Gr.2-7.
The inspiring biography of Ghanaian artist El Anatsui whose handmade sculptures, created from discarded bottle tops, have received international acclaim and been showcased around the world.

Ages 14 and up;Gr.9 and up.
In this "unforgettable" novel, two sisters in Nigeria are separated--one in the lap of luxury, the other fighting for a chance to thrive--in this award-winning novel where the line between family and foe is blurred.

Gr.2-5; Africana book award winner, 2023.
Richard Turere's own story: Richard grew up in Kenya as a Maasai boy, herding his family's cattle, which represented their wealth and livelihood. Richard's challenge was to protect their cattle from the lions who prowled the night just outside the barrier of acacia branches that surrounded the farm's boma, or stockade. Though not well-educated, 12-year-old Richard loved tinkering with electronics. Using salvaged components, spending $10, he surrounded the boma with blinking lights, and the system works; it keeps lions away. His invention, Lion Lights, is now used in Africa, Asia, and South America to protect farm animals from predators.

Gr.4-6.
Children's stories from South Africa.

We may look different you and I, sound different, act different, eat different food, and live in different places but when I look into your eyes, I see myself. A comforting and lyrical book about friendship and ubuntu that celebrates both our and differences and similarities.

On a humid March night in 1957, Kwame Nkrumah made history. While thousands of people, including dignitaries from around the world cheered, he announced his country's independence. After many decades of British rule, Ghana, formerly the Gold Coast, became the first sub-Saharan African nation to break free from colonial rule

Rorisang and her twin brother Mo must start the school year at a new school after their mom decides that the family needs to get out of their comfort zone. The twins have attended the school across the road since they were toddlers. All their friends are there, and their dad is best friends with the headmaster. The new school is far from their house, the extramural activities that are on offer are unfamiliar and the ones that Rorisang used to excel at in her old school is dominated by kids far better than her. Luckily Rorisang makes new friends quickly, learns to play softball and performs a praise poem at the Eisteddfod. She even survives the long trips in the car with her pest of a brother!

"Otter, Mongoose and Squirrel never go anywhere. One sunrise, they wake to the excited chatter of birds returning from their yearly journey to the north. This inspires the three friends to go on a trip of their own. Because they can’t fly, they build a boat and set off across the water, but things don’t work out quite as they planned. Although their great adventure turns out to be short-lived, they all agree that, in the end, it was worth it."

In this courageous and beautiful book, Miss South Africa, Shudufhadzo Musida, tells the story of her beginnings; of a singing and dancing and chatty girl in a small village named Ha-Vhangani, surrounded by love and most especially by her mum and Gogo Gugu. But things go wrong for Shudu when she moves to a new town and she is bullied by her classmates. Read how Shudu overcomes her sadness and her challenges, and becomes a girl, and then an adult, who has learned to love herself!

After a night of feasting on termites and ants, Pangolin bumps into Lion as she is returning to her burrow to sleep. Since she is not a fast runner, she has to think quickly to avoid being eaten. Being polite and gentle, she doesn't want to harm Lion, so she decides to trick him instead.

Ages 9-12.
City girl Simi is sent to stay with her long-lost grandmother in a remote Nigerian village. There's no TV, internet or phone. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside. Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she's tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what? Determined to find out, Simi disobeys her grandmother and goes exploring.

A story about hope.

Lexile measure 570; Ages 4-8; PrK-Gr.3.
It has been said that a proverb is a short sentence based on long experience. Whether you're young or old, proverbs can open your mind to new ways of seeing the world.

Melo's Kingdom is African storytelling at its best. Anthropomorphic characters share age-old wisdom supported by Scripture in a fun, colorful, and interactive reading experience. Follow Melo and her friends, Kiboko, Aza, Zenzo, Ganga, Bulu, and Tambo, as she learns how to become a good leader under the tutelage of Queen Nzinga.

Lexile measure HL680; Ages 12-17; Gr.7-9.
A biracial girl living in post-apartheid South Africa is determined to unveil the mystery of her white mother's hidden past.

The animals don't understand why they never see Bushbaby, so they assume he is shy. One by one, they try to coax him out of his hole in the tree, but Bushbaby never appears. As night falls, the animals head off to sleep. All, that is, except Owl, who has been silently observing the day's events. As Owl prepares for the night, he calls to Bushbaby, who bounds out of his hole, awake and alert.

A delightful folk tale from the Northern Karoo, and the very first children's book to feature a story for children, in the N u language. There are only five N u speakers in the world. This tale about Ostrich and Tortoise is written in N u, Afrikaans and English.

Ages 7-9; Gr.2-4.
Three delightful tales from a renowned Nigerian storyteller introduce a chapter-book heroine who is every bit as mighty as she is small. Tola lives in an apartment in the busy city of Lagos, Nigeria, with her sister, Moji, who is very clever; her brother, Dapo, who is very fast; and Grandmommy, who is very bossy.

Ages 13 and up; Gr.9 and up.
A leopard dances under the moon. A wolf prowls. A red-beaked bird flies free. Three girls born on the same day in wolf light are bound together to protect the world. They can dazzle or destroy. They have wind-song and fire-fury at their fingertips, but their enemies are everywhere.

Ages 4-8.
Join Idia of the Benin Kingdom as
she molds herself from the young and curious daughter of a village warrior to becoming the Queen of the ancient African Kingdom of Benin.

Ages 10 and up; Gr.4-6.
Nnedi Okorafor's first novel for middle grade readers introduces a boy who can access super powers with the help of the magical Ikenga. Nnamdi's father was a good chief of police, perhaps the best Kalaria had ever had. He was determined to root out the criminals that had invaded the town. But then he was murdered, and most people believed the Chief of Chiefs, most powerful of the criminals, was responsible. Nnamdi has vowed to avenge his father, but he wonders what a twelve-year-old boy can do. Until a mysterious nighttime meeting, the gift of a magical object that enables super powers, and a charge to use those powers for good changes his life forever.

Lexile measure 30; Ages 8-12; National Book award finalist, 2020.
This remarkable graphic novel is about growing up in a refugee camp, as told by a former Somali refugee to the Newbery Honor-winning creator of Roller Girl. Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their lives in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya.

Gr.9 and up.
Two sisters are torn apart by war and must fight their way back to each other in a futuristic, Black Panther-inspired Nigeria. The year is 2172. Climate change and nuclear disasters have rendered much of earth unlivable. Only the lucky ones have escaped to space colonies in the sky.

Gr.2-5; Africana award, 2020.
On June 16, 1976, Hector Pieterson, an ordinary boy, lost his life after getting caught up in what was supposed to be a peaceful protest. Black South African students were marching against a new law requiring that they be taught half of their subjects in Afrikaans, the language of the White government.

Ages 8-12; Gr.4-7.
From debut author Tina Athaide comes a soaring tale of empathy, hope, and resilience, as two best friends living under Ugandan President Amin's divisive rule must examine where--and who--they call home.