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.

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

"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."

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!

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.

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!

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Lexile measure AD610L: Ages 4-7; Gr.2-5.
Two great-grandchildren ask their grandmother 15 questions about the man they remember as Grandad, and the world remembers as Nelson Mandela.

Ages 6-10; Gr.2-5.
Miriam Makeba, a Grammy Award-winning South African singer, rose to fame in the hearts of her people at the pinnacle of apartheid--a brutal system of segregation similar to American Jim Crow laws. Mama Africa, as they called her, raised her voice to help combat these injustices at jazz clubs in Johannesburg; in exile, at a rally beside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and before the United Nations.

Ages 6-9; Gr.2-5
Wangari Maathai received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her efforts to lead women in a nonviolent struggle to bring peace and democracy to Africa through its reforestation. Her organization planted over thirty million trees in thirty years.

Ages 7-9; Gr.2-4.
All kinds of animals feature in these ten sparkling stories from all over Africa, by an award-winning author and illustrator. Find out what happens to Lion when he challenges Elephant and discovers who is the real king of the savannah; laugh along with Tortoise as he bewitches the animals in Leopard's work-party with his irresistible music; find out why Hippo has no hair, how Elephant got his trunk, and why Cockerel crows.

Lexile measure 890; Ages 10-14; Gr.4-7.
Inspired by a true account, here is the compelling story of a child who arrives in America on the slave ship Amistad --and eventually makes her way home to Africa.

Ages 7-11, gr. 2-5.
Somali-Canadian poet, rapper, singer and songwriter K'naan tells his own story. When the Somali Civil War began in 1991, K'naan was just thirteen. His mother made the difficult decision to move her family so that they could grow up in safety.

Ages 8-11; Gr.3-6.
Here are seven Ananse stories from Ghana pulsating with mischievous animals, a touch of moral message and, peeping out wickedly above them all, Ananse the trickster spider.

Book level 6.2; Ages 8-11, gr. 2-4.
Climb aboard a helicopter with National Geographic photographer Robert Haas and journey all over the world in search of wild animals and exotic places. The author's dream of flying like a bird provides the perfect vantage point for witnessing unusual drama and adventures from a bird's eye view.

Lexile measure 820; Book level 4.8; Ages 7-10; Gr.2-4
A picture book biography of scientist Wangari Maathai, the first African woman - and first environnmentalist - to win a Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for planting trees in her native Kenya.

Ages 5-10; Gr. 2-5.
In southeastern Africa, a young Yao girl and her mother find a way for their fellow villagers to escape approaching slave traders.

Lexile measure 260; Ages 5-11; Gr.3-5; Guided reading K
South African children gather to welcome home their fathers who have been away for several months working in the mines.

African legend

Folklore from Burkina Faso.