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William Gumede Spreads the Word Among the Illiterate

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 26 Sep 2011   |   

The worst thing about growing up a bookworm in a South African squatter camp wasn’t the dearth of books.

Reading was “un-African,” William Gumede remembers. It wasn’t manly, like sports or kite-flying. So if you did get your hands on a book, you’d better have a good place to hide it, or you’d get a beating and see your book ripped up.

The day he heard that a mobile library was coming to a nearby township in Eastern Cape province, he and a friend walked miles to see it, and the library card he was given changed his life.

“It opened another world for me, a world running parallel to my own world,” says Gumede, 41. “I read about boys my age doing all kinds of things in other parts of the world. It broadened my horizons.”

But every time he went to the library, his book carefully hidden in a plastic shopping bag, he had to brave the gangs of boys he’d meet along the way.

“To be seen with a book was to be seen as sissy, so I had many fights. I remember very clearly, one of the books got torn. It was one of the boys three years older than me. He said: ‘Why have you got a book? What’s wrong with you?’ Five or six others tried to grab the book, and in the struggle a page was torn out.”

Today, Gumede is a prominent political biographer who recently began writing children’s books. He is part of a chorus of writers and educators who are wondering how South Africa can attain its dream of a successful multiracial democracy if great swaths of the population don’t read books.

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Book details

• A Kite’s Flight by William Gumede, illustrated by Maya Sereda
  EAN: 9781770098046
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African 2011 Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards Winner

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 22 Jun 2011   |   

Congratulations to Maja Sereda and William Gumede. Maja Sereda has won the 2011 Crystal Kite Member Choice Award, Africa region for her illustrations of A Kite’s Flight.

The SCBWI is pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural 2011 Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards.

The Crystal Kite Awards are given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators to recognize great books from the 70 SCBWI regions around the world. Along with the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards, the Crystal Kite Awards are chosen by other children’s book writers and illustrators, making them the only peer-given awards in publishing for young readers.

This richly illustrated book tells the story of how Andile and his father make a kite. While flying the kite, its string breaks releasing the kite on an epic journey across Africa. From the thundering Victoria Falls and the snow tops of Kilimanjaro, to the Sahara Desert and ancient Egyptian Pyramids, follow the kite’s flight over some of the great landmarks of Africa!

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Book details

• A Kite’s Flight by William Gumede, illustrated by Maya Sereda
  EAN: 9781770098046
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!

Bookchat Announces it's Top Children’s Books of 2010

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 16 Feb 2011   |   

Bookchat, a website for South African Children’s Books, has made public its short-list of children’s books that were nominated last year for being “Books of the Year”.

The nominees for “Best Fiction”:

Children of God – A Storybook Bible retold by Desmond Tutu
Goal! by Mina Javaherbin, illustrated by A G Ford
Just Sisi by Wendy Hartmann, illustrated by Joan Rankin
Nosipho Comes to Stay by Sarah Oosthuizen, illustrated by Catherine Groenewald
Pops and the Nearly Dead by Edyth Bulbring
Surfing Sally by Mary Duncan, illustrated by Wendy McKeag
The Mystery of the SS Waratah and the Avocado Tree by MJ Honikman, illustrated by Brice Reignier

The nominees for “Best Non-fiction”:

African Seashores by Sally MacLarty
Ecaleni Komlambo / Along the River / Rivierlangs by Reviva Schermbrucker
Great South African Inventions by Mike Bruton
Trevor Manuel by Pippa Green They Fought for Freedom series
My First Book of African Seashore Life by Roberta Griffiths, illustrated by Judy Maré

The Top Read of 2010 as voted for by Bookchat goes to Just Sisi by Wendy Hartmann and illustrated by Joan Rankin

• Visit Bookchat here

Book details

• Children of God by Desmond Tutu, illustrated by Various
  EAN: 9780310719120
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• Goal! by Mina Javaherbin, illustrated by A.G. Ford
  Book homepage
  EAN: 9780763645717
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• Just Sisi by Wendy Hartmann, illustrated by Joan Rankin
  EAN: 9780798152204
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• Nosipho Comes to Stay by Sarah Oosthuizen, Catherine Groenewald
  Book homepage
  EAN: 9781770098343
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• Pops and the Nearly Dead by Edyth Bulbring
  Book homepage
  EAN: 9780143026501
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• Surfing Sally by Mary Duncan, illustrated by Wendy McKeag
  Book homepage
  EAN: 9780620463157
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• The Mystery of the SS Waratah and the Avocado Tree by Marilyn Honikman, illustrated by Brice Reignier
  Book homepage
  EAN: 9780624048176
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• African Seashores: To Read, Colour and Keep by Sally MacLarty
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  EAN: 9781770078925
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• Great South African Inventions by Mike Bruton
  EAN: 9780521746632
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• Trevor Manuel: ‘n lewensverhaal by Pippa Green
  Book homepage
  EAN: 9780624047247
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• My First Book of Southern African Seashore Life by Roberta Griffiths, illustrated by Judy Maré
  Book homepage
  EAN: 9781770078222
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Launch of William Gumede’s First Children’s Book, A Kite’s Flight

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 25 Nov 2010   |   

This is great news, since it’s taking awhile to find new South African children’s book writers, how about if the already well known writers start tapping into the children’s literature scene. One of the best parts about this book is that it’s also available in 9 other South African languages. I must make a special mention of Jacana for always pushing to have most of their children’s books translated into all of the South African languages.

Boekehuis and Jacana Media invite all little (and big) readers to a children’s book event and storytelling on Saturday the 27th at 10am, where we are celebrating the launch of William Gumede’s first ever children’s book, A Kite’s Flight.

Gumede, who is better known as a political commentator and writer of serious books, will be debuting his book as part of the Boekehuis story hour.

See you there!

Event Details

* Date: Saturday, 27 November 2010
* Time: 9:30 AM for 10:00 AM
* Venue: Boekehuis
Corner Lothbury & Fawley streets
Auckland Park
Johannesburg | Map
* RSVP: Boekehuis@boekehuis.co.za, 011 482 3609

About the Book

A Kite’s Flight is a richly illustrated book which tells the story of how Andile and his father make a beautiful kite. While flying the kite, its string breaks releasing the kite and taking readers on an epic journey across Africa. From the thundering Victoria Falls and the snow tops of Kilimanjaro, to the Sahara deserts and ancient Egyptian Pyramids, follow the kite’s flight over some of the great landmarks of Africa!

About the Author

William Gumede is Honorary Associate Professor, Graduate School of Public & Development Management (P&DM), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He is a contributing comment writer for The Guardian, London. He was deputy editor of The Sowetan, Johannesburg. His book, Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANC, (Random House Struik 2005), was a number one best-seller. He is co-editor of The Poverty of Ideas (Jacana, 2009).

A Kite’s Flight is published in 9 languages:

‘n Vlieër vlieg oor Afrika (Afrikaans); Ukubhabha kweKayiti (isiXhosa); iKhayithi Elindizayo (isiZulu); Ho fofa ha Khaete (Sesotho); Go Fofa ga Khaete (Setswana); Phofo ya Khaete (Sepedi); Kundiza kweKhayithi (Siswati); Riendzo ro haha ra khayiti (Sitsonga)

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Book details

• A Kite’s Flight by William Gumede, illustrated by Maya Sereda
  EAN: 9781770098046
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!

Kukhona Ongakwenza is Set to Brighten a Child's Day

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 11 Nov 2010   |   

Writer Ann Walton and illustrator Natalie Hinrichsen bring us another sweet story called Kukhona Ongakwenza or Something to do, after blowing us away with A Very Lovely Day which was their last short wordless book, it just totally charms anyone who gets their hands on it. Read more here to get more on the book and visit Biblionef to find more books for kids available in all 11 languages.

Using rhythmic text to help build children’s reading skills, combined with gorgeous illustrations, Something to do tells the charming story of how sharing a book can brighten your day.

Something to do was written by award-winning author Ann Walton, who won the prestigious Katrine Harries Award and illustrated by Natalie Hinrichsen.

Also available in Afrikaans, isiXhosa and isiZulu.

Book details

• Kukhona On by Ann Walton, illustrated by Natalie Hinrichsen
  EAN: 9781770097278
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• Something to Do by Ann
  EAN: 9781770097063
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Preserving Children's Literature at Centre for the Book

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 11 Oct 2010   |   

Those of us who attended the ‘Preserving Children’s Literature’ seminar at Centre for the Book are all still trying to figure out how the Co-ordinator for the First Words in Print Project, Nombulelo Baba did it. She managed to get a fantastic crowd of interested people from different projects together in one room to tackle the children’s literature issues head-on. The event was very well attended with a almost every chair in the room accounted for. Facilitator Sindiwe Magona got things going by appealing to everyone to think of buying a child a book with or even before anything else this Christmas. Speakers included Tanya Barben, Rare Books and Special Collections Librarian at the University of Cape Town, Mhlobo Jadezweni, Author of uTshepo Mde and isiXhosa Literature Lecturer at Stellenbosch University and Children’s book Author Catherine Groenewald author of I Could be Anywhere.
This event was different to the usuals ones on this particular topic firstly because there was a wide range of interested people who attended but also because it was all about solutions and the common thread of working together as a community rather than indivisually. Some great partnerships were formed and it was agreed that there should be more of these kinds of gatherings. We look forward to another session like this again soon.

Book details

• uTshepo Mde: Tall Enough by Mhlobo Jadezweni, illustrated by Hannah Morris
  EAN: 9780620369183
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• I Could be Anywhere: Thandi and Nosipho Series by Catherine Groenewald
  EAN: 9781770098336
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Lauren Beukes Brings Sloth to Life at Book Lounge Story-time

by Bontle on 07 Sep 2010   |   

Some of the best authors have not written children’s stories but great stories for grown ups (Alas). Lauren Beukes wrote an amazing novel this year called Zoo City, which features different animals and the best one of all was a Sloth. Today she is graciously coming along to do story time for us and she will be reading Sloth stories for us! Yeah, well, the sloths are excited, even if they don’t show it.

Story-time is every Saturday at 11am at the Book Lounge.

Book details

• Zoo City by Lauren Beukes
  EAN: 9781770098183
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Cape Town's Child's Recommendation for Early Graders

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 23 Aug 2010   |   

This title was commissioned by the Save our seas foundation to educate children about the Great White Shark, a truly magnificent creature, and its food chain. It is part of the “Rethink the Shark” campaign. This is a true story about Nicole, the Great White Shark which caused quite a stir after being tagged in South African waters, and then, to everyone’s amazement, she was tracked swimming to Western Australia. The trip of more than 11 000 kilometres took only 99 days for this 3.8-metre shark. Remarkably, six months later she was observed back in South Africa. Nicole, who was named after Australian actress Nicole Kidman following her Aussie adventure, made the fastest recorded return-trip across an ocean of any marine animal. Like many sharks, Nicole is rather partial to fish, which is how she lands up in a bit of a pickle with some trek fishermen in this story. In South Africa, trek-net fishing has been practiced for centuries and is a skill passed down the generations. Great Whites are only occasionally caught in trek nets, and are usually set free. Read this title to find out about Nicole’s big day out fishing!

The Gift of Gold by Dorothy Kowen has all the ingredients of a classic fairy tale: a curse, a missing lucky pebble, an inquisitive little girl and a happy ending. The South African characters make it believable – there’s a traditional tribe prayiong for rain, a talking chameleon and a misunderstood tokoloshe. The story centres on little Thandi, a giorl who lives with her grandmother in their village. It’s a simple and powerful tale with a lesson of love. “You should never take back a gift. A gift is a token of love, and how can you take back love?”

Thousands of children grew up learning to read with Richard Scarry books. This is the soft-cover abridged edition of the 1968 classic and, though some of the sections have been removed, nothing has really changed. It’s still full of excellent humour, fun illustrations and information about the hustle and bustle of Busy Town. Children as young as four will be able to follow the pictures, while early graders can read for themselves. This book – or the older, longer version – is a must-have on all children’s bookshelves.

Book details

• Nicole in The Surf is my Turf by Lulu , Tee
  Ages 3 to 7
  EAN: 9780620462648
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• Gift of Gold by Dorothy Kowen, illustrated by Gillian Mathew
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  EAN: 9781770097964
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• What Do People Do All Day by Richard Scarry
  Ages 4 to 7
  EAN: 9780007310470
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Izicwadi Zezingane Kuleliviki Yezilandelayo

by Bontle on 27 Jul 2010   |   

Ngabe ngempela kukhona inhlwathi eyingozi esizibeni somlingo? UBoni, uLorato kanye noKagiso bafuna ukuzibonela ngawabo.

Does a dangerous python live in the Magic Pool? Boni, Lorato and Kagiso decide to go and see for themselves.

Le ntsomi uzakuyifunda umbhali wayo wayibaliselwa ngowayekhokela kwitekisi yeziqithi zeComores. Yenye yeentsomi ezibaliswa kulo lonke eli leAfrika, ukusuka eNigeria ukuya kuthi xha kwiiComores kuzokuthi ga eMzantsi Afrika.

Abahlobo abathathu netekisi won the Sappi Isiqalo Book Competition, which encourages South African authors and illustrators to develop materials with a local idiom to promote reading, writing and access to books for all.

Book details

• Isiziba Semilingo by Gaele Mogwe
  EAN: 9780796227928
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• Abahlobo abathathu netekisi by Maryanne Bester, illustrated by Shayle Bester
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  EAN: 9781770092877
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Story-time with Dorothy Kowen This Saturday

by Bontle on 06 Jul 2010   |   

The lovely Dorothy Kowen has written a new story about the magic of Africa. She will come along today to read her book, Gift of Gold, at Book Lounge his Saturday morning. It is always a treasure to hear an author read her own book. Children will then be drawing Dorothy some pictures for her fridge.

Story-time starts at 11am every Saturday.

• Read our Review of Gift of Gold

Book details

• Gift of Gold by Dorothy Kowen, illustrated by Gillian Mathew
  Book homepage
  EAN: 9781770097964
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!