by Ayo Oyeku

Africa is not a country. It’s a continent comprised of over fifty countries blessed with different languages, landscapes, rivers, national treasures, cultures, traditions, and shades of brown and black. In the popular tale of the blind men and an elephant, we are treated to a funny yet riveting story of how each blind man described the elephant based on which part they touched. Africa, often times, is like the proverbial elephant.

In this review, we will be taking a journey across East, West and South Africa. Leaning on beautifully told and generously crafted stories for children. With the eye of the protagonist, we will explore what childhood means to children across Africa. As we all know, all children can’t have the same childhood experience. It is the same with African children. Join me on a tale of happiness, identity and goosebumps.

Half Hour Hara and the Case of the Broken Eggs

Hara had a big, fat problem.
If she didn’t fix it in 30 minutes,
she would be in big, fat trouble.

The opener of this picture book, introduces us to the world of Hara, the troublemaker. Once her parents are out of sight, Hara is definitely up to something. This time she finds a broken crate of eggs! She knows no one will believe she didn’t break them, so she decides to find out who did. As we join Hara in this intriguing search, the illustrator uses fine textures and gradients of colours to introduce us to the middle-class Nigerian home: child-friendly tablecloth, flowerpot by the window, a kitchen corner with basic facilities, stained windows, and much more. The resolution of this story offers readers an unexpected twist that makes us chuckle about how restlessness puts kids in one trouble or the other. This picture book also includes two fun activities for kids: Spot the Difference and a Crossword Puzzle. 

Kantiga Finds the Perfect Name

Maybe it’s out of sheer curiosity, discomfort, or the struggle to fit in – sometimes, kids don’t like their names. Kantiga is one of them. She feels her name sounds heavy and difficult to pronounce. She wants a name that is fluffy and light. Her plan seems perfect until her Gogo (grandma) tells her a tale about a magical clay pot. This picture book introduces South Africa to readers: the school uniforms, verdant villages, African print fabrics, and the bubbly smile on Kantiga’s face. The theme of this story points to identity, and how kids can find beauty in who they are. This book is available in English, isiXhosa, isiZulu and Afrikaans.

Alice on the Run: One Child’s Journey Through the Rwandan Civil War

One day in April, 1994, five-year-old Alice and her siblings went out to play within the serene Gitarama community. On their way, they encountered a gruesome attack on a Rwandan man who belonged to another tribe. This awful experience rippled across the brown footpath and shook the surrounding greenery, creating a deep gash in Alice’s heart. The days that followed were opened with rains of bullets, bombshells and fire. All that was left was for everyone to run. With her family and relatives, Alice set out on a fear-ridden adventure towards safety and peace. They walk endlessly on the hot roads, hide in the bushes, swim across rivers and climb over mountains. This non-fiction graphic novel – that has been realistically illustrated with pulsating use of colours – brings the Rwandan civil war close to mind. Powerful, chilling and moving – one would have wished this was mere fiction. Sadly, it wasn’t. No child (or human) deserves to go through what Alice went through. May peace prevail on earth.

Meet Ayo Oyeku

Ayo is a multiple award-winning Nigerian writer, and a Fellow of Ebedi. He writes books for kids, and publishes for both kids and adults. He chuckles every time he hears the Spanish phrase, mi casa es su casa, because he believes we are citizens of the world, and should not be defined by our tribes, countries or continents. He hopes to travel to Vatican City to see the Sistine Chapel.