By Kathy G. Short, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
One continuing trend in K-12 global literature in the U.S. is the dominance of books set in English-speaking countries, especially the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The more exciting trend is the diversification of global communities that challenge this dominance. Over the last several years, there has been an explosion of books set in India and other South Asian countries or featuring characters whose heritage is South Asian. In 2023, there were noticeably more books set in African countries or traditions, although West Africa, especially Nigeria and Ghana, dominate. As with the South Asian books, the majority are written by authors whose heritage is Nigerian or Ghanian and who currently live in the U.S. or the U.K.
The most difficult books to locate are books set in contemporary African cities. This set of books is particularly significant to challenge stereotypes of African countries and cultures as rural, isolated villages set back in time. Atinuke, a British Nigerian author, has created a strong body of work for children of picturebooks and easy chapter books set in Nigerian villages and cities. Her most recent easy chapter book series focuses on Tola, a feisty young girl who lives in an apartment in Lagos, Nigeria with her sister, brother, and grandmother. Too Small Tola and the Three Fine Girls (2022) includes three short stories of Tola’s adventures as she helps her family who struggle with a lack of financial resources. Eventually she figures out how to be just as fine as the three fine girls she admires.
Another picturebook set in Nigeria, Obioma Plays Football by Chika Unigwe (2022), focuses on Obioma’s love of playing football (soccer) in her wheelchair. When her family moves to a new community and school, people only see her wheelchair, not her love of sports. In Lola’s Nana-Bibi Comes to Visit by Anna McQuinn and Rosalind Beardshaw (2023), Lola’s grandmother travels from Tanzania to the UK. The family spends the week engaging in special activities and foods based on family traditions, joyously celebrating their time together.
The Kaya Girl by Mamie Wolo (2022) is a contemporary YA novel set in a large urban city in Ghana. Two Ghanian girls from different social classes cross paths in the chaotic Makola Market and forge a bond that changes the path of both of their lives. It can be paired with a rural contemporary novel set in Kenya, The Elephant Girl by James Patterson and Ellen Banda-Aaku (2022). A Maasai girl’s bond with a baby elephant leads into the world of wildlife conservation when she suspects that the new wildlife ranger is working with poachers.
An interesting YA historical fiction novel, The Deep Blue Between by Ayesha Attah (2022) follows two twin sisters who are enslaved after a raid on their West African village in 1892. One remains in Ghana and the other is sent to Nigeria and then Brazil. Both work for freedom and to find each other. Themes such as enslavement, religion, feminism, and colonization are seamlessly woven into the complex story.
The largest trend is fantasy novels that interweave African mythology and traditions within stories set in contemporary African communities. The line between fantasy and realism is not as distinct in African traditions as in the U.S., with many witch characters, for example, appearing in realistic fiction. Many of these books would simply be labeled as fiction, rather than fantasy in their African contexts.
Some middle grade fantasies involve characters traveling from the U.S. or U.K. to join family. Fibbed by Elizabeth Agyemang (2022) is a graphic novel in which Nana is sent to live with family in Ghana after she gets in trouble in her U.S. school. She loves her grandmother’s Ananse tales, which come alive when she joins forces with the trickster Ananse to prevent corrupt White contractors from destroying the forests. Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tota Okogwu (2022) is the first book in a duology set in Nigeria, with a main character who is British Nigerian. Onyeka discovers that she is Solari, a secret group of Nigerian people with superpowers. Her power involves her hair, and she travels to Nigeria to train with her father in an elite academy. Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting by Roseanne Brown (2023) starts in Ghana and then moves to the U.S. Serwa’s parents are hunters of vampire shape-shifters, but a vicious attack results in Serwa living with an aunt in Maryland. She must survive middle school and help her classmates become monster fighters when vampires invade her school.
Abeni’s Song by P. Djéli Clark (2023) is a fantasy with a West African-inspired setting in which Abeni is saved by an elderly witch when everyone in her village is kidnapped. Abeni learns of her secret abilities from the witch and sets off into the world of spirits to save her friends. Mwikali and the Forbidden Mask by Shiko Nguru (2022) is set in Kenya where Mwikali moves to a new school in Nairobi and finds herself in a battle with dark magic. Both Abeni and Mwikali are the first books in a series, so more adventures will be coming with these strong female characters.
Daughters of Oduma by Moses Ose Utomi (2023) is a YA fantasy set in a world inspired by West Africa. Dirt is an elite female fighter who must enter the South God Bow tournament to protect her found family of younger sisters.
One additional book to recommend as a resource for readers to help them sort out differences across African countries is Africa: Amazing Africa by Atinuke and Mouni Feddag (2021). This informational book explores the continent of Africa country by country to provide an overview of geography, people, animals, history, resources, and diversity. This easily accessible book helps students better understand the different countries highlighted in the global fiction included on this blog post.
WOW Currents is a space to talk about forward-thinking trends in global children’s and adolescent literature and how we use that literature with students. “Currents” is a play on words for trends and timeliness and the way we talk about social media. We encourage you to participate by leaving comments and sharing this post with your peers. To view our complete offerings of WOW Currents, please visit its archival stream.
- Themes: Abeni's Song, Africa: Amazing Africa, Anna McQuinn, Atinuke, Ayesha Attah, Chika Unigwe, Daughters of Oduma, Deep Blue Between, Elephant Girl, Elizabeth Agyemang, Ellen Banda-Aaku, Fibbed, James Patterson, Kathy Short, Kaya Girl, Lola's Nana-Bibi Comes to Visit, Mamie Wolo, Mouni Feddag, Mwikali and the Forbidden Mask, Obioma Plays Football, Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun, Oses Ose Utomi, P. Djeli Clark, Rosalind Beardshaw, Roseanne Brown, Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting, Shiko Nguru, Too Small Tola and the THree Fine Girls, Tota Okogwu
- Descriptors: Debates & Trends, WOW Currents