A child living near the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe encounters several wild animals on her way to school.
Where Are You Going, Manyoni?
Primary (ages 6-9)
Material appropriate for primary age groups
Chinye: A West African Folk Tale
Poor Chinye! Back and forth through the dark forest she goes, fetching and carrying for her cruel stepmother and lazy stepsister. Terror lurks behind every tree, and ghostly figures cross her path–but strange powers are watching over her, and waiting somewhere in the moonlight is a hut piled high with magic gourds.
How Giraffe Got Such A Long Neck– And Why Rhino Is So Grumpy
During a terrible drought in which there is nothing to eat, Man prepares a magic herb that results in Giraffe’s long neck so he can reach the high leaves on the trees and a grumpy Rhino, who arrives too late for the magic.
This Is the Tree
A lyrical description of the ancient baobab tree and how it provides shelter and nourishment to wildlife of the African plain.
Kassim’s Shoes
Kassim succumbs to pressure to abandon his old shoes but has trouble discarding them.
Five Nice Mice
Five nice mice are sitting in the garden one night when Baba hears faint music in the distance. What can this wonderful sound be? They decide to go and find out, and they discover a fabulous frog concert. But mice aren’t allowed in. So they return home and decide to form an orchestra of their own—no frogs allowed. They practice and practice, and finally put on a great show. When all the cheers die down, the mice are shocked to see an audience full of frogs! It turns out that you can’t keep good music to yourself after all.
Koi and the Kola Nuts
An African folktale follows the son of a chief who must make his way in the world with only a sackful of kola nuts and the help of some creatures that he has treated with kindness.
Jackal’s Flying Lesson
With the help of a blue crane, a mother dove rescues her babies from a not-so-clever jackal.
Khoikhoi, Southern Africa
The Village That Vanished
In southeastern Africa, a young Yao girl and her mother find a way for their fellow villagers to escape approaching slave traders.
Jane Addams Honor Book (Awards)
Mary Malloy and the Baby Who Wouldn’t Sleep
The sly seductive moon makes off with a crying baby but is eventually outwitted by the clever Mr. Fez.