bookshy: African Children's Literature

It's been quiet here for a minute ... and I haven't completely returned from my self-imposed hibernation (work and life is really making it difficult to find the time), but I had to share a really fun new series for the kids. This exciting new comic book series is from Miia Torera, miiato, and for children aged 4 to 8.

The Incredible Kids Comic Series follows the adventures of three toddler superheroes: Incredible I, Starboi, and the Amazing Amaziah. I read the first two books in the series Chocolate Crisis and Enter the Mummy over the weekend, and I am hooked. Both stories were equally engaging and hilarious. I found myself chuckling, and in some cases, laughing out loud, while reading.

We first meet our superhero trio in Chocolate Crisis, where the world's supply of chocolate chip cookies will possibly be destroyed. Yes, every last one of them!!! Thankfully Incredible I - the oldest of the sibling superhero trio - is here to save the day. Can Incredible I, or should he, do it on his own? Will Incredible I, join forces with his siblings - Starboi and Amazing Amaziah - to rescue these yummy snacks many of us cannot live without? Also, can they decide on a name for their 'good guyz' gang before the mission even begins?

In their next adventure, Enter the Mummy, Incredible I and Starboi, team up (wonder where Amazing Amaziah is?) to solve the ancient immortal, the Mummy's, clues to stop the Bedtime bomb going off. They have 30 minutes to ensure it doesn't go off. Why? Because, if they don't, all the world's children will be forced to go to sleep - whether they are tired or not.

Images via Amazon

I loved both comics and the fun way in which teamwork is portrayed, how we are introduced to each of the brothers' superpowers (you'll have to get a copy to find out), and the lively illustrations. The focus of each book (saving the world from a loss of cookies, and trying to beat bedtime) is extremely cute and hilarious. I especially love how Enter the Mummy transports us into the imagination of toddlers. How amazing their thoughts and adventures are, but also how the Mummy - in providing clues - is also supporting their creativity. It also transported me to my youth, and the different games my siblings and I would play to entertain ourselves.

The Incredible Kids is a really fun and exciting comic series, and I can't wait for the next adventure the sibling trio get up to. What other mission will T.E.D.D.Y have for I.S.A? Will the bad guyz - Teddy Toughs - return? Oh, and will Amazing Amaziah make an appearance again (because I am obsessed with that blue hoodie)? I guess we will have to stay tuned.

PS. If you want to find out even more about I.S.A, head to miiato's website. The interactive page adds to the fun and adventure of this Incredible (pun intended) series.

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I have another special treat on the blog - a guest post from illustrator Sandra van Doorn, as part of the Sing to the Moon blog tour. This now makes two guest posts on the blog, so I am now triply excited - is triply a word?

The original drawing over the cover for Sing to the Moon by Sandra van Doorn via Instagram

I am obsessed with illustration and design - so there was no way I was going to miss out an opportunity to have Sandra van Doorn share the process behind the illustrations created for Sing to the Moon. Thank you Sandra for the guest post. Sing to the Moon written by Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl with illustrations by Sandra van Doorn is out October 11.

Creating a scene

I think illustration should always go deeper than the text. A book is a magical world and it is important to create a wonderful universe for a character, invite our readers into a special place.

In many ways illustration is similar to creating a movie scene. I always ask myself - where is the light coming from? What mood do I want to create? What is happening to the main character, but also what else is going on simultaneously.

My favourite spread to illustrate this concept in Sing to the Moon is the veranda scene. While Jjaja is clearly busy working, the boy has his version of helping - he is having tons of fun climbing a tree – while the little white dog is always up to some mischief.

Birds are flying around. A spider is busy spinning a web. A cricket is standing by. It adds many layers to the story, which invites the reader to pause, question and explore a new world. I want the reader to stay a little longer…

Drawing technique:

I usually sketch and colour with dry pastels, on thick cartridge paper. I like a smooth finish, so there is much blending involved. Detailed work such as drawing birds or leaves is very time consuming. So depending on the complexity of the illustration it can take up to 3 days to finish one spread.

Once my drawing is done I scan it and digitally adjust some colours and add a background which I create separately with pastels too. At this point I might decide to add a bird, or an insect or a flower - which I would draw and add as a layer in photoshop.

I try to stay as close to the real image as possible, but if I feel some colours should stand out a little more I do that with photoshop.

Illustrations by Sandra van Doorn courtesy of Lantana Publishing

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Today, I have a special treat on the blog - a guest post from writer Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl, as part of the Sing to the Moon blog tour. This is my first ever guest post on the blog, so I am also doubly excited. Here, Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl shares the stories within the story Sing to the Moon, revealing the many layers and sublayers woven into this beautiful story about the relationship between a grandparent and their grandchild. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did - and thank you Nansubuga for sharing. Sing to the Moon written by Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl with illustrations by Sandra van Doorn is out October 11.

Usually there are one or more (actually several) stories behind my stories and I think that is interesting and gives insight into my life and writing inspiration.

While Sing to the Moon is ostensibly about a young boy discovering adventure through a rainy day spent with his grandfather, there are layers of memories (and thus stories) that I wove into the book.

First and foremost, I wanted to honour my grandfather and other family members who have shared stories with me over the years. I think listening to family stories is one of the most important things we can do. All stories are important and interesting, but our own origin stories, cultural stories, and family stories are particularly important. To this day, I am struck by how much I still don’t know about my own family. And now that my grandfather has passed away, I deeply regret that I didn’t capture and listen more. I love how the young boy in the story learned about his grandfather's childhood. I wish I knew more about my grandparents' childhood.

In this current time of preoccupation, I also wanted to honour the value of focusing on simple tasks. Now that I have my own family, all of those years of housework that I disliked as a child (and there were many of them!) have more or less paid off. I have patience for certain tasks – wanting to do them properly – that is a direct result of years of chores. In addition, doing a chore with someone you love – and using that time to connect can literally turn a ‘chore’ into a pleasurable experience. I think that’s a nice thing for kids to see, if they don’t already have that experience.

Finally, I remember hearing the beat of drums from a faraway hill on several occasions while staying with an aunt of mine in Uganda. I also remember hearing people preparing meals, or speaking in hushed tones as they passed our window on their way home from work, etc. I often wondered about their stories. What were those drums? Where were those people headed? What were families preparing for dinner (I could smell the deliciousness, hear it being made, but I couldn't see it...)? I am totally inspired by the mundane actions of strangers and I like to weave pieces of their stories into my own. It’s just a reflection of how we live, in any case: picking up this and that from this and that and making it our own.

Thank you.

Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl

Writer with an African lens

archivalafrica.com

@archivalafrica (Instagram)

Sing to Moon image via Lantana Publishing website

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It's no secret, I am a huge advocate for children's literature - and particularly one that enables children to not only see the many wonderful and not-so-wonderful parts of the world (and life), but to be able to see themselves represented in it (in whatever shape or form - be it human, animal or something beyond). It's also no secret that I am a huge, huge, huge fan of the Golden Baobab Prize for African Children's Literature and the amazing work they do for children's literature, as well as illustration, on the continent. I first found out about them in 2012, and I am in awe of everything they do for children's literature. So when I read that they were taking a hiatus in 2015, I was pretty sad and hoped it wasn't permanent. Good thing it wasn't, because in April I noticed that the Golden Baobab Prize was back - and with a new identity. In its seventh year, the Prize also seems to be growing stronger and stronger and looks like it came back with a bang as they received 150 stories from 11 African countries.

New logo. Image courtesy of the Golden Baobab

Well, earlier this week, they announced the 2016 winners - for the Early Chapter Books Prize, it was Lori-Ann Preston from South Africa with her story The Ama-zings! and for the Picture Books Prize it was Venessa Scholtz (also from South Africa) with her story Kita and the Red, Dusty Road. With the win comes a cash prize of USD5,000 and for the first time a guaranteed publishing contract, which is awesome as I would love to know more about these stories.

Winner! Winner! Image via Golden Baobab

The longlisted stories will also get an opportunity to 'connect their stories to leading African and international publishers'. Indeed, as it's getting older the Prize is about to 'enter a new phase', which as the Executive Director, Deborah Ahenkorah Osei-Agyekum, explains

... will focus heavily on setting up more publishing partnerships and opportunities for our writers to get more African books into the hands of children.

Golden Baobab have already begun to publish previous longlisted titles, including two from the 2014 Picture Books longlist: Malaika's Magical Kiosk by Shaleen Keshavjee-Gulam from Kenya (for the 7-10 year-olds) and Dad Goes to School by Mandy Collins from South Africa (for 5-8 year-olds). Both are published by Mango Books, an imprint of Quramo Publishing Limited in Nigeria.

In Malaika's Magical Kiosk, a mysterious woman, Malaika, arrives with her magical kiosk in a vilage at a time of drought and despair. Two sisters, Michelle and Wanjiku, notice that things changed each time the villagers bought items at Malaika's kiosk. The people began to smile and the village was filled with laughter again. But will her magic be enough to make the villagers happy again?

Book cover image via Quramo

While in Dad Goes to School, Nandi misses her daddy every time she has to go to school. Her daddy sees how sad she is, and makes a promise to go to school with Nandi for an entire day, just to make her happy. Nandi's classmates get the surprise of their lives when they meet their new classmate. But Nandi gets an expected surprise. Did she have a great day with her daddy in school?

Book cover image via Quramo

Congratulations to the winners, and here's to more African children's literature being created, awarded and published. As always, a huge thank you from me to you - Golden Baobab - for the wonderful things you are doing for African children's literature.

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