-
Africa Writes Back: The African Writers Series & the Launch of African Literature
June 17, 2008, is the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart by Heinemann. This publication provided the impetus for the foundation of the African Writers Series in 1962 with Chinua Achebe as the editorial adviser. This narrative, drawing liberally on the correspondence with the authors, concentrates on the adventurous first twenty-five years.
Africa Writes Back: The African Writer’s Series & the Launch of African Literature captures the energy of literary publishing in a new and undefined field. Portraits of the leading characters and the many consultants and readers providing reports and advice to new and established writers make Africa Writes Back a stand-out book. James Currey’s voice and insights are an added bonus.
₵65.00 -
Yebo, Jamela!
Age Range: 4 – 7 years
The second book by Niki Daly about this spunky little heroine.
Christmas is drawing near and Jamela’s mother decides to go and buy a chicken from Mrs Zibi. If they feed it well, it will be nice and fat by Christmas time. Jamela accompanies her mother on the chicken-buying expedition and suggests calling the chicken Christmas. But by the time Christmas-day comes, Jamela has made a pet of Christmas. And as the ladies at the hairdressers where Jamela and her mother and Mrs Zibi fetch up after the “wild-chicken chase” all agree: one does not eat one’s friends!
₵40.00Yebo, Jamela!
₵40.00 -
Unexpected Joy at Dawn
Unexpected Joy at Dawn received a commendation in the Best First Book Prize, Africa Region, of the Commonweath Writers Prize.
‘Fifteen years ago’, Mama said, starting her story, ‘I came to Lagos from Ghana. I came to Nigeria because I was considered an alien in that country. The government of Ghana passed a law asking all aliens without resident permits to regularise their stay in the country. You see, my great, great grandparents had migrated to Ghana several years before, and regarded Ghana as their home…as for the reason possibly, it was because the opposition party then had hyped to monstrous heights that aliens were ruining the country; or the government of the time…blamed their failure to do things right on us ‘alien’ scapegoats… It was difficult to start life all over again, and even more difficult to learn that we were unwanted in a country we had come to regard as our own.’
This story of migration, identities and lives undermined by cynical and xenophobic politics pushed to its logical and terrible conclusion pertains to the Ghanaian orders of ‘alien compliance’ issued in 1970-1971, which was designed to force all non-ethnic Ghanaians, so called illegal immigrants, to return to their – so stipulated – ‘home’. the novel thus touches on concerns of deeper relevance to the politics of race and migration in the twenty first century.
₵40.00Unexpected Joy at Dawn
₵40.00 -
Gizo-Gizo: Tatsuniya daga Tafkin Zongo (Hausa, Hardcover)
Age Range: 5 – 12 years
Hausa language edition
Gizo-Gizo! was awarded Best Book for young people in the 25th Children’s Africana Book Awards.
In Hausa culture, you always begin telling a story in the same way: The storyteller says, “Ga ta nan ga ta nanku!” “I am about to begin!” And the children respond, “Tazo Mujita!” “We are all ears!”
Using story as the primary learning, teaching and engagement tool, the Zongo Story Project strives to elevate proficiencies in oral, written, and visual forms of literacy; promote the knowledge building of local history, local culture and local contemporary concerns; and lay the crucial foundation for the acquisition of vital twenty-first century critical thinking skills. The conceptual framework for this project originated out of a larger, community-based initiative called the Zongo Water Project, whose mission is to use water as a way to improve the quality of life for the Zongo.
Working closely with local teachers, Emily Williamson carried out a series of educational workshops at the Hassaniyya Quranic School in the summers of 2012, 2013, and 2014 to teach students about local water and environmental concerns. Employing the story as the foundational element, Emily engaged students in dialogue, shared readings, performances, writing exercises, and visual art, culminating in community drama performances and original folktales.
The illustrations and text of this book grew directly out of the work produced in these workshops.
₵0.00₵40.00 -
How Stories Spread Around the World
Age Range: 6 – 10 years
In a magical journey, Rogério Andrade Barbosa and Graca Lima transport us to the African continent, with its many faces, colours, smells, sounds, gestures and shapes.
It is a little mouse that guides us throughout this story. It hears everything and sees everything. It observes the many faces of several human groups that inhabit the African continent in their daily activities. Through the watching eye of this mouse we are shown customs, religion, economic activities, histories and the cultural universe of different peoples.
How did the stories spread out around the world? It is a trip to unknown and mysterious places…
₵48.00 -
Hi, Zoleka!
Age Range: 6 – 10 years
“Hi, Zoleka’, friends call.
But Zoleka has something on her mind. So she walks quietly with her mother and her little brother to church. Will she remember all the words of the verse she has to recite for the Palm Sunday service?
Children’s picture book about a little Girl in South Africa.
₵40.00Hi, Zoleka!
₵40.00 -
Children of the Tree
Age Range: 7 – 12 years
This is the story of the origins of the people of Namibia. It is derived from folklore, historical accounts and archaeological findings.
₵40.00Children of the Tree
₵40.00 -
Nana’s Son
Age Range: 7 – 12 years
A myth about the creation of the first human being and how all the various body parts function together.
₵40.00Nana’s Son
₵40.00 -
Elmina, ‘The Little Europe’: European Impact and Cultural Resilience (Hardcover)
This is a brief introduction to the history of Elmina, its castle, the people, and their traditions. It outlines the town’s 500-year relations with Europeans, highlighting the transformations that have developed out of these interactions. Written by one of the top historians of Ghana and a leading scholar of the African diaspora, the book is based on original archival information and orally-derived sources. It is also richly informed by the writer’s own personal knowledge as a Nyampa Safohen and citizen of Elmina. Despite the tremendous changes engendered by the European contact, Elmina’s historical development demonstrates an amazing degree of cultural continuity and resilience in its political institutions, social organization, economic systems and worldview.
₵70.00 -
Jamela’s Dress
Age Range: 4 – 7 years
Mama is very pleased with the dress material she has bought for Thelma’s wedding. Jamela can’t resist wrapping the material around her and dancing down the road, proud as a peacock, to show Thelma her beautiful dress! When things go wrong, Mama is very sad indeed, but there’s a happy ending just in time for Thelma’s wedding day – and guess who has the biggest smile…Kwela Jamela, African Queen, that’s who!₵40.00Jamela’s Dress
₵40.00 -
A Song for Jamela
Age Range: 6 – 12 years
The summer holidays are here and all Jamela can think about is the Afro-Idols TV final. So, when she lands a job at Divine Braids hair salon, she can’t believe her eyes to see Afro-Idols celebrity, Miss Bambi Chaka Chaka, in the salon. But while Jamela’s idol dozes and Aunt Beauty designs her starry hairdo, a buzzy fly threatens to ruin everything. Can creative Jamela save the day?₵40.00A Song for Jamela
₵40.00 -
Mimi Mystery (Hardcover)
Age Range: 7 – 12 years
A little girl with an angelic voice is banned by her mother from singing in public because it is taboo in her society for a respectable female to sing in public. Belayn is devastated! She loves singing! How does little Belayn do what she loves most without offending her family?
₵65.00Mimi Mystery (Hardcover)
₵65.00 -
Journey
‘Journey is an absorbing exploration of reality in contemporary Ghana, juxtaposing tradition and modernity, wise old age and frivolous youth, north and south, male and female…as a first novel, it is also valuable as it uses a northern Ghanaian setting.’ – Kari Dako, Author, translator and lecturer, Department of English, University of Ghana.₵80.00Journey
₵80.00 -
Fati and the Green Snake
Age Range: 5 – 7 years
Fati’s adventures send her looking for firewood on the farm. As she looks for pieces of firewood, Fati’s attention moves to the other things around her and she sees a beautiful green leaf, touches it and… uh! It did not feel like a leaf. It was a green snake.
Fati and the Green Snake is in the Fati series, and is based on the real life adventures of a young girl growing up in northern Ghana. It has been adapted for print by the Osu Library Fund, an organisation which promotes literacy in Ghana.
₵40.00Fati and the Green Snake
₵40.00 -
Fati and the Old Man
Age Range: 5 – 7 years
Who is chasing Fati? This time round little Fati is in trouble with an old man she caught stealing pito. The old man says he did not take the pito but Fati DID see him take pito that was not his…! Who is speaking the truth? Find out in this new Fati episode.
Fati and the Old Man is sequel to the first book Fati and the Honey Tree and is based on the real life adventures of a young girl growing up in northern Ghana. It has been adapted for print by the Osu Library Fund, an organisation which promotes literacy in Ghana.
₵40.00Fati and the Old Man
₵40.00