Africa South of the Sahara
Ghana
A is for Accra
By Ekow Pierre, Nana Pierre (Translator)
A is for Accra. Ekow Pierre. Illustrated by Nana Pierre. Spiderwize and Book Printing UK, 2017. ISBN 9781911596257. 40 p. (Ages 3-5). Picture book.
A is for Accra is a beautifully illustrated book, featuring a rhyming alphabetical journey around Ghana. Younger readers can learn their ABCs, while older readers can learn about Ghana and its cultures and customs. Parents can share additional information with their kids about the places, people, and foods from the glossary in the back. [gd]
Champion Runner
By Adwoa Badoe, Ashalley Mensah (Illustrator)
Champion Runner. Adwoa Badoe. Illustrated by Ashalley Mensah. Smartline Publishing and Worldreader, 2013. Published in Ghana [and the US]. ISBN 9789988600526. 17 p. (Ages 6-10). Picture book.
Abizibay is unable to attend school like the other kids; instead, he helps his father wash dishes in the school’s kitchen. In large part, Abizibay is a quiet kid who flies under the radar, but that all changes when the school holds a cross-country race. [gd]
Grandma's List
By Portia Dery, Toby Newsome (Illustrator)
Grandma’s List. Portia Dery. Illustrated by Toby Newsome. Windmill Books, 2021. Originally published by African Bureau Stories,Ghana, 2017. ISBN 9781499486322. 32 p. (Ages 5-7). Picture book.
Eight-year-old Fatima wants to help her grandma complete her chore list, but while running errands, Fatima loses the list and has to recall the list by memory. Fatima believes she remembers everything correctly, but once everything is done, she and her family realize she got everything mixed up. As Fatima moves through the list of chores, the reader experiences a typical Ghanaian neighborhood and can learn about traditional West African foods like palm nut soup, groundnuts (peanuts), and Bissap drink. 2018 Children’s Africana Book Award (CABA) winner. This book would pair well with Don’t Forget the Bacon! by Pat Hutchins. Kid’s read aloud - Grandma’s List -Storytime Haven. [gd]
Central African Republic
The Magic Doll: A Children's Book Inspired by African Art
By Yabouza Adrienne, Paul Kelly (Translator), Élodie Nouhen (Illustrator)
The Magic Doll: A Children’s Book Inspired by African Art. Yabouza Adrienne. Translated by Paul Kelly. Illustrated by Élodie Nouhen. Prestel Junior, 2020. Originally published as Une Poupée pour Maman in French by L’Élan Vert, in France, in 2019. ISBN 9783791374468. 32p. (Ages 4-9). Picture book.
Set in a small West African village, this book features a young girl who explains the special way she was born. She introduces the Akua-Ba fertility figures of the Akan people of Ghana, which are used by women who have difficulty getting pregnant. The story highlights the strong love mothers have for their children. Illustrations suggest traditional African art. A 2021 USBBY Outstanding International Books List selection. [gd]
South Africa
Pretty Salma: A Little Red Riding Hood Story from Africa
By Niki Daly
Pretty Salma: A Little Red Riding Hood Story from Africa. Niki Daly. Clarion Books, 2007. Originally published as Pretty Salma by Frances Lincoln, in London, in 2006. ISBN 9780618723454. 32 p. (Ages 4-7). Picture book.
Pretty Salma is the story of Little Red Riding Hood set in contemporary urban Ghana and features West African cultural images such as traditional instruments, Anansi the trickster, a Ka Ka Motobi Bogeyman mask, and more. 2008 USBBY Outstanding International Books List, 2007 Parent’s Choice Award. [gd]