Africa South of the Sahara
Ghana
The Kaya Girl
By Mamle Wolo, Sasha Illingworth (Illustrator)
The Kaya Girl. Mamle Wolo. Illustrated by Sasha Illingworth. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022. Originally published by Techmate Publishers Ltd., in Ghana, in 2012 and then by Nsona Books in 2018. ISBN 9780316703932. 336 p. (Ages 9 and up). Fiction.
A rags-to-riches tale about Faiza, a Muslim migrant girl from northern Ghana, and Abena, a wealthy doctor’s daughter from the south. The two meet by chance in Accra, where Faiza works as a porter or kaya girl and develop a deep friendship that transcends social barriers. A 2022 Kirkus Best Children's Book, a 2023 Children's Africana Book Award Honor, and a Bank St. College Best Books selection. [gd]
South Africa
Small Mercies
By Bridget Krone, Karen Vermeulen (Illustrator)
Small Mercies. Bridget Krone. Illustrated by Karen Vermeulen. Catalyst Press, 2020. Subsequently published by Walker Books, London, in 2020. ISBN: 9781946395160. 162 p. (Ages 8-12). Fiction.
Mercy lives with her two elderly foster aunts in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, in a house that is falling apart at the seams and being eyed by a developer. After one of her classmates frames her for stealing the school’s raffle money, she meets Mr. Singh, who teaches her about how Gandhi stood up for what he believed in and how she needs to do the same. A 2022 Skipping Stones Honor Award recipient, a 2021 USBBY Outstanding International Books List title, and named a Best Middle-Grade Book of 2020 by Kirkus Reviews. [gd]