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South African Children's Book Helps Raise Funds for Rhinos

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 18 May 2012   |   

Cape Town based children’s author, Linda “Lulu” Fellowes has penned a delightful children’s book to help raise awareness about the rhino poaching crisis in South Africa. She has donated 200 books to the Wilderness Foundation which will receive the proceeds from each book sold. The book is entitled iThemba, which is the Xhosa word for hope.

Wilderness Foundation’s Experiential Education Manager, Lihle Mbokazi reads the story of iThemba to Kamva Kondlo and Courtney Collett.
“I wanted to do something that would bring the message of rhino poaching to a younger audience,” says Fellowes.

The 23 page, beautifully illustrated book revolves around two-ton heroine, iThemba, and her game-ranger friend Joe, who embark on a mission to save her skin (and her horn) when poachers come calling.

“Kids will love how iThemba and Joe foiled the wicked horn hunters in an exciting tale which is loosely based on the real-life arrest of poachers in the Kruger Park,” says Fellowes.

Proceeds from the 200 donated books sold at R100 each will go towards the Wilderness Foundation’s Forever Wild Rhino Protection Initiative.

The campaign was launched in May 2011 and aims to gather support from the public and various stakeholders to help fight against rhino poaching in South Africa and save the rhino from extinction.

“It is only through a global campaign and political will that we can save this remnant of the dinosaur age – the rhino,” says founder of the Wilderness Foundation, environmentalist and conservationist, Dr Ian Player.

The Wilderness Foundation’s Forever Wild campaign aims to maintain populations of free ranging rhino within state and privately managed conservation areas by helping conservation agencies and organized private game reserves protect their rhino populations as part of functioning natural ecosystems.

The campaign also aspires to focus the attention of politicians and decision makers to encourage them to apply pressure both nationally and abroad to address the issue of illegal trade in rhino horn and other wildlife products.

“We are extremely grateful for the support of the public, and people like Linda Fellowes who donated her time and creativity to helping to raise awareness of this global crisis,” says Wilderness Foundation director, Andrew Muir. “Without the support and outcry from the public, South Africa will no longer be known internationally as the country that successfully hosted the 2010 Soccer World Cup, but the country that allowed its rhinos to become extinct.”

The book can be purchased directly from the Wilderness Foundation: 11 Newington Street, Richmond Hill, Port Elizabeth. For orders, please call Christine: 041 373 0293. The cost of the book is R100 which does not include postage if books are ordered from outside Port Elizabeth.

• Read complete article at Wilderness Founation

Eastern Cape Missing Textbooks Found

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 14 May 2012   |   

AS thousands of Eastern Cape pupils struggled through last year without textbooks, three tons of new books – worth millions of rands – were dumped at a warehouse for recycling.
The Sunday Times found the books at a warehouse used by King Box Manufacturing, in King William’s Town, on Friday, after a tip-off.

The discovery comes on the eve of a high court bid by public interest law clinic SECTION27, to force the national Department of Basic Education and Limpopo’s Education Department to supply textbooks to the province’s schools.

Some of the books in the warehouse have been replaced by new ones in grades 1 to 3, and Grade 10, as a result of the implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. But books still being used by pupils in other grades were also in the building. Textbooks based on the new curriculum for the other grades are only expected to be supplied to schools from the end of this year and early next year.

Teachers and teachers’ union Sadtu have described the dumping of the books as “scandalous”, and asked why the Eastern Cape Education Department hadn’t distributed them last year.

The warehouse’s owner, Riaan Erasmus, said 20 to 25 bakkie-loads of the books were sold to him in mid-November. Peter Moses, head of department at Breidbach Primary School in King William’s Town, said it was “a shame” that books which could have benefited pupils were dumped in a warehouse.

“It’s millions of rands down the drain,” he said. “The books were unopened – they were still in their plastic seals. It’s really unbelievable to do something like that.”

The primary school finally received its English workbooks on Thursday, after the Sunday Times had twice highlighted the fact that the English-medium school had been given books in Xhosa.

Erasmus said: “In November, a lot of these brand-new books were returned to us by guys claiming they were old curriculum stuff.”

• Read complete article at timeslive

Puku Welcomes it's First Managing Director

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 14 May 2012   |   

The PUKU Children’s Literature Foundation is thrilled to announce that Bontle Senne will become its first Managing Director as of 14 May 2012. Bontle’s academic credentials, passion for children’s literature and education and demonstration leadership qualities make her the ideal person to take the PUKU initiative to the next level.
After matriculating with distinction from Fourways High School in 2005, Bontle went on to University of Cape Town (UCT) where she completed a Bachelor of Commerce (Politics, Philosophy and Economics) in 2009. She was one of only five candidates admitted to UCT’s Bachelor of Social Sciences honours programme from which she graduated in 2010.
While studying, Bontle completed an internship at feminist publishing house Modjaji Books where she made such an impression that she was invited to become a shareholder and board member in 2010. She also worked part time at PUKU.co.za on the blog and social network site management of WordPress, Facebook and Twitter sites. She also wrote, edited and published posts and articles.
As if this was not enough, she also worked as a tutor to groups of 15 to 30 students in management, philosophy and politics and was elected President of the Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) South African Schools’ Debating Board (SASDB). Other notable leaderships roles in NPOs include serving as Head of Internal Communications for Student Health and Wellness Services (SHAWCO) in the Education sector, Head of the Organising Committee for the 2009 South African Schools Debating Championship and Director of Sponsorship for Ubuntu’s Media School project in 2008.
Among her many achievements, Bontle was the recipient of the international AW Mellon Foundation Humanities Honours Scholarship in 2010, a National Research Fund (NRF) Honours Scholarship in 2012 and the UCT Commerce Faculty scholarship in 2007 as well as a Fuller Hall Academic Excellence Award 2007. She was on the 2006 Dean’s Merit List and in the same year she became a Member of Golden Key International Honour Society, UCT Chapter.
After graduating, Bontle worked as Sales Marketing and Communications Coordinator for T-Systems, South Africa while juggling freelance research work for other corporate and non-profit organisations. She has decided to take a pay cut to move to the PUKU Foundation because she will be able to combine her two passions – information technology and literature – and hopes to expand on the Foundation’s work to bridge the digital and literary divide throughout Africa.

Building an African Literary Agency for Children

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 14 May 2012   |   

At age 11, a group of my father’s friends asked me: “what do you want to do when you grow up Debbie?” I responded proudly, “an amateur detective, just like my favorite storybook character, Nancy Drew.” They all looked at each other and burst out laughing. One person asked, “does she mean she wants to be a police woman?” “Maybe she wants to direct traffic,” asked another. In the laughter and questioning, it hit me how my dreams based on American novels were out of context in Ghana where I was growing up.

Many years later, in university in the United States, I took an African literature class and I was asked, “Debbie, you’re from Ghana. You must know this famous Malian story about Sunjata. Or this famous Togolese folktale, that’s right next door to Ghana. You must know these stories from your childhood?” I didn’t know the stories. I had read tirelessly as a child, books from all over the world but rarely any about Ghana or Africa.

Still in university, I started an organization that sent thousands of books to over 30 African countries. After shipping over 8,000 books, I came across one with pictures of a little African girl. I realized this was the first book we had sent that depicted the people the books were going to. As a child, I had read western books. Over a decade and a half later, the problem was still the same and African children still had to read books about other people?

I decided to address it.

I founded an organization, the Golden Baobab, to ensure a consistent supply of good quality African children’s literature. In an annual writing competition we inspire African writers to create stories for children and young adults. We select the best stories by the most talented writers. We celebrate them and place them on a deserving pedestal.

This year, my organization is building a literary agency that will take all of this a step further. We will pick the best literary talent discovered through our prize and connect them with leading producers to create winning African books and multimedia for children and young adults. This agency, the Monkey Bread Literary Agency, is the only one of its kind in the world – focusing solely on African content by African talent for children and young adults.

• Read complete article at all africa

Book Lounge Storytime Remember's Mautice Sendak

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 14 May 2012   |   

Maurice Sendak (1928 – 2012) passed away this month. The man who brought us the unforgetable Where the Wild Things Are, which reminded us to stay a child forever.

In his memory we will read our favourite Maurice Sendak stories today and remember the wild rumpus.
Storytime is every Saturday at 11am.

• Visit The Book Lounge

Book details

• Where the Wild Things are by Maurice Sendak
  EAN: 9780099408390
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!

Finding Aunt Joan Represents Africa With Crystal Kite Award Win

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 04 May 2012   |   

Published by Jacana Publishers
This was born during a SCBWI workshop!

Finding Aunt Joan (Lucy Books)
Jenny Hatton (Author), Joan Rankin (Illustrator)
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Jacana Media (Pty) Ltd South Africa (1 Sep 2011)
ISBN-10: 1770098038
ISBN-13: 978-1770098039

Finding Aunt Joan describes the drive with family (plus dog and mouse) crammed inside the car. Hugely amusing and perhaps the best of the three. Jenny Hatton’s text is simple, direct, easy to digest – ideal inspiration for some of Joan Rankin’s friendliest, most frantic set of illustrations. A delight for early readers.

The Lucy Books consist of three charming little square books which make a sort of sequence – the process of packing up one home, moving to the next, and enjoying life when you get there. Children will easily relate to the stories which reflect true to life events such as going on a journey, moving house and a visit to the beach. The rhythmic text of the Lucy books will help build children’s reading skills and confidence while they are absorbed by the humorous illustrations depicting Lucy and her family.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Full list of Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards 2011 Winners

Africa: Finding Aunt Joan: Jenny Hatton and Joan Rankin, Jacana Media (Pty) Ltd.
Australia: The Last Viking: Norman Jorgensen, Fremantle Press
California/Hawaii: Won Ton – A Cat Tale Told in Haiku: Lee Wardlaw, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
Flordia/GA Cleopatra’s Moon Vicky Alvear Shecter, Arthur A. Levine Books (Scholastic Press)
Kansas/LA: Between Shades of Gray Ruta Sepetys, Philomel Books (Penguin Young Readers Group)
Middle East/Asia: Orchards, Holly Thompson, Delacorte Dell (Random House)
Minnesota/Iowa: Bluefish Pat Schmatz, Candlewick Press
Nevada: Black & White: The Confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene “Bull” Connor, Larry Brimner, Boyds Mills Press
New England: Pearl, Jo Knowles, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
Thelonious Mouse, Orel Protopopescu, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc.
PA/DE/NJ: The Absolute Value of Mike, Kathryn Erskine, Philomel Books (Penguin Young Readers Group)
Texas/OK: MINE! Patrice Barton Random House Children’s Books
Americas: Witchlanders, Lena Coakley, Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Simon & Schuster)
UK/Europe: Dark Parties, Sara Grant, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette Book Group USA)
Washington: The Friendship Doll, Kirby Larson, Delacorte Dell (Random House)

• Visit SCBWI

Book details

• Finding Aunt Joan by Jenny Hatton
  Book homepage
  EAN: 9781770098039
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!

Cold Penguin Fun Storytime at the Book Lounge Ushers in Winter this Saturday

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 04 May 2012   |   

Everyone loves penguins – those loveable residents of Boulders Beach and the far-flung Antarctic. Today, as we get into the chill of winter, we’ll be reading stories about these adorable birds who love the cold. Don’t forget to bring your scarf – brrrrrrr!!
Storytime is every Saturday at 11am.

• Visit the Book Lounge

Archbishop Desmond Tutu to Create Picture Book with Zondervan

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 04 May 2012   |   

Christian publishing house Zondervan has signed Nobel Peace Prize-winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu to collaborate with bestselling author and illustrator Nancy Tillman to produce a picture book telling the creation story from Tutu’s Children of God Storybook Bible.

Tillman will illustrate Tutu’s narrative. The South African activist first published the book with the Grand Rapids publisher in 2010. Zondervan holds world rights and plans to release the book in spring 2014.

RELATED: Zondervan announces 3-book deal with former President Jimmy Carter

The Children of God Storybook Bible rose to the No. 1 spot on the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association bestseller list and was published worldwide in 14 languages, including six African languages in South Africa. Zondervan has sold 50,000 copies of the Bible in the U.S.

• Read complete article

Book details

• Children of God by Desmond Tutu, illustrated by Various
  EAN: 9780310719120
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!

Protecting Children from Today's Drinking Culture

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 16 Apr 2012   |   

We are a nation that loves to drink and we’re passing the habit on to our children. But a growing body of compelling new evidence will force us to reconsider the entire way we view alcohol and young people. it suggested that early exposure to alcohol in particular has a direct effect on brain cells, brain size, intellectual ability and school performance, future fertility an the way our genes function. It also warns that binge drinking may actually cause depression, and is linked to early and risky sex, and being a victim of accidents and crime. In this essential book, Dr Aric Sigman ties up the latest medical research and puts the findings into context.

• Read more at Childmag

Book details

• Alcohol Nation: How to protect our children from today’s drinking culture by Aric Sigman
  EAN: 9780749954284
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!

Experience the Superhero Life this Saturday at the Book Lounge

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 16 Apr 2012   |   

There are always super heroes who come along and help those in need. The thing is that we are all heroes inside, even if we are not wearing the outfits with the flashing capes. We all have the ability to help someone else.

Today we are reading super hero stories and looking for the hero in ourselves.
Storytime is every Saturday at 11am.

• Visit the Book Lounge