Rebekah Gienapp

Way back in 2016, when this blog was in its infancy, I created a list of children’s books set in African countries. Recently I looked back through it and realized that less than half of the books on the list were written by African authors!

There were only a small number of children’s books by African authors that were being published in the U.S. back then. While children’s publishing still has a lot of work to do to provide accurate representation of Africa’s diversity, there are many more books written by African authors for children available today.

Keep reading to discover 18 of my favorite chapter and picture books by African authors.

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Picture books by African authors

I’ll See You in Ijebu by Bunmi Emenanjo. Illustrated by Diana Ejaita.

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Olu cannot wait to travel with her siblings and Mommy to the town of Ijebu, where her grandparents live. They’ll be lots of special foods and traditions to celebrate, especially since it’s Eid al-Adha, or Odún ilé yá as it’s called in Yoruba. Olu will even get to help prepare the feast now that she’s eight years old.

The striking, colorful illustrations capture the slow chaos of Lagos traffic as the family heads out from the city, which gradually turns into the lush calm of rural Ijebu. The text not only celebrates Muslim faith traditions, but talks about Christian traditions as well since Olu’s family is interfaith.

Universal messages of family, celebration, and food shine throughout the book. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Nigerian-American author.)

Olu and Greta by Diana Ejaita.

With striking illustrations influenced by African textiles and woodblock prints, this simple story introduces children to cousins Olu and Greta. Olu lives in Lagos, Nigeria, and Greta lives in Milan, Italy. They have never met each other, and Ejaita playfully lists all the ways they cannot get to each other. Yet, they still find ways to tell each other about who they are and keep their family ties strong. (Recommended for ages 3 – 6. Nigerian-Italian author.)

Related Post: Best children’s books and activities for learning about Nigeria.

Wanda the Brave by Sihle-isipho Nontshokweni. Illustrated by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne.

How can you fail to fall in love with a character who begins each day by singing about how she is confident, brave, and “WANDAful”? When Wanda arrives at Aunty Ada’s salon, she knows just the braided hairstyle she wants. She also brings a “secret magic box” of hair products for Aunty to use. But it’s a busy day in the shop, and Aunty Ada doesn’t want a child to tell her what to do.

She smears relaxer onto Wanda’s hair, just like she has to Nkiruka, the girl sitting next to her. When both girls complain about how it bites and burns, Ada tells them they have to “suffer a little bit for beauty.” How can Wanda get her attention and show her what she did isn’t right? (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. South African author.)

The Wooden Camel by Wanuri Kahiu. Illsutrated by Manuela Adreani.

When Etabo tells his siblings he dreams of racing camels, they all laugh. He’s much too small in size for that! But soon a bigger obstacle to his wish occurs, when his father must sell the camel herd so that he can buy water. Etabo asks Akuj the Sky God for help, and hears the answer that “your dreams are enough.”

As the cost of water continues to rise, Etabo’s siblings go off to work while he tends the family goats on his own. His dreams do not feel like enough. Can his older sister Akiru show him just how precious those dreams are? (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. Kenyan author. This book is out of print – check your library for copies.)

Related post: Children’s books and activities to learn about Kenya

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Omer’s Favorite Place by Ifeoma Onyefulu.

Photographs and true stories about children’s lives are an excellent tool for exploring cultural diversity, and these are Nigerian author and professional photographer Ifeoma Onyefulu’s speciality. (She has written many books that are now out of print, but my local library still carries a good selection of her work. Check to see if yours does too!)

In Omer’s Favorite Place, we learn about an Ethiopian boy’s daily life as he shares all the places that he likes to play. Omer lives in a spacious house (dispelling stereotypes that all Africans live in poverty), and many of his toys will remind American children of their own. Omer’s favorite place to play in his house may be your child’s favorite spot to hide away as well. (Recommended for ages 3 – 6. Nigerian-British author.)

Related Post: Best children’s books and resources for learning about Ethiopia

Idia of the Benin Kingdom by Ekiuwa Aire. Illustrated by Alina Shabelnyk.

Queen Idia was the mother of Esigie, who reigned as Benin’s Oba (king) from 1504 to 1550. She was known not only as a patron of the arts, but for cleverly disguising herself as a man so that she could march next to her son in battle.

In this beautifully illustrated picture book, Aire imagines Idia’s childhood. One night she has a detailed dream where a woman fought in battle, and later healed her fellow warriors. Idia is puzzled by the dream, especially since the kingdom is at peace.

Still, she questions her father about being a warrior, and her mother about healing. They both agree to teach her what they know, as long as she continues to practice her dancing and complete all her chores.

It’s only many years later when she’s an adult that Idia understands her dream. The woman she saw battling enemies and healing the other warriors was her.

Aire has also written picture books about Queen Njinga, Imhotep, and Sunjata. (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. Nigerian-Canadian author.)

Grandpa Cacao: A Tale of Chocolate, From Family to Farm by Elizabeth Zunon.

A little girl gets ready for her birthday by helping her father make their favorite chocolate cake. It’s also a good way to pass the time while Mommy has gone to get another (mysterious) birthday treat.

She has never been to Ivory Coast, where her Grandpa Cacao farms and her father grew up. But Daddy loves telling her the story of how chocolate is made, starting with cacao farmers like Grandpa.

As Daddy tells her the story, she keeps wondering if she is like Grandpa Cacao. She hears that Grandpa must carry heavy loads through the bush on his, wide calloused feet. She knows then that Grandpa must be where “I get my wide-boat feet!”

Once the cake it baked, her special surprise is waiting at the door. It’s even better than her guesses of what it might have been. (Cote-d’Ivoirian-American author. Recommended for ages 4 – 8)

Chicken in the Kitchen by Nnedi Okorafor. Illustrated by Mehrdoht Amini.

What would you do if you saw a gigantic chicken making a rukus in your kitchen?

The night before the New Yam festival, Anyaugo has to stop an intruding chicken from ruining the special dishes her grandma and auntie made. She decides she must consult the Wood Wit, a nature spirit who gives strange but helpful advice. After following the Wood Wit’s advice to speak “Chickenese,” Anyaugo discovers that the tall chicken is in fact, one of the masqueraders from the festival who wants a midnight snack!

This humorous tale and its bold, engaging illustrations will entertain children while teaching them about important aspects of Igbo culture. (Recommended for ages 4 to 9. Nigerian-American author.)

Grandad Mandela by Zazi, Ziwelen, and Zindzi Mandela. Illustrated by Sean Qualls.

In this detailed story, accompanied by textured acrylic and collage illustrations, the youngest child of Nelson and Winnie Mandela tells her own grandchildren about her parents’ lives. Zindzi tells her grandchildren about what it was like to grow up with her father in prison, while she and her sister couldn’t even attend school because they were Mandelas.

Though the story is a bit didactic at times, this is a great first introduction to the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. South African author.

Related Post: Best children’s books and activities about South Africa

A Is For Africa by Ifeoma Onyefulu.

The illuminating photographs alone in this alphabet book make it a wonderful read for dispelling stereotypes children may have about Africa. From children’s favorite games to the role of Grandmothers as storytellers to sacred masquerade constumes, Onyefulu covers a huge amount of topics. Before reading this book, be sure to point out Onyefulu’s notes about how the book is rooted in her specific childhood experiences in Nigeria. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. Nigerian-British author.)

Related Post: This subscription box makes geography fun

Eco Girl by Ken Wilson-Max.

Eve loves gazing at the trees in the forest near her home, especially the baobabs. Her deepest wish is to become a baobab herself, so that she could talk to the other trees. Her family members teach her that to be like a tree, she must be patient, and Eve must care for others. She soon adopts the name “Eco Girl” and tells them that she’s no longer a “little sprout,” because she’s now a sapling. When Eve’s birthday arrives, her grandmother has a special surprise for the girl who longs to become a tree.

After the story there are also brief illustrated notes teaching children a variety of facts about trees. (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. Zimbabwean-British author.)

Related Post: African history books and resources for kids.

Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke. Illustrated by Angela Brooksbank.

When Mama takes baby to market, baby is very curious about all the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells. Because baby is so sweet, vendors keep giving baby all kinds of food to eat (without Mama knowing.) Baby stashes the extras in Mama’s basket, until finally she feels the weight of the bananas, coconuts, and more.

She’s alarmed at all the food she didn’t pay for, until the vendors reassure her that they wanted baby to have them! Children and adult readers alike will find baby’s antics delightful, and enjoy discovering all the playful details of the marketplace in the illustrations.  (Recommended for ages 2 to 6. Nigerian-Welsh author.)

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon.

Even before he built a windmill, William Kamkwamba dreamed constantly of building things and taking them apart. When his community faced a severe drought, William learned at the library that windmills could produce electricity and pump water.

This picture book tells the true story of how he built a windmill for his village in Malawi, using only junkyard parts and library books for guidance. This story of persistence and creativity will inspire kids who want to fight hunger and poverty, while repairing the environment. (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. Malawian author.)

View the complete list of engaging children’s books by African authors on Bookshop.org. Your purchase supports independent bookstores and my business!

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o. Illustrated by Vashti Harrison.

This stunning book addresses colorism with compassion through an imaginative story about the sisters Day and Night. Sulwe’s skin is “the color of midnight,” but she longs to have the light brown skin of her sister Mich. Children at school give Sulwe cruel nicknames, and she does everything she can think of to lighten her skin.

Sulwe’s mother tries to convince her of her beauty, but it’s not until a star appears in her window that things begin to shift. The star tells her the story of Day and Night, who were also treated differently because of their colors. After Night runs away, both she and Day discover how needed and beautiful she is. (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. Kenyan-Mexican author.)

Related post: 5 ways to celebrate darkness with children (and why this matters for antiracist families)

Children’s story anthologies and chapter books by African authors

Crossing the Stream by Elizabeth-Irene Baitie. (Series).

This compelling story addresses themes of family loss, religious manipulation, environmental conservation, and courage.

Although Ato sees his Nana regularly at his house, he hasn’t been allowed to visit her home in a long time. When his mother tells him he’ll be spending weekends with Nana, she’s quite nervous about the prospect and warns Ato to never sit on Nana’s orange couch. There certainly are a number of strange things Ato observes at Nana’s house, but she also provides him with incredible help on his project to grow a garden without pesticides.

If he and his friends’ garden project is impressive enough, they’ll be able to visit Nnoma, the bird sanctuary his father helped establish before his death years ago. While Ato is focused on the garden, a local “prophet” convinces his mother than Ato is on a path to disobedience. (Recommended for ages 9 – 13. Ghanaian author.)

Too Small Tola by Atinuke. Illustrated by Oninye Iwu. (Series.)

Tola may be small, but it’s no indication of her physical and mental strength! She takes after Grandmommy, whose nickname is Mama Mighty. In this delightful chapter book, Atinuke shows children modern day life in the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria.

My kid and I laughed out loud multiple times as Tola and Grandmommy carried home towers of goods from the marketplace. (Of course, they stop often to reward themselves with goodies, the news of which makes Tola’s lazy brother jealous.) Tola later showed her emotional strength when faced with a bully at the apartment’s water pump, inspiring her neighbors to stand with her. The Tola series is a joy to read! (Recommended for ages 7 – 10. Nigerian-Welsh author.)

Every Leaf a Hallelujah by Ben Okri. Illustrated by Diana Ejaita.

In this modern fairytale, poet and playwright Ben Okri communicates the urgent need for humans to befriend trees, who make life itself possible. When Mangoshi walks into the forest one day, she hears the trees talking. But when she asks them to speak to her so that she can understand their words, they tell her she’s not ready yet.

When Mangoshi returns much later, she finds the forest a different place, with many trees felled or dying. She is there to pick the only flower that can heal her mother’s illness, but the trees tell her that flower no longer grows because of what humans have done to the forest. Though she doesn’t know if she’ll every obtain the flower, Mangoshi’s conversations with the trees make her resolute to do her part to stop further damage to them. (Recommended for ages 7 – 12. Nigerian-British author.)

Related post: 18 thoughtful children’s books about the environment

Last Gate of the Emperor by Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel Makonnen. (Series)

Tristan Strong author Kwame Mbalia has partnered with Ethiopian author Joel Makonnen in this Afro-futurist series about Yared, a boy who sneaks out of school to play an augmented virtual reality game that takes place all around his city of Addis Prime. When new rules of the game force Yared to use his real name to play (something his Uncle Moti has always forbidden him from doing), Yared and his rival the Ibis are suddenly being chased by forces he’s never seen in real life before, and Uncle Moti has disappeared. Yared and the Ibis, along with Yared’s robot lion Besa, are soon united in the twinfold mission of saving themselves and finding Uncle Moti. (Recommended for ages 10+. Ethiopian-American author.)

Related post: Diverse fantasy books for ages 7 – 14

African Tales: A Barefoot Collection by Gcina Mhlophe. Illustrated by Rachel Griffin.

This is an excellent folktale resource for older elementary children. Eight traditional tales are included, with each tale introduced by two pages of cultural information about the country in which it is set.

I particularly enjoyed the Senegalese tale “Sea Wind,” about the marriage of a mortal girl Aminata to the Wind that must travel to the ocean each day to aid the fishermen. Each story included numerous embellished fabric art illustrations. (South African author. Recommended for ages 8 – 12).