During this time, it is important that we ensure that our children are exposed to stories they can relate to and books that depict life as they know it and can imagine. The following resources and bookstores offer books, stories and activities for the children during this lockdown period.
1. EthniKids: This is an online based bookstore which seeks to affirm children of colour by stocking material that has protagonists of colour in all South African languages. The EthniKids team host live Instagram author book readings and Q&A’s on Saturdays at 17:00pm. Follow their Instagram here for more details and order books from their website here.
2. Siyafunda Online: “Siyafunda Online is a project with the aim to share stories in Southern African indigenous languages. The first book in this instalment, Siyafunda: isiZulu, teaches the pronunciation of the isiZulu alphabet in a fun and easy way. Siyafunda (“we are learning”) is a book that features 25 lively animals for each sound in the isiZulu alphabet. The website, also the same title is in isiZulu with English translations – this is what I love about it. Siya Masuku is a Soweto-born author and illustrator and he dreamed of making isiZulu easy and accessible. There are other titles which Siya works on and he recently published, illustrated and designed Lorato Trok’s latest book, Mosidi through Siyafunda – which is a Setswana book. You can like the page here, and order books under the Siyafunda Online website here.
3. Ambani Africa: Ambani Africa is an African language platform where technology is used to learn different African languages. The website offers language cards and posters, then you use their App to watch the cards come alive and learn basic words. Follow Ambani Africa on their socials here and their website here.
4. Pelmo Books: Pelmo Books is a publisher of indigenous South African languages. They are committed to preserve these languages and to ensure that they do not fade away. Pelmo has published over 65 titles and their mission is to reflect all the different languages and cultures in South Africa. Pelmo offers other services including editing work, supplying and distribution of books to public libraries and school libraries. You can check Pelmo’s Instagram page here, and go to their website here to buy books under the tag book cellars and for further information on all the work they have done so far.
5. Roundafire: This app is available for Android and iOS devices. This app provides African stories in a few of the official languages, that are delivered to your devise monthly with different stories and are age-appropriate. They offer a monthly subscription as well on their website.
6. Puku Books: An online digital encyclopedia for children in all 11 languages. Puku promotes reading and buying of books that affirm the African child. You can go onto the Puku website here for more information and resources.
Let us keep on ensuring that our children grow their vocabularies, they learn as much as possible about themselves and the world around them. But most importantly, that they have fun while learning.
I hope these will be helpful resources for you all.
Keep well, and stay safe out there.
