Engaging reads for children, from Books go Walkabout

Tag: Grandad Mandela

Grandad Mandela – A special families’ event 15th August 2018

South Africa House - image

The family reading to the audience!

A very special event which raised the profile of this beautiful book, and enabled children to have a voice. 

It brought members of the Mandela family into South Africa House, in Trafalgar Square, London. The afternoon was full of significance. The happy family amidst a small group of 30 people, in dark oak panelled walls, of this diplomatic house visited by Nelson Mandela in 1996.

Nelson Mandela is a global icon of peace and forgiveness, a freedom fighter who spent 27 years in prison and went on to be President of South Africa. In 2018 he would have been 100 years old!

Zindzi Mandela, the youngest daughter of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, talked about the need to write this book for children, seen in the eyes of children. Ziwelene and Zazi had questions about their great grandfather and the different world in which he was raised. The book gives a chance for answers to be given, which help in understanding some of the situation at that time.

Zindzi  said  she wanted to encourage all children to be involved in storytelling, as there is so much beautiful history in South Africa and  in where children are today. She asked all the children to find themselves in words, to find their expression in words and she added,

“For many years as black South Africans we were not allowed to have a voice, but now we have a voice. And we won’t stop talking! And we won’t stop writing!”

The High Commissioner for South Africa, Thembi Tambo, spoke highly of the book and work of publishers Lincoln Children’s Books, and also of The Mandela Legacy, which supported the book and also supports many endeavours in enabling people to create, produce and live their lives.

Grandad Mandela - cover image and web lnk

An inspiring story!

“… I can’t imagine a better way to allow children to access information, on their terms. It allows children to discover, in a way that is comfortable for them.”

Thembi praised Zindzi for her struggles in life as a young child and how she had to internalise her fears and her anger and to support her children and grandchildren in this story of Nelson Mandela.

Buy this book - image and web link

…with free delivery!

It was a real privilege for the Books Go Walkabout team to be part of this event. Our book review and blog has been widely read and we hope that it will enable a wider understanding of the struggles of Mandela and South Africa.

Sue Martin

Books Go Walkabout

 

Grandad Mandela by Zazi and Ziwelee and Zindzi Mandela, illustrated by Sean Qualls

 

Grandad Mandela - book cover and web link

Buy this book here…

This amazing book is written from a child’s perspective, and authored jointly by Nelson Mandela’s great-grandchildren and daughter, told as never before, to celebrate what would have been Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday on 28th June 2018.

This book will bring alive Mandela’s legacy for a new generation of children and is published by Lincoln Children’s Books, who are renowned for quality, information books in a highly accessible format. (Title available on 28th June…)

Nelson Mandela’s two great-grandchildren ask their grandmother, Mandela’s youngest daughter, with Winnie Mandela, 15 questions about their grandad.

Mandela is a global icon of peace and forgiveness who fought peacefully, against apartheid and a brutal regime in South Africa. He spent 27 years in prison on Robben Island.

The grandchildren learn that he was a freedom fighter who put down his weapons for the sake of peace, and who then became the President of South Africa and a Nobel Peace Prize-winner.

The illustrations by Sean Qualls are brilliant, the style and colours support the feel of South Africa.  The book is written in a picture book style and the text points to some of the hard questions that the great-grandchildren ask such as;

“Why did Grandad have to go to jail?”

“Where were you Grandma when Grandad was in jail?

 

It tells of that period of time when apartheid and lack of freedom for black people in South Africa were part of everyday life. The struggle to achieve not only justice but a place where all people should be free was an enormous task.

We highly recommend this beautiful and heartfelt book for all ages and for schools, libraries and home.

Sue Martin

Books Go Walkabout

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