A story about the power of reading…
In Dududu village, everyone knows that Mrs. Zwane loves books.
She collects old papers, books, and magazines and keeps them neatly piled in her bedroom.
Mrs. Zwane had never been to school. She couldn’t read or write, but something inside her tells her there is magic in those printed words.
‘One day they will talk to me,’ she says.
This is the story of how Mrs. Zwane helps the children of Dududu – and how a young boy gives Mrs. Zwane a very special gift. The gift of reading, and words.
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"A heartwarming story about reading and the importance of books, plus resilience in one's life and generosity of spirit. Illustrations are fabulous, as is the story, which transports on into the village and life of Nozincwadi." ~ Review by Marj Brown for the IBBY Honour List 2024
"Nozincwadi, Mother of Books is a children’s book by the master oral story teller Gcina Mhlophe. It is brilliantly written and brilliantly illustrated. The narrative is about the relationship between an older woman with a of love for books and the community she lives in. Although she cannot read herself, she helps children who cannot afford books to get the books they need. But then a child helps her to understand and enjoy books and she herself also gets the opportunity to go to a school for adults. The book deserves to be heard and read by readers of all ages. The illustrations by Elizabeth Pulles are equally masterful. The warmth in the relationships between the characters is conveyed in numerous ways in the illustrations. It is precisely in the excellent interaction between the verbal text and the visual text that a book about the value of books has become such a brilliant book. With each reading of this book, the value of books is emphasized anew.
Tanja Malherbe's translation of the text flows creatively and remains faithful to the original text." ~ Review by Betsie van der Westhuizen for the IBBY Honour List 2024
A story about the power of reading.
Illustrator: Elizabeth Pulles
Languages: English, Afrikaans, isiNdebele, Siswati, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Tshivenda, Xitsonga
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-4856-3164-4, October 2022, 260 x 210mm, 32 pages
Rights: World
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