Africa Resources: Folktales, Biography, Poetry, Nonfiction

Visit your school or public library to find good books and other media on Africa. For availability information, try your local bookstore, Amazon Book Company, or Commercial Publishers.

[African Folktales] [Biography] [Poetry] [Fiction & Picture Books] [Nonfiction]

See Also: Ancient Egypt

African Folktales

Aardema, Verna. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears. Caldecott Award Book.

Aardema, Verna. Who's in Rabbit's House?

Aardema, Verna. Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain; A Nandi Tale

Aardema, Verna & Rattray, R. S. Anansi Finds a Fool; An Ashanti Tale Published by Dial Books for Young Readers, 1992.

Aardema, Verna. Misoso; Once Upon a Time Tales from Africa Ill. by Reynold Ruffings. Pub. by Knopf, 1994. Recommended in Children's Catalog. Twelve tales from Africa.

Brown, Marcia. Shadow. Text by Blaise Cendrars. Traditional Literature; Poetry. Caldecott Award Book.

Bryan, Ashley. Lion and the Ostrich Chicks, and Other African Folk Tales. Published by Atheneum Pubs., 1986.

Dadie, Bernard . The Black Cloth; A Collection of African Folktales. Published by University of Mass. Press., 1987.

Gerson, Mary-Joan & Golembe, Carla. Why the Sky Is Far Away; A Nigerian Folktale Published by Little, Brown, 1992.

Haley, Gail. A Story; A Story Caldecott Award Book.

Kimmel, Eric A. and Stevens, Janet. Anansi Goes Fishing Published by Holiday House, 1992.

Kimmel, Eric A. and Stevens, Janet. Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock Published by Holiday House, 1988.

Knutson, Barbara. How the Guinea Fowl Got Her Spots; A Swahili Tale of Friendship. Published by Carolrhoda Bks., 1990.

Kurtz, Jane. Pulling the Lion's Tale Illus. by Floyd Cooper. Published by Simon and Schuster, 1996. Level: P, I. A 1996 Notable Children's Tradebook in the Social Studies. An Ethiopian folktale about the virtue of patience.

Kurtz, Jane. Fire on the Mountain Ill. by E. B. Lewis. Pub. by Simon & Schuster Bks for Young Readers, 1994. Grades 1-4; Ethiopian folklore. Recommended in Children's Catalog.

Lewis, I. Murphy. Why Ostriches Don't Fly and Other Tales from the African Bush Libraries Unlimited, 1997. All levels.

Medlicott, Mary, ed. The River Went to the Sky; Twelve Tales by African Storytellers Ill. by Ademola Akintola. Pub. by Kingfisher, 1996. A 1996 Notable Children's Trade Books in the Social Studies. Level I, A. Stories from Egypt to Botswana.

Mollel, Tololwa, M. and Morin, Paul. The Orphan Boy; A Maasai Story Published by Clarion Books, 1990.

Rosen, Michael & Clementson, John. How the Animals Got Their Colors; Animal Myths from around the World. Published by Harcourt, Brace & Jovanovich, 1992.

Seeger, Pete. Abiyoyo. A Reading Rainbow Book., 1986. "based on a South African Lullaby and Folk Story.

Steptoe, John. Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters. Illustrated by Clarita Kohen. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1987. Ages 4-8

Mufaro's two beautiful daughters, one bad-tempered, one kind and sweet, go before the king, who is choosing a wife. Caldecott Honor Book; Coretta Scott King Award 1988; Notable Children's Book, 1987; Reading Rainbow Book. [A Cinderella tale]

Steptoe, John. The Ox of the Wonderful Horns and Other African Folk Tales.

Williams, Sheron and Roth, Robert. And in the Beginning.... Published by Atheneum Pubs., 1992.

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Africa - Biography

Dobler, Lavinia and Brown, William A. Great Rulers of the African Past Illustrated by Yvonne Johnson. Zenith Books, Doubleday, 1965. 120p.
Simple text. Includes Mansa Musa of Mali; Sunni Ali Ber of West African kingdom of Songhay; Askia Muhammad of Songhay; Affonso I of the Kongo Kingdom [Congo]; and Idris Alaoma of West African kingdom of Bornu.

Stanley, Diane. Shaka, King of the Zulus William Morrow & Co., 1995?. Ages 7 up. From publisher's catalog.

Stanley, Diane. Cleopatra William Morrow & Co. 1995? Ages 7 up. From publisher's catalog.

African Poetry for Children

Brown, Marcia. Shadow. Text by Blaise Cendrars. Caldecott Award Book.

Olaleye, Isaac. Illus. by Frane Lessac. The Distant Talking Drum Pub. by Wordsong, 1996. 32 pgs. Interest level P, I. A 1996 Notable Children's Trade Books in the Social Studies. Poems describe life in a Nigerian farming village. Could be used in unit on the rain forest.

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Fiction & Picture Books

Heide, Florence Parry and Judith Heide Gillaland. The Day of Ahmed's Secret Illustrated by Ted Lewin. Lothrop Lee & Shepard, 1990. Picture Book
A young boy proudly shows his family he has learned to write his own name.

London, Jonathan. Ali, Child of the Desert Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1997. Picture Book. Ages 6 up.
Ali, a Moroccan child, is stranded with his family on the Great Sahara Desert.

Stock, Catherine. Where Are You Going, Manyoni? Written & illustrated by Catherine Stock. Morrow, 1993. Picture Book
A young girl walks across the countryside to school

Wisniewski, David. Sundiata; Lion King of Mali Clarion, 1992. Picture Book.
The story of Sundiata who overcame physical handicaps, social disgrace and strong opposition to rule Mali in the thirteenth century. Cut paper illustrations by the author. Photography of cut paper illustrations by Lee Salsbery.

Williams, Karen. Galimoto Illustrated by Catherine Stock. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1990. Picture Book
Set in Malawai. A young boy builds a toy car.

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Nonfiction

Angelou, Maya. My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken and Me. With photos by Margaret Courtney-Clarke. Pub. by Potter, 1994. Grades K-3. Intro to the life of the Ndebele people. Recommended in Children's Catalog.

Arnold, Caroline. African Animals Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1997. Picture Book. Nonfiction.
Full color photos of African wildlife.

Ayoub, Abderrahman et al. Umm El Madayan; An Islamic City Through the Ages Ill. by Francesco Corni. Trans. by Kathleen Leverich. Pub. by Houghton Mifflin, 1994. Grades 5 and up. Recommended in Children's Catalog.

Brandenburg, Jim. Sand and Fog; Adventures in Southern Africa Published by Walker & Co., 1994. Grades 4 up. First person narrative about life in Nambia. Recommended in Children's Catalog.

Chiasson, John C. African Journey. Bradbury, 1988. Boston Globe Horn Book Award. Describes in text and pictures how nature dictates the way of life for people in six different regions of Africa.

Darling, Kathy. Komodo Dragon: On Location Lothrop, Lee & Shpeard, 1997. Picture Book. Nonfiction.
A personal look at the Komodo dragons on Komodo Island.

Darling, Kathy. Chameleons: On Location Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1997. Picture Book. Nonfiction.
A personal look at the chameleons of Madagascar.

Feelings, Tom & Muriel. Ashanti to Zulu; African Traditions Picture Book. (6)
=====Jambo Means Hello; Swahili Alphabet BookPicture Book (6)

Margolies, Barbara. Olbalbal; A Day in Maasailand Pub. by Four Winds Press, 1994. Grade 3-5. Historical info on the Masai. Recommended in Children's Catalog.

Wisniewski, David. Sundiata Clarion Books, 1992. Reviewed in Booklist.
An historical account from the oral tradition of a 13th century Mali king who passed his kingship to a sickly young prince who was unable to walk or speak.

Zeleza, Tiyambe. Akamba. Rosen, 1994. Heritage Library of African People. Young Adult

Culture and life under British colonialism of the Agikuyu and Akamba communnities in Kenya. Review at Barnes & Noble

Zeleza, Tiyambe. The Maasai. Rosen, 1994. Heritage Library of African People. Grades 5 to 8.

Historical material on the Maasai, as well as explanation of customs. Review at Barnes & Noble

Zeleza, Tiyame. Mijikenda. Rosen, 1994. Heritage Library of African People. Grades 5 up.

The Igbo of Nigeria; includes changes caused by colonial rule, independence; customs; review at Barnes & Noble

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