Harare Review of Books

I’ve read a bunch of children’s books lately. I mostly used to scroll past those ARCs on the relevant sites because I am without issue (is it called that for women too?), and would never presume to tell parents what to read with theirs. But then! One day, I downloaded something that caught my eye, and I’ve been on a roll since.

What’s not to love?! We have: Colour! Simple themes! Quick reads! That are usually heartwarming, and often funny! Such a pleasant diversion, and I’m really into them now (again, lol). You should totes walk into the bookshop and buy them “for the kids” but in fact for yourself to brighten up your own day, thank you very much.

Anyway, in no particular order, here’s a list of the ones I’ve enjoyed recently.

What if I’m Not a Cat? – Kari-Lynn Winters (Kids Can Press, June 6, 2023)

What an absolutely delightful little book for humans (and kitties, and donkeys) of all ages! With beautiful artwork, humour, and an unexpected ending, this charmed me to bits.

Where Do Animals Live? – Katerina Gorelik (Schiffer Kids, Nov 28, 2022)

Cute, with beautiful artwork; but wondered about some of the places where animals live? 🙂

What Do Animals Eat? – Katerina Gorelik (Schiffer Kids, Nov 28, 2022)

Loved the gorgeous illustration and simplicity of this book for tots.

Remembering Sundays with Grandpa – Lauren H. Kerstein, Nanette Regan (illus.) (Beaming Books, Nov 7, 2023)

Beautiful, tenderly written, a tear-jerker. Although I’m a grown woman sometimes, and my own grandfather passed away a few years ago, this comforted me so much.

Age-appropriate on grief, with stunning illustration, and a wonderful addition to any family shelf. Highly recommended.

Butt Or Face? – Kari Lavelle (Sourcebooks Explore, July 11, 2023)

Absolutely delightful little book to teach adults and children about the animal world.Also, I mostly didn’t know if it was a face or butt, either. Perfect length, and very scientific. Highly recommended.

Flipflopi – Linda Ravin Lodding, Dipesh Pabari, Michael Machira Mwangi (illus.) (Beaming Books, Mar 14, 2023)

A lovely little book sharing the story of the Flipflopi, a boat made from flip flops that washed up on a Lamu beach (10 tonnes worth!). A little boy and his grandfather, a boatmaker, come up with a plan to use the plastic waste.

A wonderful way to get little ones to care about the environment, and to remind them that they, too, can play a part in protecting it. Extra wonderful that this is a true story.

Dr Wangari Maathai Plants a Forest – Rebel Girls, Eugenia Mello (illus.) (Rebel Girls, Feb 25, 2020)

A very beautiful and well-written book on the life of Nobel Prize winner and environmentalist, Dr Wangari Maathai. Although it’s aimed at children, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and many adults will, too. The book was written in collaboration with Dr Maathai’s daughter, Wanjira Mathai, and perhaps this is what gives it its air of authenticity. A wonderful tribute, for a life well-lived.

*Rusty the Squeaky Robot – Neil Clark (Words & Pictures, April 19, 2018)

Rusty is a cute little robot who needs reassurance about himself, and who finds it in a group of friends. The illustrations are outstanding, and I enjoyed it. Suitable for little tots.

*Unfortunately out of print.

The Thing at 52 – Ross Montgomery, Richard Johnson (illus.) (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, July 4, 2023)

A beautifully illustrated but somewhat bleak little book. I didn’t expect it to be about loss, and it turned out to be, right near the end, without (I felt) complete resolution; so I felt rather sad afterwards.

The illustrations are truly stunning, though, and the book has a nice message about friendship. Recommended, but you may need to talk to your little one afterwards.

Fire Shapes the World – Joanna Cooke, Cornelia Li (illus.) (Yosemite Conservancy, June 13, 2023)

An excellent book to teach adults and little ones about fire and the environment, and the difference between good fires and bad ones. Especially liked the emphasis on Indigenous knowledge of land management. Beautifully illustrated with intense colours. Highly recommended.

Are You a Monster? (Vol. 1) – Guilherme Karsten (Happy Yak, Feb 14, 2023)

Delightful and actually a little scary, because the monster asking the question does get a little aggressive 😳 But a cute story, suitable for tough kids.

If you have any recommendations, please add them in the comments.