Today’s post comes to you from Tayla Mocke Crossing Pages, Crossing Borders: An Exploration into the Movement of People, Stories, and Ideas #ReadingAfrica turns 10 this year! Catalyst Press launched the campaign back in 2017 because we wanted to celebrate just how vast and varied African literature really is. And every year since, more teachers, … Continue reading #ReadingAfricaWeek 2026 thanks to The Catalyst Press
Today’s post comes to you from Vashalice Kaaba Welcome, everyone, to Reading Africa Month at the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative! As Executive Director, I am delighted to welcome you to a month of discovery, conversation, and appreciation for African literature. Throughout November, we will celebrate the continent’s authors, publishers, and storytelling traditions, while also … Continue reading #ReadingAfrica: Stories That Remember: A Welcome to Reading Africa Week & Month
Coming of age stories are a often visited theme in young adult and even middle grades literature. It is not a common theme in picture books, however. Forthcoming from Catalyst Press, Wankijũ, Child of Mine is a picture book bildungsroman of a Kenyan girlhood. Like other titles from Catalyst Press, it gives pride of place … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Wankijũ, Child of Mine
Originally published in 2018 as part of a Kickstarter campaign and forthcoming to a more global audience this August from Catalyst Press, Kariba is an adventurous fantasy middle grades graphic novel. As the South African-based creators note in an afterword, Kariba "draws heavily upon historical fact," taking its name from the real life Kariba Dam … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Kariba
Meet Epi Dermis! Who is Epi Dermis, you might ask? Your skin, of course! Forthcoming July 2023 from South Africa based Catalyst Press, It's Just Skin, Silly! is a friendly and accessible introduction to the evolution of skin color. Anthropologist Nina Jablonski and historian Holly McGee draw upon their more than 40 years of combined … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: It’s Just Skin, Silly!
As an early childhood literacy specialist and library professional, I have a secret to share with you. An industry secret, if you will. Ready? Children's librarians are not the biggest fans of "easy reader" books. Also known as "emerging readers" or "beginning readers," these very short books or stories are targeted toward children just beginning … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Shout Hooray, Here Comes Lolo!
