The endangered bookworm: Are children reading less?

The Endangered Bookworm: Are Children Reading Less? When I think of a bookworm, I  picture a child who packs a book in their bag “for just in case”, or a child who reads by torchlight long after lights out, or a child who doesn’t hear their parents’ request to set the table because their nose […]

How to get lost in a book (new teacher workshop)

How to get lost in a book – Final November workshop! I’m excited to announce that the SA teacher union,Naptosa, will be repeating my workshop How to Get Lost in a Book: Pathways for Guiding Young Readers. It’s designed to equip teachers with a map of children’s literature that will help them navigate into the […]

“Just a children’s book”

“Just a children’s book” When I tell people that I write children’s books, the response is often “how nice”. Nice like home-made muffins or craft glitter. Or depending on how literary the other person is, there may be an awkward moment of silence, into which a number of unspoken things fall, such as: not a […]

The Contradictory Narratives of Productivity And Rest

The Contradictory Narratives of Productivity And Rest Writing is hard. That effort of forcing yourself to sit at a desk pushing around uncooperative sentences and fiddling with bits of plot that just don’t want to connect properly. Rolling up your sleeves and getting on with it takes a superhuman effort when there are just so […]

Books Are Door-Shaped Portals (And Children Are Shut Out)

Books Are Door-Shaped Portals (And Children Are Shut Out) The 2023 Background Report from the 2030 Reading Panel was recently released and it made for some sobering reading. Based on the 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) results, 78% of South African children aged 10 cannot read for meaning in any language. In […]

How to get lost in a book: A new teacher workshop

“How to get lost in a book” – A new teacher workshop I was approached by the South African teacher union, Naptosa, to create a workshop on reading and children’s books for their members. This presented the perfect opportunity to weave together my passion for children’s literature, and getting people to understand the importance of reading […]

Escaping a reading slump: 10 tips

Escaping a reading slump: 10 tips Even children who love books hit reading slumps. Reading suddenly becomes an effort and ceases to bring joy. Other things like Netflix or gaming or Pinterest seem so much less effort and offer a welcome distraction. With every book started and tossed aside, the frustration grows.  As parents we […]

Why books in the mother tongue matter

“Aahrr! Aahrr!” Why books in the mother tongue matter For children to really fall in love with reading, they need to hear stories in their home languages. They need to see themselves, their lives and their languages in the pages of a book. That is why I am super proud to be part of the […]

Why White People Should Care About Diverse Children’s Literature

Why White People Should Care About Diverse Children’s Literature The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu coined the phrase “rainbow nation” to describe South Africa, and we sure are a melting pot of languages, ethnicities, religions, cultures, beliefs, lifestyles etc. To look around, certainly in urban areas, is to see diversity. To look around at shelves of […]