It’s a Wandaful World! A book review

Vuk’uzenzele reviewed a children’s book, It’s a Wandaful World! written by master-storytellers, Sihle Nontshokweni and Mathabo Tlali. Their imaginations introduce us to Wanda, a girl with a crown of beautiful hair and a heart full of courage. The book’s main characters are creatively brought to life by internationally published illustrators, Chantelle and Burgen Thorne. 

The book is published by Jacana Publishing, and it is suitable for children aged five to eight years.  This two-book volume is a celebration of cultural heritage, family bonds and the power of friendship written to inspire bravery in every child.

Volume One: Wanda 

Wanda has a glorious cloud of curly black hair, and her mum teaches her a positive affirmation – “I am a queen, and this is my crown.” She, however, struggles with maintaining her confidence and tries to hide her hair. She does this because one of the teachers at her school, Mrs Green, would single her out and scornfully say that she has a bird’s nest atop her head. After a particularly hard day at school, Wanda’s grandmother lets her in on a few tips. Through these hair secrets and stories, she finds the confidence to face her fears and realises that her hair is truly something to be proud of.

This book encourages young children to embrace their identity with pride and love themselves for what they are born with, despite what society may say or think.

Volume Two: Wanda the Brave 

The adventures of Wanda continue in the second book, where we tag along as Wanda is visiting the hair salon where she plans to use all the hair secrets her Makhulu taught her. But the hair salon’s Aunty Ada wants her to straighten her hair with a white chemical. 

Read how Wanda and her friend Sandra come up with a plan and stand up for themselves. Wanda The Brave, is a wonderful reminder to children of what can be achieved when they work together.

About the authors

Sihle Nontshokweni is an author, storyteller, scholar, facilitator and recently the host for The Ultimate Book Show. Her Nal’ibali children’s story Fly, Everyone, Fly was the 2021 World Read Aloud Day story which reached upwards of 3 million children in South Africa. She is also the author of Wanda, which won the Skipping Stone Honor Award in 2021. 

She has travelled and lived in numerous countries, including Beijing, completing a Master’s degree at Peking University. It is from this vast world experience that Sihle tells stories that explore how hierarchical and racialised contexts affect identity, aspirations and opportunities. She is a PhD candidate and her research focuses on school desegregation.

Mathabo Tlali was born and raised in the Eastern Cape and has the yearning to understand and engage the thoughts and realities of others through various artistic and digital platforms. A thespian at heart, she is a practitioner who currently engages the form of contemporary performance in order to translate her ideas; writing, directing, physical performance and producing are her key areas of interest. She seeks to explore intersectional ways of connectivity between the past, present and future, more so pertaining to identity politics within the performance and academic space.

About the illustrators

Chantelle and Burgen Thorne are internationally published illustrators with over 20 years’ experience in educational publishing.  The two are now focusing on picture books for children with several more titles being released internationally this year, because the magic of children’s book is that they are not just for kids. Avid bookworms themselves, they take great delight in the visual storytelling of picture books, art and text working together, every word and every image adding to the reader’s experience. Both have fond memories of being read to as children and this inspires them to make their illustrations as engaging, honest and relevant to young readers as they possibly can.

For information & sales enquiries: sales@jacana.co.za / Tel: +27 011 628 3200
To order: orders@booksite.co.za / Tel: +27 086 127 2273

Information provided by; Jacana Publishing