It’s not surprising that literature from Africa, the world’s youngest continent, is particularly prolific in works for young readers. From the multitude of books, some strong trends emerge, including a clear desire for rootedness.
Local Inspirations, Universal Vision
Characters that children can identify with is a fundamental trend among all children’s publishers encountered at the Book Fair. With Yulu, Diambars, or Zuri, publishers offer young readers heroes and heroines they can recognize themselves in. This is notably the credo of the founders of AYỌ Éditions. Born from the observation of a lack of diversity in children’s literature, the publishing house focuses on featuring characters from all backgrounds.
In the same vein, stories are set in environments familiar to children. At Saaraba Editions, stories reflect the daily lives of young Senegalese. “Lilani: In Search of Treasure”, written by Anna and Yamma Gomis and illustrated by Omar Diop, follows the adventures of little Lilani in the Manjak village of Ba Safal, while “Sadio – The Wood of Angels”, written and illustrated by Seydina Issa Sow, depicts the misadventures of young Sadio in his native village of Nianthio.
Beyond this local anchoring, the themes addressed remain universal. Authors and publishers cultivate openness to the world and defend inclusive rather than Afro-centric literature. “When a work is of quality, it speaks to all audiences,” summarizes Omar Sylla, author and founder of Tropique Editions. The worldwide success of the Ivorian comic book “Aya de Yopougon” has indeed proven this point.
Languages and Orality
While children’s literature readily takes on local colors in content, form is not left behind, with strong linguistic choices. The aptly named Tropique Éditions has opted for bilingual editions. The publisher has notably, as part of a partnership with UNESCO, published Soninké-French and Bambara-French versions of “Ce qui nous rend humain,” a Brazilian book translated into thirty languages in homage to linguistic diversity. The publisher also includes original works like “Ntori le crapaud et Tori la grenouille,” published in French and Bambara. These translations allow children from the continent and the diaspora to stay connected to their roots, explains its author, Omar Sylla, who began writing for his grandchildren with a desire for transmission. This approach is also adopted by Saaraba for “Le Cirque du Sahel,” whose bilingual edition combines French and Wolof. And for those to whom these languages remain impenetrable, there remains the poetry of writing and sounds.
There is also, echoing the continent’s oral tradition, a predilection for sound animations and audio versions. At Vijana – “youth” in Swahili – a sound book allows the youngest to discover ten nursery rhymes and lullabies from ten African countries. The audio support is integrated into the book itself, offering children a comprehensive experience. AYỌ Editions accompanies several of their books with an audio version, while FCaudioEdit, a young publishing house specializing in audiobooks, already offers about fifteen children’s books in its catalog.
These trends set the tone for a children’s publishing scene bubbling with ideas that could quickly establish itself as a trendsetter!
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