Social media has been transformative. It’s allowing Africans to reclaim stories in real-time—whether it’s TikTokers teaching indigenous languages or Instagram creators reviving ancient textile traditions. Technology is helping bypass traditional gatekeepers, making it easier to tell our stories from our perspective.

The challenging aspect of children’s books, says Robert Dersley, is timing. One can throw so much love into the illustrations it can never end. 

Flipping through the pages of After 4.30, you’ll find yourself seated beside Emili, Lili, and Beti, women who feel eerily familiar. Women you might recognise. As you read, faces come to mind; some alive, some lost.

Representation in children’s literature is more than just numbers. It is about creating a world where every child can see themselves, in the characters they encounter and the authors who create them.

Promoting Marxism was the turning point of Ngugi in ruffling feathers with President Jomo Kenyatta, who was pro-capitalism. Kenyatta went after Ngugi and threw him into detention for interfering with the political kitchen.

The sensory needs of young readers pass through distinct developmental phases, and effective sensory writing meets these emotional and imaginative needs at each stage.