(1) K-3 Illustrated by Richard Jones . When Yoshi, a real-life loggerhead turtle, hatches, she immediately crawls to the Indian Ocean and begins swimming out to sea. After five nomadic years, she becomes entangled in a fishing net (a sequence of events Jones depicts as a timeline of circles, each spotlighting her increasing distress). Unable to breathe, she begins an arduous journey to the surface, dramatically illustrated in a full-bleed, double-page watercolor spread showing Yoshi alone in the sea hauling a mass of fishing net behind her. A fisherman rescues her, eventually taking her to Cape Town's Two Oceans Aquarium, where she lives for twenty years. When Yoshi reaches sexual maturity, the aquarists initiate a program of reintroducing her into the wild; they finally do so, equipping her with a satellite tracker. To the scientists' surprise, she swims up the western coast of Africa, turns around, heads south, and returns to her heretofore unknown native beach in Australia, where she mates and deposits her eggs on the very shore where she originally hatched--a 22,998-mile journey. There's much to discuss about the interplay of instinct, perseverance, and luck in this fine book. An author's note describes Cox's inspiration--"I am intrigued by Yoshi's story because I too am a long-distance swimmer. I was the first person to swim around the rough waters surrounding the Cape of Good Hope, Africa" --and separates fact from supposition; a suggested website documents Yoshi's release.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Anna Cunha. Johnson's "love song to the Sea Islands [and] my African friends" opens with a young Black girl running along the beach at "day-clean," the Gullah/Geechee phrase for dawn. Cunha's illustrations capture the oranges and blues of the early morning sky and the brilliant blue of the sea. The second spread shows another Black girl across the sea also greeting the morning. The two girls, while separated by an ocean, have much in common, as shown in Cunha's textured, colorful illustrations and Johnson's engaging text. Throughout the day, each plays with friends on the beach, listens to stories about Anansi the spider, and makes a basket out of sweetgrass. In an appended author's note, Johnson explains that the Gullah/Geechee people are descendants of enslaved Africans who have maintained many aspects of their African culture, and that the Sea Islands along the coast of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida have been home to them. Through the story, young readers learn about the islands and some of their language and traditions while experiencing the beauty of connection. This story pairs well with Royce's middle-grade novel Root Magic (rev. 3/21), which is also set in the Sea Islands; as well as Hamilton's The People Could Fly, which retells many of the folktales told by Africans throughout the diaspora.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Charly Palmer. Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) is remembered for his "wide, warm smile"--but the hope that fueled that smile was difficult to maintain. As a child and a young man, he worked hard and had hope for his future. When South Africa's apartheid laws were created and enforced, Mandela used his position as a lawyer to defend Black Africans and joined the African National Congress to create a plan for a united and free nation for all. The government sentenced Mandela and other freedom fighters to life in prison, but Mandela didn't let his imprisonment or his anger stop his cause. This detailed picture-book biography, with its comparatively lengthy text, highlights how Mandela used whatever means were at his disposal to continue progressing toward freedom for his people and his country, even under the most restrictive and difficult circumstances. During his decades in prison, for example, he made a difference by connecting with white guards on a human level. By the time the book shows Mandela freed and elected president, the reader is full of admiration for this passionate and talented leader whose dedication earned him the nicknames of Madiba, "honored elder"; and Tata, "beloved Father of a new country." Palmer's dramatic paintings use dynamic brushstrokes to create engaging portraits of the eminently recognizable Mandela and of the world he influenced. Appended with extensive back matter and source notes.

Reviewer: Autumn Allen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(2) YA Set in a township in contemporary South Africa, this story revolves around a society still grappling with the effects of a post-apartheid reality. Amandla has never met her father, who is Black. On her fifteenth birthday, her mentally unstable white mother comes home from a trip insisting that if Amandla wears a homemade dress in his favorite color, he will return. The teen is used to her mother's often strange and secretive behavior, but this time she decides to look for answers to her many questions, especially surrounding her father. After finding a large amount of money and an unknown address hidden in her mother's purse, she and her friends become unlikely sleuths, unraveling a mystery that is at the core of Amandla's identity. As the mystery concerning her family tree is gradually revealed, so too is the history of a country that all too recently would have considered her very existence to be illegal. The excitement of the mystery; the memorable cast of characters, particularly the female characters; and the many twists and turns of the plot keep the pages turning until the very end.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Hadley Hooper. On the first page of this moving true story, readers meet tenderhearted couple Lawrence and Françoise, who stand poised to greet them. They live on Thula Thula, a sprawling South African wildlife sanctuary, on which also roam rhinos, zebra, crocodiles, and more. When Lawrence is asked if he wants to adopt a herd of angry elephants, previously hunted, he accepts. The story chronicles in riveting detail the elephants' arrival; their learning curve in adjusting to Thula Thula; their eventual acceptance of life at the preserve; and their special bond with Lawrence. Their connection is such that upon his death the elephants, sensing his absence, head to his home and camp there for three days to be with Françoise. (Have tissues handy.) The story's flawless, gentle pacing illuminates the animals' initial fear and the time, patience, and compassion it takes for attentive Lawrence to earn their trust. He talks to them, sings to them, and even tells them stories--all details sure to delight readers. Hooper fills the pages with saturated, eye-catching teal, copper, and emerald hues. Shades of rich blue and soft rose heighten the story's emotional impact, particularly the loss of Lawrence. An appended note assures readers that the elephants continue to thrive at Thula Thula.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Dale Blankenaar. This retelling of the traditional "Stone Soup" tale stars a porcupine named Noko, hungry, tired, and seeking hospitality in a small village; and features animals of South Africa--monkeys, meerkats, aardvarks, and warthogs, who refuse to share their obvious plenty. Noko plucks three of his quills and sets about making soup, "just how His Majesty likes it." The text is engaging and readable ("his brain was as sharp as the quills on his back"), albeit with few of the structural hallmarks of an oral tale (and no source note). It is South African artist Blankenaar's imagery that pulls readers into the story. Stylized shapes in strong colors spill off every page. The illustrations, with the texture of block prints, are bold and flat. The animal homes, seen in a cutaway side view, are an intriguing jumble of natural and human-made elements (for instance, rabbits live underground in warrens but use electric light fixtures and ladders). Opening endpapers, in black, white, and shades of gray, set the stage for Noko's hunger and isolation. The book closes with colorful endpapers when "with a full tummy and a happy heart, Noko the traveler went to sleep at last." Birds, snakes, tree branches, and animals' tails twine together, creating an interconnected world in which animals will eventually--even if they have to be tricked--accept a needy stranger into their community.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(2) YA Seventeen-year-old Khosi (This Thing Called the Future) tries to support herself and her sister as a sangoma, only to be accused of witchcraft. Then she learns she is pregnant. When a hate crime leaves a dead Somali immigrant at Khosi's door, she feels duty-bound to speak out in her South African community. The story's blend of Catholicism, traditional beliefs, and Western scientific thought allows readers to sample Khosi's culture.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) 4-6 Straightforward text and comics-style sequential art combine in a (fictionalized) account of the Black student–led protest in 1976 Soweto, South Africa, in opposition to a law requiring half the school lessons be taught in Afrikaans. Separate chapters follow three individuals, including twelve-year-old Hector, whose lifeless body appears in a black-and-white photograph at book's end. An afterword describes how that photograph "became a powerful symbol." Lovingly illustrated portraits further humanize the three main characters. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sean Qualls. Young Zazi and Ziwelene find a photo of their great-grandfather, Nelson Mandela, at their grandmother's house, which inspires them to ask her about him. The book's question-and-answer narrative seems contrived ("Why did Grandad go to jail?"; "What is justice?"), but Grandma Zindzi's answers are nimbly worded. Qualls's acrylic, collage, and colored-pencil art has a stateliness worthy of the book's subject.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Adapted by Thea Feldman. With Graham Spence. When conservationist Anthony accepts a rogue elephant herd onto his South African reserve, he knows there will be challenges. But what he doesn't know is how much the elephants will teach him--about family, leadership, loyalty, dignity, and love. Readers will feel Anthony's wonder and respect for these creatures in this clearly and movingly written account (here adapted from the adult title). Frequent photos of the elephants are included. Glos.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(2) YA Black South African schoolgirl Neo worships music more than anything--until she meets Tale, a mesmerizing young woman singer. Neo's rapidly shifting world, in which she experiences her first love, first sex, and first Pride march, is stunning in its immediacy. The painfully intimate, lyrical narrative draws readers into Neo's head with poetic prose that breathes and pulsates with her attractions, dreams, fears, and eventual tragedy.

Reviewer: Anastasia M. Collins | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Charly Palmer. Erskine's picture book biography about South African resistance singer Miriam Makeba uses driving present tense and an expressionistic prose style, with lyrical sentences alighting on significant apartheid events. Quotes and song lyrics keep the intensity high, as does clever use of words in red, often repeated on the next page. Palmer heightens the sense of urgency with vivid paintings. An extensive author's note is included. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Monica Edinger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(3) 4-6 Adapting his own adult bestseller, journalist Vance presents Elon Musk as an ambitious entrepreneur and visionary, living out sci-fi fantasies from his bullied childhood. A fascinating, digestible portrait, this biography navigates the multiplicity of Musk's endeavors. Having done extensive research and interviews, Vance nonetheless creates a more personal than academic depiction of a man he clearly admires. No references or resources listed. Timeline.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) 4-6 Newsmakers series. This accessibly written series is notable for its clean layouts, including color photographs, sidebars, and charts. The mostly complimentary narratives are decent overviews of their subjects' early lives as well as career successes and failures, but with living subjects, the content will soon become outdated. A "Stop and Think" feature offers discussion questions that can be used for assignments. There are four other fall 2017 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Newsmakers titles: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Julian Assange, Elon Musk, and Ellen DeGeneres.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) K-3 Zoom In on Legendary Leaders series. These titles offer a superficial first glance at the lives of six influential leaders (all male), their accomplishments/impact on others, and their place in history. The historical photos, paintings, and drawings add depth to brief texts that align to Common Core Standards. Appended lists of quick stats and key dates may be helpful when writing reports. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Zoom In on Legendary Leaders titles: Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, Cesar Chavez, George Washington, Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela.

Reviewer: Nancy Sheridan

(3) YA Joshua, a black boy in 1970s South Africa whose mother serves a white family, tries to follow the norms of his time. He is deferential to whites and wary of police, but when apartheid brings violence to his doorstep and his family, he joins the rising struggle for freedom. This affectingly told coming-of-age story explores the personal, familial, and social impacts of apartheid. Author's note appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) K-3 One World, Many Countries series. These serviceable overviews for report writers are liberally illustrated with sharp photos. An introductory chapter highlights apartheid (South Africa), a spring festival (Egypt), or the Mombasa Carnival and safaris (Kenya). Four chapters then focus on land, government and cities, people and cultures, and daily life. A "Global Connections" page is usually devoted to a social issue. Fast facts are appended. Maps, reading list. Glos., ind. This review covers these One World, Many Countries titles: South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 STEM Trailblazer Bios series. Six (three women and three men) contemporary scientists, engineers, and inventors are featured in this set that capitalizes on the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics objective of today's curriculums. Superficial overviews touch on childhood, education, and the subjects' breakthrough accomplishments. A colorful, easy-to-read format features photos and "tech talk" sidebars with quotes from the "trailblazers" themselves. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following STEM Trailblazer Bios titles: GoPro Inventor Nick Woodman, SpaceX and Tesla Motors Engineer Elon Musk, Theoretical Physicist Brian Greene, Aerospace Engineer Aprille Ericsson, Computer Engineer Ruchi Sanghvi, and Genetics Expert Joanna L. Kelley.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) 4-6 Real-Life Story series. Tracing Mandela's personal and political journeys, this reliable biography tells of a boy from the Madiba clan who had the good fortune of being educated and who became a renowned figure of black South African leadership and international campaigns for justice. An eight-page black-and-white photo insert is well captioned. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) 4-6 Newsmakers series. This accessibly written series is notable for its clean layout, including color photographs, sidebars, and charts. The mostly complimentary narratives are solid overviews of their subjects' early lives, successes, and failures. A "Stop and Think" feature offers discussion questions that can be used for assignments. For the living subjects, the content will soon become outdated. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Newsmakers titles: Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Vladimir Putin, Malala Yousafzai, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Nelson Mandela, and Pope Francis.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee