Natasha Kruger is the winner of the 2010 SA Reading Race, held earlier this year in Johannesburg. The young lady managed to work her way through 158 books in 10 months, learning English along the way. The Reading Race, now in its 15th year is designed to draw children to libraries and to foster a reading culture.
Read this special report from the London Book Fair’s Lucy Holland-Smith:
This year’s winner of the Johannesburg “Reading Race” managed to get through 158 books in just ten months, it has been revealed
The annual event, which takes place at the Rhodes Park Library in the eastern part of the South African city and is now in its 15th year, is designed to encourage children to read more, according to Johannesburg’s official website.
While the eventual winner notched up an impressive 158 books, a total of 16 children were acknowledged for their efforts.
Edith Khuzwayo, a librarian at the Rhodes Park facility, said that while the library undoubtedly benefitted from the publicity brought by the race, the primary aim of the event was indisputably to highlight the joys of reading.
Alert! Self-publishing and e-book service Mousehand – which helped bring out Michael Gastrow’s first novel – is having a “book fair” on the 13th of Feb. Pop round and look at the bookish wares with an eye for a Valentine’s gift, perhaps?
The official word on the fair from Mousehand:
Join Mousehand and our brave and talented authors at The Blue Cat Cafe in the Gardens Centre on February 13th for the Mousehand Book Fair.
Our authors will be on hand with wise words and signing books. For every book sold Mousehand will donate R1 to PETS.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, 13 February 2010
Time: 8:00 AM to 12 PM
Venue: The Blue Cat Cafe, 2nd Floor Gardens Centre Mill Street, Cape Town | Map
Ancient Egypt holds many secrets—some of such great value that evil men will threaten children to possess them. When cousins Adam and Justin Sinclair are given a sacred scarab on their first day in Egypt, they can scarcely imagine the adventure that will follow.
Johannesburg, South Africa, January 2010—Children and adults alike will thrill to the adventures of cousins Adam and Justin as they explore ancient history and risk their lives traveling across Egypt to protect a powerful secret from falling into the hands of evil men in Fiona Ingram’s The Secret of the Sacred Scarab.
On their first day in Egypt, cousins Adam and Justin, twelve and fourteen years old, are given an Egyptian scarab by a scruffy peddler. When Dr. Khalid, director of the Egyptian Museum, shows a particular and menacing interest in the scarab, the boys realize they are in danger. Wishing to learn more about the scarab’s past, they embark on a journey down the Nile and across the harsh desert to search for the legendary tomb of the Scarab King, an ancient Egyptian ruler.
Pursued by their enemies, and faced with numerous dangers ranging from a giant cobra to sinking sand, the boys are resolved to see their quest to the end and unravel the mystery behind the sacred scarab. Ultimately, the boys must find a way to translate the hieroglyphic clues on the underside of the scarab and rescue both a missing archaeologist and an Egyptologist. But when Dr. Khalid kidnaps them, the boys fear their efforts will be to no avail. He is not above committing murder to discover the secret of the sacred scarab.
The Secret of the Sacred Scarab is the kind of adventure book boys and girls love! The fast-paced action, the evil villain readers delight in hating, the secrets of the past, and the mysterious ancient setting make this novel a sure-hit favourite for all the young and adventurous at heart. Ingram’s impeccable and fascinating research into Egyptian history illuminates the adventure and makes the secrets of Egypt’s past as thrilling to the reader as the boys’ dangerous encounters.
Nominated as a Finalist in the USA 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the USA National Best Books 2009 Awards, and a winner in the USA Readers Favorite 2009 Awards, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab is the first in Fiona Ingram’s thrilling “Chronicles of the Stone” series, soon to be followed by The Search for the Stone of Excalibur where besides an ancient mystery to solve, Adam and Justin will have to deal with a new female companion. The book was also nominated number 2 in The Children’s and Teens Book Connection nominations for The Top Ten Favourite Books of 2009 for Kids, Tweens and Teens.
About the author
Fiona Ingram, B.A., Hons. (Natal), M.A., (Wits), was born and educated in South Africa. Her interest in ancient history, mystery, and legends, and her enjoyment of travel have resulted in her writing The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, the first in her exciting children’s adventure series Chronicles of the Stone.
The Secret of the Sacred Scarab can be purchased through local and online bookstores, Exclusive Books, Kalahari and Red Pepper Books. For more information, visit www.secretofthesacredscarab.com.
Saam met die suidoosterwind waai daar jaarliks ‘n fees van kuns en kultuur die Kaap binne. Die Suidoosterfees, wat van 26 tot 31 Januarie by Artscape aangebied word, sluit ook ‘n hele aantal boekgeleenthede in. Lesers kan uitsien na die volgende:
Kom geniet ontbyt en ‘n bespreking van Anoescha von Meck se Annerkant die longdrop, Vaselinetjie, en die vertaling, My Name is Vaselinetjie. Die toneelstuk van hierdie boek is by die fees te sien en dit sal ook by die ontbyt bespreek word.
Saterdag 30 Januarie om 09:00
Koste: R90.00
Die toneelstuk word op hierdie dae opgevoer:
Vrydag 29 Januarie om 15:30
Saterdag 30 Januarie om 13:30
Sondag 31 Januarie om 10:00
Katvoet
Riana Scheepers sal haar nuwe bundel kortverhale, Katvoet, bespreek.
Saterdag 30 Januarie om 12:00
Koste: Gratis!
Moenie dat die grootmense hoor nie
Francois Bloemhof gesels met Rudi Venter oor sy nuwe jeugbundel, Moenie dat die grootmense hoor nie, en ook oor al die ander genres wat hy aanpak.
Saterdag 30 Januarie om15:30
Koste: Gratis!
Brandkuiken
Kom hoor hoe klink Brand Blixum se gedigte. Dehon Joubert doen ‘n gedramatiseerde voorlesing uit Blixum se debuutbundel, Brandkuiken.
Saterdag 30 Januarie om 19:00
Koste: Gratis!
Tango met Amanda Strydom en Jeanne Els
Jeanne Els gaan voorlees uit haar boek Tango en die koningin van kabaret, Amanda Strydom, sal die gehoor met sang vermaak.
Sondag 31 Januarie om 10:30
Koste: R90.00
Die verhaal van Elandskloof
Tobie Wiese se nuwe boek, Die Verhaal van Elandskloof, kom onder die loep in hierdie bespreking. Heindrich Wyngaard gesels met die skrywer.
Sondag 31 Januarie om 11:45
Koste: Gratis!
Prinsloo Versus
Adriaan Meyer praat oor sy debuutdrama, Prinsloo versus, wat by Protea Boekhuis uitgegee is en wat al verskeie suksesvolle opvoerings geniet het.
Helga the Hippo lives on the banks of a river in Africa. She loves to keep her friends cool under the hot sun by making a big splash at the waterhole. But one cold morning Helga’s Big Splash makes her friends say things that hurt Helga and in response she resorts to drastic measures … Helga’s Big Splash is a story about accepting yourself and the splash you make!
Archie Collier completed his Fine Art degree at Michaelis (UCT) about ten years ago. Since then he’s divided his time between teaching 2D or traditional animation and visual storytelling , as well as working in the film industry, focusing on concept and character art. Last year he completed his Masters in Illustration at Stellenbosch.
With an MA in Screenwriting from the UK, Matthew Kalil has spent the last few years directing and writing independent short films, feature films and television shows, as well as exploring an interest in video art. His projects and collaborations have been exhibited, screened and broadcast in Denmark, Canada, France, New Zealand, America, Thailand, Sweden, Morocco and South Africa. He has lectured at various institutions including the University of Cape Town, AFDA Film School and TISH at New York University. In 2005 he spearheaded the creation of the Amarabella Township Film Festival, screening and making films in Cape Town’s informal settlements.
Helga soft toys are hand-made locally by Montagu Sew & Sew, a woman’s collective also responsible for the limited edition Moxy toy featured on the cover of the Lauren Beukes’s Moxyland. The toys were designed Chantel Burger, who has extensive experience doing wardrobe in the film industry and is owner of the Lappop clothing label.
For more information contact Xavier Nagel/Xlibris: xaviernagel@mweb.co.za • Tel/Fax 021 465 5553 • Cell 083 719 8407
Alert! The London Book Fair may be several months away, but a veritable army of South African writers have already booked their tickets. In several cases, of course, we’re talking bus tickets, because many an SA scribe lives or works in the UK, and won’t have much to do to get to Earl’s Court, where the Fair takes place. But literally dozens of others will be packing for the long-haul flight from JNB to LHR come the tail end of April 2010.
BOOK SA understands that the following authors have given commitments (ranging from tentative to firm) to be part of the LBF’s South Africa Market Focus programme:
What a lineup – it’s going to be one heck of a party! (Plus, several other authors who’ve been invited are still deciding whether they can make the trip.) BOOK SA will be there, of course – and we can’t wait to bring all the action to our readers online.
For Londoners who want to get to know these authors better, a sampling of their works:
South African journalist Duncan Guy has initiated a newspaper for children in Africa. It’s distributed free to schools via email on Tuesdays and Thursdays during term time. Register at Learn the News. Here’s more from BizCommunity:
South African schoolchildren are reading hot-off-the-press world news in a newspaper, written for them in simple language they can understand. Learn the News is Africa’s first free newspaper for children.
Created by Johannesburg journalist Duncan Guy, the newspaper is produced by the South African Press Association (Sapa) a non-governmental news agency. It is funded by the Open Society Foundation for South Africa, a funding organisation founded by renowned currency speculator and philanthropist George Soros.
Fiona Ingram, author of The Secret of the Sacred Scarab (see book preview at Little White Bakkie, below), began a blog tour at the beginning of November which will see her feature on a whole host of different blogs almost every day for the month. Posts include interviews, bios, and even book giveaways!
Born in Durban, South Africa into a family of five, reading and adventure were always a big part of Fiona’s life. Fiona’s book has been in the works since she developed a passion for Egypt at the age of eight after her mother gave her the encyclopedia Time-Life Ancient Egypt. That passion led to a trip to Egypt with her two nephews, a short story about Egyptian adventures, and ultimately her first book for children, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab–the first in a series called Chronicles of the Stone.
Alert! Today marks twenty years since Nelson Mandela was released from prison, and South Africa took its first few shaky steps toward a new dawn.
Press Release
Helga the Hippo lives on the banks of a river in Africa. She loves to keep her friends cool under the hot sun by making a big splash at the waterhole. But one cold morning Helga’s Big Splash makes her friends say things that hurt Helga and in response she resorts to drastic measures … 
