Feature: “Paseka – A Little Elephant, Brave” by ABB Director, Ruth James
“When we take the time to share stories with each other, we get bigger inside, we see each other, we recognize our kinship-we change the world, one story at a time…”. Richard Wagamese
The African Children’s Book Box Society is all about stories. I met Paseka, a little orphan elephant while escorting generous donors to an elephant rehabilitation camp. She had lost her mother, and was trying to escape from hungry hyenas when she fled into a safari camp. Her story reverberated and she pushed her way onto the pages. Kent Laforme captured her spirit in gorgeous water colors. Lily Mbawala supplied the Swahili magic. Michele Landsberg edited and advised. Children in Canada and Tanzania were invited to join in and travel the African savannah.
The story was published! African Children’s Book Box director, Lea Stanlake, wrote at least 100 invitations to the Vancouver Kids Books book launch. Over 200 story books were sold! Eureka Paseka!
“It is my wish that the voice of the storyteller (mwandishiwahabari) may never die in Africa, that all the children of the world may experience the wonder of books.” Nelson Mandela
‘Paseka – A Little Elephant, Brave’, is available at independent book stores, Vancouver Kids Books, Indigo and Amazon. I am still endeavouring to make the story available to children in East Africa.
