With children now in holidays and also advised to stay home due to the Covid-19 cases, this is the best time for them to read some good books for relaxation while learning at the same time. The New Times curated for you 10 books written by Rwandan authors to include on the reading list for your child. The selection caters for a wide range of age groups. 1. Ysolde and Her Magical Shoes by Dominique Uwase Alonga Ysolde and Her Magical Shoes is a Rwandan fairy tale written by Dominique Uwase Alonga. It tells the story of young Ysolde and her journey towards courage and compassion. When a villainous character is kicked out of Ysolde’s village, she leaves a curse on one of the paths in the village. Ysolde must find the strength to use her magical shoes and break this curse to save her village. 2. The Secret of Nyanka by Denyse Umuhuza and Capucine Mazille This award-winning book tells the tales of hare, Bakame—who tells the other forest animals that the zebra has gone to enquire into the secret of life at the beautiful Nyanka’s home. This news worries the lion, the King of the Forest, fearing that the Zebra could now become the most powerful animal in the forest. And then He and his friend the hippopotamus decide to go to see Nyanka for themselves. They, too, discover the secret and return to their forest home happy and eager to share their discovery with all the animals. 3. Dukumbuye Gwiza by Alice Kirezi Children have the right to education without any form of discrimination. This storybook lets everyone including children understand that other children with disabilities have equal rights in society and shouldn’t be left behind. 4. Bella Becomes a Giraffe Princess by Christine Warugaba On her ninth birthday, a lonely orphan named Bella gets a visit from a giraffe, the giraffe later takes her to Giraffe Land to meet the queen. While in Giraffe Land, Bella breaks the spell of a witch who had planned on destroying Giraffe Land. 5. Winners of Times by Ferdinand Ndahayo Victorious due to their resilience and patience, this book follows stories of hardworking children. These might be an inspiration to millions of kids facing similar challenges and those who believe in education as a key to success. 6. Marigarita by Martine Uwacu Karekezi Gihwagari, the son of Nyamishaba king was mature enough to get married, his father convened all people to bring their daughters for a beauty contest to select a wife for him, Marigarita, who was from a poor family, won the hand of Gihwagari. The story follows how the poised young lady succeeded in this. 7. That Child is Me by Claver Irakoze Claver Irakoze is far from being the first Rwandan genocide survivor to write his memoirs. He is, however, the first to write them as an illustrated book for children - perhaps because no one else would previously have thought it possible to find a way of drawing humanity out of that horror in a way that could engage and educate young children instead of simply traumatizing them. That Child is Me is based on the true story of what he lived in Kabgayi and his survival journey. He wrote this book for young children to help them learn about the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and engage their parents into discussions that would help them learn more about their family stories of the past and their aspirations of the future. Books for teenagers 8. My Name is Life by Karen Bugingo Karen Bugingo is a normal teenager roaming the streets of Kigali. Bugingo means Life in Kinyarwanda. Her story seems quite usual, almost boring, until a series heart-wrenching events tear her from her friends, her school and life as she knew it. This is the journey of her courage to fight back and the strength to look death in the face and say My name is Life. 9. Isaro rya Gatatu by Kai Hirwa and Bruno Iradukunda A love story rooted on the battlefield. Gihanga would like to reward Ngoga, the brave warrior who saved many lives during the war. Gihanga promises him three pearls but gives him two of them. The story goes on as Ngoga must go through harsh trials using the first two pearls to get the last one which will change his life. 10. Mahoro: A Little Girl’s Search for Peace by Natacha Karambizi Mahoro is a little girl growing in Rwanda, in 1994, at just nine years old, she tries to make sense of the world around her and her family as it turns into endless chaos. Mahoro is a heartfelt, poignant, unconventional story about a girl coming of age and realizing herself to be a mix of two struggles. Being neither one nor the other; stuck in between without a choice. Is she the victim or the culprit? In the book, we watch her as she sorts her way to understand her familys history and decides to what extent she will allow her past to shape her destiny.
