The Stolen Mealies Lesley Whitwell and Mario Sickle

The Stolen Mealies  is an African folk-tale retold by Lesley Whitwell and illustrated by Mario Sickle. This book was published in 1989 in Cape Town and tells the tale of Squirrel who works hard to grow mealies (corn). Unfortunately his field is discovered by an unscrupulous hare who deviously manipulates others into believing he is the owner of the new harvest. However, justice prevails. This a great book to teach the values of honesty and integrity to students. The double page colourful linocut illustrations by Mario Sickle are both detailed and exquisite. It is one of the most beautifully illustrated book in my children' collection. I will certainly be keeping an eye out for his other books The New Fire, The Hare's Rope, Sangura's Tug of War and Love David.

Run Damon, Run! by Anne Ingram

This book is set in the city of Syracuse in Sicily and the main character is Damon who is a shepherd. A new king called Dionysius has come to the throne and Damon is threatened with execution. His friend Pythias offers to stand in his place whilst Damon goes to help with his sister's marriage, promising to return within the three days set by the king. However, when he sets out to return, there are a wall of challenges in front of him. Will he make it on time? I feel the illustrations by Junko Morimoto are what make the book.

The Turtle and the Island retold by Barbara Ker Wilson

A strikingly illustrated tale about how a turtle created Papua New Guinea. One day a turtle is swimming the expanses on the ocean and laments the fact that he has nowhere to rest. He see a lonely man in a cave beneath the sea and upon discovering a small hillock of land jutting from the sea, he decides to bring more sand and create an island for them both.