What To Do!

Papa and Mama live with their five children in a small, busy house. When Gogo and Mkhulu arrive, the house begins to feel cramped and chaotic. Desperate for peace, Papa visits Wazini the Wise One on top of a hill, hoping she’ll know how to solve the problem. But Wazini’s advice leads the family deeper into chaos, with so many sights, sounds and smells that it could drive anyone crazy! Will Papa find a solution to calm the madness? A funny, heartwarming retelling of a well known folktale about family, patience and a very wise woman. This story shows the benefits of sometimes listening to advice, even if it seems illogical at first. Following the wise woman’s suggestions, the family goes through increasing cycles of chaos, until they come to realize how peaceful their home actually is. They learn acceptance and appreciation of what they have. Also available in Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Setswana, Sepedi, Sesotho and Xitsonga.

Carole Bloch is a leading voice in early literacy and multilingual education in Africa. Since 2011, she has directed the Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA), working to promote literacy and a love of reading from birth through adulthood. Her work champions a holistic, story-centred pedagogy that fosters personal meaning-making and equitable learning for all children. Carole co-founded the Nal’ibali National Reading for EnjoymentCampaign in 2012. Under her leadership, PRAESA received the prestigious IBBY Asahi Reading Promotion Award in 2014 and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2015 for its groundbreaking contributions to children’s literature and reading culture in South Africa. She is the founder of The Little Hands Trust, a member of the Reading Hall of Fame and served as Vice-President of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) from 2018 to 2020. Carole has authored and supported the translation of numerous children’s books in African languages and English. She is currently an Extraordinary Professor in Language Education atthe University of the Western Cape and teaches with the UKbased Froebel Trust. Catherine Groenewald lives on a small-holding in the beautiful mountains of Stellenbosch with her Nguni cattle, three German shepherds and ever patient husband, Graham. After being selected as one of the winners in the National Isiqalo Book competition, doors were opened to illustrate and write children’s picture books. Her published books include themes of navigating parental loss, the stigma of HIV/AIDS, the dangers of grooming and trafficking and more. Her client list includes Missing Children South Africa, Struik, Jacana Media, Biblionef, Room to Read, Centre for The Book and SAIDE. She has had over 20 titles published. Creating stories where a child feels both seen and understood is her passion and joy.