It’s a Wandaful World

Meet Wanda, a girl with a crown of beautiful hair and a heart full of courage. Guided by the loving wisdom of her mother and grandmother, Wanda overcomes challenges and teasing and discovers that real beauty lies in self-love. This two-book volume is a celebration of cultural heritage, family bonds and the power of friendship to inspire bravery in every child. 

Wanda 
Wanda has a glorious cloud of curly hair, and her mum teaches her a positive affirmation – “I am a queen, and this is my crown.” But every day, Wanda makes a big switch at school so Mrs Green won’t say she has a bird’s nest atop her head. After a particularly hard day at school, Wanda’s grandmother lets her in on a few tips. Through these hair secrets and stories, she finds the confidence to face her fears and realises that her hair is truly something to be proud of. This book encourages young children to embrace their identity with pride and love themselves for what they are born with, despite what society may say or think.

Wanda the Brave
Today, Wanda is visiting the hair salon where she’ll use all the hair secrets Makhulu taught her. But Aunty Ada wants her to straighten her hair with a white chemical. Wanda and her friend Sandra come up with a plan and stand up for themselves. Bold and zesty, Wanda The Brave is a reminder of what we can achieve when we work together. 

Sihle Nontshokweni is an author, storyteller, scholar, facilitator and recently the host for The Ultimate Book Show. Her Nal’ibali children’s story Fly, Everyone, Fly was the 2021 World Read Aloud Day story which reached upwards of 3 million children in South Africa. She is also the author of Wanda, which won the Skipping Stone Honor Award in 2021. She has travelled to numerous countries, including Tibet, China, Australia, Finland and 25 European countries. She lived in Beijing, completing a Master’s at Peking University. Her interest in schools stems from her lived experience which extends across 12 schooling institutions, including KU Leuven, University of Cape Town and Universitat de Barcelona. It is from this vast world experience that Sihle tells stories that explore how hierarchical and racialised contexts affect identity, aspirations and opportunities. She is a PhD candidate and her research focuses on school desegregation.