Explore the African Continent With These 8 Picture Books by African Authors

After Asia, Africa is the second-largest and most populous continent, with a great diversity of ecosystems, histories, and customs across its more than 50 countries. Yet, many times, its countries are lumped together under a single “African” descriptor, a way of erasing and diminishing their history and peoples. Parents and educators can combat that overgeneralization early on by reading picture books set in a variety of African countries. This list of eight picture books set in African countries by authors who live or have lived there is a great place to start. From chocolate cake to tricky chickens, these picture books depict the experiences of children from eight African countries. Make sure to check out the author and illustrator’s other books; many have even more wonderful children’s books set in their home countries. Egypt Egyptian Lullaby by Zeena M. Pliska & Hatem Aly Listen to the sounds of Cairo in this tender ode to the Egyptian capital. The young narrator has moved away from Cairo, but when her Auntie Fatma comes to visit, she reminds the girl of the sounds of the city so she doesn’t forget, from the “swish, swoosh, swish” of a boat in the Nile to the “clip, clop, c...