Niki Daly 1946-2024

"I simply love drawing, and I feel like I just need to make pictures, I don't need to write," explained Daly, who credits his ability to "steal with [his] eyes" as one of the reasons for his success. 

"I have a highly developed visual memory... I steal with my eyes. Just by seeing a child playing imaginatively, thinking they are a superhero or fairy... I can easily turn that into some kind of story." 

Niki Daly was a South African author-illustrator whose picture books celebrated the imaginative powers of children and their magnificent everyday lives. Daly first became involved in drawing by using pencil stubs handed down from an uncle who painted watercolour pictures. Daly travelled to London at the age of twenty-four in order to pursue a career in singing and song writing and he found work as a commercial artist, which eventually led to illustration for children’s books. Notable about his style are his abilities to view the world from a child’s perspective and to see the world in a rainbow of shades, reflective of multicultural modern South Africa. In books such as Not So Fast, Songololo, Why the Sun and Moon Live in the Sky, The Boy on the Beach, and Jamela’s Dress, Daly looks at the day-to-day interactions of the myths that shape black South African reality. In 1980 Niki Daly and his family returned to South Africa after ten years living abroad. Source: Brightstar

Here is a video of Niki reading his book On my Papa's shoulders.

Read more here.

He was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Here is a tribute from IBBY.uk.

Through sparkling text and his fresh approach to colour and line, and a knack for pinning down small domestic details, he gave the world stories imbued not only with joy but humanity… stories that bridged multi-generational gaps… a little boy buying a new pair of shoes with his grandmother, a girl tap-dancing alongside her beloved grandfather, a young herdboy daring to dream of a big future, an exuberant boy getting lost on a beach, the delightful Jamela teetering around in her mother’s red shoes wrapped in her mother’s precious cloth… stories that turn everyday experiences into the extraordinary. Niki’s innate ability was to capture the essence of a child no matter what their nationality.

Here comes Lolo

The Jamela book series by Niki Daly should be in every school library but sadly nearly all of them are out of print.

"When I came back to South Africa and looked at the books that were available then in the 80s there was very little representation of black lives, and because I come from a working-class background, I just understood and appreciated the resourcefulness of children who don't have everything,"

Read this interview with Niki Daly - you can also see his first book from 1978.

Libraries, these days, are fun; made so by librarians who are my favorite people because I have never met a librarian who does not have sparkle and an infectious enthusiasm for engendering a love of books in children. They are angels in their ability to guide a child to exactly the book they need at whatever stage they are at. So, make visiting your library with your children a regular event. I encourage working parents to ignore the terrible news on TV when they return home from a stressful day’s work. Kick off your shoes! Sit side by side and read to your child. Journey together through a story that connects both you and child to your inner selves – this is true bonding.

Children of Stone City by Beverley Naidoo

 

Publisher blurb: Set in a world where Adam and Leila and their friend Zak live as Nons under the Permitted ruling class. Then, when Adam and Leila’s father dies unexpectedly, their mother faces losing her permit to live in the Stone City with deportation to where she was born. Before music-loving Adam can implement his plan to save Mama, Zak is arrested for a bold prank that goes wrong, with far-reaching repercussions for them all . . .

This book is filled with the most dreadful undertone of fear. Adam loves to play his precious grandfather's violin. Each day he and his sister walk to school and then then walk to their music lessons but all the while they must be so careful not to meet the police and not to come face to face with Permitteds. 

Permitteds can simply take the homes of Nons and without the right paper work Nons can be banished from the city.  Adam and Leila's mum could be sent away so as the story opens we read that their father is working on gathering all the necessary papers to stop this happening then suddenly and tragically he dies. A few days later Adam sees the home of his neighbour has been taken by Permitteds and all the family possessions are strewn on the footpath. Adam is carrying his precious violin coming home from his music class when he stumbles on the scene.

"Fearing it would break open and Grandfather's violin would crash to the ground, Adam let go. He watched the stubby fingers push open each catch and lift the lid. The man's eyes rested briefly on the violin before shifting back to Adam ... what if the man just took it?"

For Adam, music is everything. It is his connection to his family history, it is his solace and he hopes his music can save his mother. He works hard with his teacher to perfect Vivaldi so he can play perfectly it at an important concert which is just one month away. 

BUT (you knew there would be a but) one day Adam and Leila meet up with their old friend Zak who has been in hiding since the eviction. While the friends are playing on Zak's skateboard at the park there is an incident with some Permitted youth. Things escalate and Adam and Zak are arrested and subjected to dreadful torture by the cruel, sadistic police. These scenes are dreadful - so I suggest his book is for mature readers aged 11+. There were times reading this book when I just had to stop and take a rest from these horrible scenes.

Beverley Naidoo says

"My concerns about this division between Permitteds and Nons stems from being born in South Africa, where I was classified at birth as a 'Permitted'. My birth certificate states 'Race: European'. Had I been born in occupied Europe in 1943m with my Jewish mother, I would have been classified as a 'Non'."

I have spent a few days in Melbourne exploring book stores. I picked this book up at a splendid store called Younger Sun. Children of the Stone City is a new book published in 2022. The story completely gripped me from start to finish.

I do have to say I do not like the US cover:

Kirkus said: Naidoo presents an evocative, heartbreaking dystopian story reflective of current and historical prejudices and injustices, addressed in her thoughtful, nuanced author’s note. Though the plot is heavy and full of trauma, the racially ambiguous characters use music, stories, and poetry to maintain hope and pursue freedom. Themes of equality, human rights, and justice prompt readers to reflect on how they can improve the world.

I absolutely loved two other books by award winning author Beverley Naidoo - The other side of Truth and Journey to Jo'Burg.

Small Mercies by Bridget Krone

"Once when Gandhi stepped off a train in India, his sandal fell between the train and the platform and he couldn't get it back. So he took off his other sandal and threw it down too. When people asked him why he did that, he explained that one sandal was no use to anyone. It was better that someone finds two sandals on the track than just one. This taught me to look at problems with new eyes."

This is a deeply personal story. Mercy lives with her two elderly foster aunts in the South African town of Pietermaritzburg. Mercy's life seems to be on a precipice. She is fearful that the "authorities" will discover the poverty and difficulties of her home. She finds the demands of her teacher overwhelming.

Aunt Mary declares they will need to take in a lodger. Mr Singh arrives with his stories of Mohandas. Mercy discovers this is actually Mahatma Gandhi. Mercy has a school assignment where she has to talk about a role model - some one who inspires her. Perhaps Mercy can share some of Mr Singh's stories in her talk.

Meanwhile a nasty developer has arrived on the scene. He has plans to knock down their house and clear the empty land next door. The house is very old and it seems to be falling apart. Aunt Flora is also falling apart - she has Alzheimers. Aunt Mary explains to Mercy:

"it's as if her roads are blocked. Some of the roads in her brain have closed. Some streets have become one-ways, some roads that used to be busy motorways are now cul-de-sacs. There are lots of pot-holes and dead ends... so her thoughts can't get through like they used to."

Have you ever noticed the way authors use shoes as a way to explain poverty. Often a character will have shoes that are way too small and, as readers, we feel the pain of every step and the despair that money is too short for new or even second hand replacements.  In Small Mercies Bridget Krone also uses shoes as a way to let us know things are tough for Mercy.

"Mercy had to walk fast to keep up. She was wearing flip-flops that were too big for her and they made an embarrassing slap on the tiles of the shopping centre floor." Later when Mr Singh takes Mercy to visit a statue commemorating Gandhi she develops very painful blisters from her flip-flops and the long journey is grueling.

Here are some other signposts of the family poverty:

"Aunt Mary cutting the crusts off with the broken bread knife and Aunt Flora fussing ... and then wrapping the Marmite sandwich up tightly in an old bread bag. There was a time when they'd wrapped sandwiches in wax paper, but these days they recycled everything possible: even tea bags, after their fourth or fifth dunking in boiling water, were put on the veranda to dry and then soaked in parafin to be used as firelighters in the winter."

"She didn't have a phone, and the TV set, before it got sold at the auction, had lived in the corner of the dining room on a trolley, covered with a green velvet cloth fringes with pom poms."

Mercy is so afraid of a visit by the social worker that she has memorised some words to at least postpone her removal by the authorities:

"According to the Children's Act of 2010, each child has the right to legal representation and I demand that the order be held pending this process."

This is book I HIGHLY recommend. I know that this story will linger with me for a long time. It is an example of carefully crafted storytelling. In my head I talked to Bridget Krone as I was reading this book hoping she could help Mercy. I was especially worried when Mercy misunderstood a conversation she overhears which is actually about Aunt flora needing to go into aged care. Mercy thinks Aunt Mary is planning to send her to a children's home. The resolution of this in Chapter 28 made me sigh with relief. I also want to thank Bridget for her character Mr Singh who offers quiet wisdom to Mercy and who is also able to produce delicious food exactly when it is needed.

Read this review for more plot details:

The short chapters are a nice treat for the reading level,particularly since the themes have a depth to them that take some reflecting.Krone notes that her “favorite stories are those that, just when you expect a lesson, sing a song instead.” Small Mercies is just that surprising song, full of light and sweetness. Readers will carry the melody in their hearts long after the last page is turned. NY Journal of Books

Sensitive, funny, and tender. Kirkus

Small Mercies (published in 2020) is a book from South Africa.  Here is the US cover.  Which do you prefer? I was excited to read the review by Ms Yingling.

I would pair small Mercies with The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Patterson and these titles:

Pictures of Hollis Woods

When Friendship followed me Home

Missing May

Speechless

I think adults would enjoy Small Mercies. It made me think of these two adult novels:

A Good Night for Shooting Zombies by Jaco Jacobs

Do you judge a book by its title?  I did for this one. Zombies did not sound like a book I wanted to read. I saw this book listed inside the back cover of A Good Day for Climbing Trees.

Then I made three discoveries. First of all I loved A Good Day for Climbing Trees by Jaco Jacobs and so I book talked it during a book week event at a small rural school. While I was talking about A Good Day for Climbing Trees one of the Year 6 students exclaimed with great excitement that she had read another book by Jaco Jacobs - A Good Night for Shooting Zombies. I was curious how this book had reached this reader in Australia (it is from South Africa) and also how a book with such an odd title could elicit such joy.

Secondly Jaco Jacobs has been nominated by IBBY in South Africa for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen medal. As a member of IBBY Australia I am very interested in this award.  Finally I was browsing a discount book store in the city last week and I spied A Good Night for Shooting Zombies at a bargain price so I picked it up.

Last night I started to read this book and by morning it was finished.  Yes it is THAT good.

I love that the title has two meanings. The group of kids, especially Vusi, are making or shooting a movie about zombies. The final scenes in the movie involve shooting the zombies - don't worry they use toy guns and this scene is actually a wonderful celebration of community.

Martin (nickname Clucky) has lots of chickens. His dad showed him how to care for them but sadly his dad has died in a tragic accident. Martin is saving the money he gets from selling the eggs. He has an important reason for doing this. 

Vusi lives next door to Martin. Vusi does not go to school because he has Hodgkin's disease. Vusi loves watching zombie movies and so he has decided to make one of his own.

Clucky meets Vusi when Vusi's dog attacks the chickens and Kathleen (a leghorn chicken) is killed. This meeting is the beginning of an important friendship. Clucky is lonely at school because he is a clever boy who does not fit in. He does not understand why this movie is important to Vusi but he is happy to be involved. Later Chris (Christine) joins them and the action really heats up. Vusi wants to find a shed where they can film some scenes from the movie. Chris has a shed but it does contain a lot of things that belong to her brother who is in jail. When local criminals discover our team of movie makers things become very dangerous.

Spoiler alert - this is a book that ends in tragedy and yet at no time does it feel sad. Using the time they had available these young friends have made special memories for themselves and for the people they love.

One aspect of this book I really enjoyed was Clucky's obsession with numbers. He calculates precisely when things happen, how long they take and he is always calculating the numbers he encounters to check if they are happy numbers. (see page 23).

"While racing home I thought of Aunt Hantie. She said that her husband died ten years ago. That amounts to 3,652 days, if you add two days for leap years. And that amounts to 86,648 hours. How do you survive that many hours when you're as lonely as she is?"

This book has been made into a movie.  You can read about it here and see the trailer. The movie is called Nul is Nie Niks Nie. 

This book was written in 2013 and translated in 2018. Here is the Afrikaans cover:

Never too sentimental or depressing, A Good Night for Shooting Zombies strikes a perfect balance of humor and heartbreak and helps to define what friendship really means. Foreword Reviews

Death is present in both reference to Clucky’s father’s accident and Vusi’s illness, but Jacobs delicately weaves it throughout the tale in a way that both celebrates life and places importance on human connection as it affects the lives of those who remain.  An emotive and enjoyable read. Kirkus

Just like the children in The Little Wave - Martin, Vusi and Chris have complex life experiences and families. I highly recommend A Good Night for Shooting Zombies. I also recommend you look for Kaline Klatteraster's tree house by Haven Kimmel; Swashbuckler by James Moloney; The Goldfish boy by Lisa Thompson and View from the 32nd Floor by Emma Cameron which is long out of print but well worth finding even though the cover is perhaps not very appealing.

Journey to Jo'burg by Beverley Naidoo

The next three books I will talk about in this blog contain extremely powerful stories of heroism and oppression yet all are very slim novels. These books make ideal reading for senior and middle Primary students. They show young children living in complex communities during times of injustice or war.

In Journey to Jo'burg we meet Naledi who lives in South Africa, the South Africa of apartheid. Her mother works in Johannesburg. This is three hundred miles from the family home. The three children are in the care of their grandmother. With their mother working so far from home it seems they rarely see her and her work for the rich white family is a mystery to the two older children until Dineo their baby sister falls ill. Naledi decided she and her brother Tiro need to get to Jo’burg and the only way to do this is to walk. Surprisingly, while the journey is long, they strike some good fortune firstly in the form of a place to stay the night near an orange farm and later when they are given a lift in a truck to a place quite near their mothers work place. This luck continues when they meet Grace Mbatha. Grace’s mother works quite near Mma.

“There it stood, a great pink house with its own grass lawn and trees in front, even its own road leading up to the front door!” The Madam reluctantly gives Mma permission to go home to Dineo but she must work for one more night and so the children are returned to the care of Grace. It is at this point their journey becomes very frightening when the two children find themselves separated from Grace and stranded on a railway platform with police angrily checking for identity cards.

My copy of Journey to Jo’burg has an excellent introduction by Michael Rosen and this is made even more special because both Michael Rosen and Beverley Naidoo are speaking at the IBBY congress in London. There is also a "More than the story" section at the back with the letter that shows this book was once banned.  Read more here.  If you click this link you will also see the whole range of different covers which have been used for this book.  I find cover design a fascinating area - the appeal of covers to different groups of readers in different cultures.

Journey to Jo’burg was first published 1987. I do hope it might still be in print because this is such an accessible story which allows young readers to glimpse this oppressive regime and perhaps make some sense of this important time in world history.  I also found some excellent teaching notes.