"There's More To Africa Than Animals" - Challenging Stereotypes in Children's Books

Despite the spread of the internet and increasing global interconnectedness, there is still a struggle to present Africa in the media - whether in newspapers, film, or books - as life truly is on the continent today. One organisation working to promote an accurate and balanced image of Africa is Africa Access which established the Children's Africana Book Awards in 1991. The US-based awards "are designed to encourage the publication of accurate, balanced children’s materials on Africa, to recognize literary excellence and to acknowledge the research achievements of outstanding authors and illustrators."
NPR recently interviewed Ifeoma Onyefulu (who won awards in 2005 and 2008) and Karen Leggett Abouraya (whose book Hands Around the Library: Protecting Egypt's Treasured Bookswas a winner at this year's ceremony on November 9) about their experiences as authors writing children's books set in Africa. They spoke about the challenges they face when promoting their books in Western countries, such as the pervasive belief that "Africa is a country" and accusations of staging photographs to make the places captured look nicer. Both writers emphasised the need for more positive stories about Africa, both for the sake of Western audiences and for Africans living in the West. Abouraya shared an anecdote about an appearance she made at a school in Maryland, USA:
"...a father from Uganda stood up afterward and said thank you for a positive story about an African country."
Abouraya also shared a touching story about a Skype session between students from the USA and Egypt who discovered that they shared the same favourite foods - hamburgers and pizza. Classic Nigerian children's books by authors such as Cyprian Ekwensi, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, and Philip Begho are relatively easy to find in local bookstores, but ensuring that all children have access to varied, affirming stories which celebrate their cultures and traditions (as well as those of others) is an important goal yet to be achieved. The conversation started by the Africana Awards is a reminder that this challenge - which goes far beyond the shores of Africa - is one which can only be overcome with the support of parents, teachers, publishers, and media players dedicated to breaking old stereotypes and fostering a truer image of Africa across the world. Read the entire interview with Onyefulu and Abouraya here. Find children's books by authors named in this article and more in the ZODML Catalogue. How can Africa's image in the media be better represented? Share your thoughts in the comments!