From bedtime stories to family trips to the shops, a shared love of reading is one of the best gifts a parent can give a child.
Every July, Exclusive Books celebrates young readers, a focused campaign bringing children’s books to the forefront of everything the retailer does. For a bookshop built on a love of stories, there’s nothing more rewarding than watching that love take root in the next generation, and this year, that celebration carries a simple message: Raise a Reader.
It’s a reminder to parents that reading with their children, even just a few minutes a day, is one of the easiest and most rewarding habits a family can build.
It is not about convincing anyone that reading matters, it’s about sharing what booksellers already know and love: that a good book, read together, is one of the simplest ways for a parent and child to connect. Beyond the story itself, reading together builds a child’s listening skills and comprehension, and the kind of quiet concentration that’s increasingly rare in a world of screens and short attention spans.
Children also learn by watching. A parent who picks up a book, even just a magazine on a weekend, shows a child that reading is something worth doing.
It’s a habit more South African families are building. According to the National Reading Survey by the National Reading Barometer South Africa, the number of adults who read with the children in their household has grown from 35% in 2016 to 52% today, and 93% of adults agree that reading with children improves school performance.
A moment to celebrate South Africa’s own children’s authors and illustrators
Among them is Refiloe Moahloli, whose picture books, created with illustrator Katlego Keokgale, have been translated into several South African languages.
Another young literary talent is Unarine ‘Una’ Phaswana, who, at age 11, became Penguin Random House South Africa’s youngest published author. Una began her literary journey as a book reviewer at the age of six and, now 12, is also a literacy activist who has led book drives for rural schools and was named one of Africa’s Top 100 Most Influential Children.
Her debut book, Una’s Mzansi Bush Adventures, blends magic and conservation, taking readers on a trip to the Kruger National Park with animal friends like Rele the Rhino and Lonwabo the Lion.
Roslynne Toerien, a Durban-based children’s author, educator and philanthropist, is best known for her rhyming, wildlife-themed children’s books published by Penguin Books South Africa, which focus on conservation, friendship and the African wildlife that inspires her stories.
The selection also includes beloved local author Jaco Jacobs, who published his 300th book this year. His new titles include an interactive choose-your-own-adventure story and a magical realist tale celebrating the wonder of libraries and books.
International new arrivals include titles from bestselling authors such as Julia Donaldson, whose new Gruffalo title is due in September, alongside Holly Black, John Patrick Green and Nancy Springer. Also on shelves is Mum’s Busy Work, based on real conversations between former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern and her young daughter, and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, William Kamkwamba’s story for younger readers about ingenuity and hope.
Exclusive Books also offers ongoing multi-buy promotions that help make reading more accessible, including five picture or activity books for R200, as well as three selected adult titles for R150.
The full children’s selection, including this month’s new arrivals, is available in Exclusive Books stores nationwide and online at www.exclusivebooks.co.za
