Wanjik, Child of Mine

Ciiku Ndung'u-Case author Karen Vermeulen illustrator

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Catalyst Books

Published:19th Sep '24

£12.99

This title is due to be published on 19th September, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

Wanjik, Child of Mine cover

  • ARCS to relevant reviewers in the trade; e-ARC on Edelweiss
  • Early blurbs from children's book creators like Vashti Harrison, LaTashia Perry, and Kelly DiPucchio
  • Leveled and aligned with Common Core
  • Submission to Junior Library Guild, Baker and Taylor ARC program, and relevant awards
  • Promotion at library conferences; educator and librarian outreach.
  • Blog tour with book giveaways
  • Social media promotion
  • Simultaneous e-book release 

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

A CBC Spring 2024 Showcase Selection

No matter where she goes, or how big she grows, Wanjikũ knows her name.

In the lush Kenyan countryside, a young Gikũyũ girl helps her grandmother with daily tasks. Here, as she tends to the cows, carries water, and plays in the fruit trees and sugarcane, she is called Wanjikũ.

On the busy city streets of Nairobi, where she goes to school, she is called by her English name, Catherine. But at home with Wangarĩ, the maid who cooks and cares for her, she is again Wanjikũ.

All grown up in boarding school, Catherine is the leader of her class, surrounded by friends from different cultural backgrounds. But at night, when she gathers with her fellow Gikũyũ sisters to speak her mother tongue, she is Wanjikũ once more.

Gloriously illustrated, alive with the joie de vivre of girlhood, and based on the author's own beloved childhood memories, Wanjikũ, Child of Mine is an ode to the heritage that walks alongside us, and a love song for the sisters we make on the journey.

"Wankiju, Child of Mine deserves to be included in both school and public libraries.[...] This book is a model for the importance of telling and retelling children the stories of who they are and where they come from, providing them a foundation that will serve them well throughout their lives." - Global Lit in Libraries Initiative

"Wanjiku, Child of Mine is a beautiful story of identity and origin, of family bonds and forging new connections. Ciiku Ndung'u-Case's lilting language, along with Karen Vermeulen's evocative illustrations, transports young readers to lush Kenya. This story is a treat of unexpected childhood delights, community connections, and resilience."  - Kashmira Sheth, author of Tiger in my Soup and Feast of Peas
"Ciiku's words transported me to the heart and soul of Kenya and will open the young reader's eyes to a world far beyond their own. I was moved by this one-of-a-kind story filled with deep cultural details, rich nuances, and a main character proud of her culture and heritage. Bold, bright, and beautiful artwork fills each page with joy, and children will come away feeling like they have just been on an incredible journey with Wanjiku, from her village to the big city, from her family to her friends who surround her with love and fill her with a sense of belonging. A must-read!" - Namita Moolani Mehra, author of The Light Within You and Anni Dreams of Biryani"[A] beautifully narrated tale about how language and identity are intrinsically connected. The art is rich and textural, mirroring the Gikũyũ culture. Karen Vermeulen wonderfully supplements the narrative with her pictures - which are lush, pattern-rich but at the same time allow for muted, thoughtful moments." - Chaaya Prabhat, illustrator of The Best Diwali Ever and Best of All: The Magical Mix in You

ISBN: 9781960803016

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

32 pages