Introducing New YA Fiction from Across Africa (Panel Discussion)

In this discussion about Young Adult publishing in Africa two powerful works will be discussed. Ruby Yayra Goka, one of Ghana’s most celebrated children’s book authors, has produced a riveting YA novel. A young woman speaks out against her wealthy abuser, the son of her employer. Through the life of an ordinary girl from a small country village, we experience the damage wrought by institutionalised misogyny and poverty. We also learn how even those who are most disadvantaged are never without their own power. The clever and compelling young adult novel, All That It Ever Meant, heralds a masterful new voice from Zimbabwe. Mati, and her family, are reeling from the death of her mother. Mati must come to terms with her grief and with the difficulty of living between two cultures, while the family must learn to forge their way in a world without their monumental mother. Full of captivating characters and stunning plot twists, Blessing Musariri delivers a nuanced and unforgettable story of grief, love, and family.