Bunmi Oyinsan

In intertwined stories, A Ladder of Bones tells a series of narratives that take place in West Africa, Canada, the United States and the Caribbean. Siaka becomes a child soldier in Sierra Leone after being compelled to shoot his six-year-old brother. Melvin witnesses the murder of his parents by young Liberian soldiers. As a toddler, Timothy survives by sucking at his dead mother's breast, while Iona, a rebellious Jamaican girl, narrowly escapes rape at the hands of her drug-addicted mother's lover. And then there is Enilolobo: a mysterious child who appears on a Canadian street one day with two navels. Their lives become interwoven, but this tapestry unravels as the characters move back to West African soil as young adults. They are forced to relive the nightmare of their earlier existence when one of the characters joins others to hunt them, seeing not human beings but a repository for rage.

Every new generation of children should be enthralled by stories of famous people from their history. The Legends of Africa Series are fictionalized stories about real legends of Africa from the continent and the African diaspora. The stories are written in easy to read texts which can be read to young children. Older children will also enjoy them because they are easy to read and understand. This beautifully illustrated story is a fictionalized version of the life history of Phillis Wheatley who was captured from the Senegambia area of West Africa. Although sold into slavery, she very quickly learnt to read and write. She became the first African-American to publish a book of poetry. This story about her life introduces her to young readers by highlighting some of her struggles as well as major accomplishments.

This beautifully illustrated story is a fictionalized version of the life story of Phillis Wheatley who was captured from the Senegambia area of West Africa. Although sold into slavery, she very quickly learnt to read and write. She became the first African-American to publish a book of poetry. This story about her life introduces her to young readers by highlighting some of her struggles as well as major accomplishments.

This book about Mansa Musa introduces children to one of the greatest rulers of the Mali Empire. Older children will enjoy it as it is easy to read. It can be read to younger children too.

Adventures of Anansi and Sewa: Rainy Day is the first book in a series for young readers. In this story, it is a school-free day. School vacations are made for going outdoors and having fun, but what can you do when it's raining? Daddy Spider has some good ideas, but sometimes going out is the only solution. What do you do then? This story is a gentle reminder that sometimes going out and getting wet can be a lot of fun too, no matter how young or old you may be. This story is a grand selection for storytime and can lead to discussions of what to do on a rainy day. The characters are modern adaptations of Anansi Spider, who is a legendary folk hero in many cultures. Unlike real spiders which scare children, the characters in the story are anthropomorphized so children learn to see them as part of nature and less intimidating. Adventures of Anansi and Sewa is also written in a manner that makes it an excellent primer for young readers to try on their own. They'll enjoy the bright and cheerful illustrations and the song at the end of the story.

Anansi and Sewa fall out over Anansi's favourite superhero. So how does the Black Panther end up saving the day? Find out in this new story about the Spider family.

Anansi the Spider is a well-loved trickster character in many old African and Caribbean stories. Anansi Spider and his sister Anansewa (Sewa) are modern versions of the old trickster. In this first story of the series, its a rainy day. Anansi and Sewa are bored and looking for something exciting to do. Join them and see if they are able to turn a boring day into fun. Watch out for other stories in this series