Find indigenous folktales for your children

One of the greatest gifts a parent can give their child is a love of reading. The precious gift of storytelling does more than offer children a temporary voyage into another world. Reading is similar to being planted onto a vantage point that gives you the best view of history, shared experiences, and all the beauty the world has to offer.

It’s no wonder kids love children’s books so much. A good book introduces children to wonderful ideas, new places, and creatures they haven’t encountered before. Good stories teach children about the world, but the best stories teach them about themselves. That’s why most children jump at the opportunity to read a book with characters who look and speak like them. When children see themselves in the stories they cherish, their experiences are amplified in ways that make them feel like they have something special to offer the world.

South Africa is a country rich in culture and stories, and these often converge in the form of folktales. For parents who are just as concerned about entertaining their children as they are about educating them, folktales are the best of both worlds. Most of them draw inspiration  from everyday objects and beings such as animals and plants to create captivating stories, but many extend to the supernatural with the addition of giants or spirits.

The plot twists and other worldly characters that populate the pages of a good folktale are the perfect way for children to learn important lessons about multiculturalism. They also serve as a powerful launchpad for a lifelong interest in their mother tongue. Start reading indigenous stories to your kids early enough, and they’re bound to become an ongoing source of entertainment well into their adult lives. But while some parents might have a keen interest in reading folktales to their children, they might not know where to start looking.

The answer is simple: Any Wimpy restaurant near you.

As part of their ongoing partnership with Ethnikids, Wimpy has created a series of children’s books in all 11 official languages. Ethnikids is a local initiative founded by five moms with the aim of creating children’s books that feature characters of colour in a variety of local languages. These books include African folktales reimagined for a new audience, as well original stories written from scratch.

You can get a FREE storybook with every Kids’ Combo Meal at Wimpy. The books offered in store are written in English, while the Wimpy website features the stories in all 11 official languages.

The website also features beautifully illustrated author readings of each indigenous story . A diverse group of artists were tasked with the responsibility of bringing the stories to life. They include:

• Architect turned artist, Subi Bosa, whose previous works include Stepping Stones to Success and My Hair Is Just Right for Me
• Award-winning illustrator and motion designer, Ndumiso Nyoni, who recently worked with Disney Africa to create animated clips that celebrate African children and their unique cultures
• Art school teacher, Susie Appleby, an artist who uses acrylic and mixed media to create bold and expressive paintings
• Illustrator, Katlego Keokgale, who collaborated with former Olympic sprinter, Jeanette Kwakye, on a book titled Femi the Fox: A Pot of Jollof
• Concept artist, Mogau Kekana, who is currently studying at Gobelins, a visual communication school in Paris
• Writer, publisher, and illustrator, Siya Masuku, who also runs a publishing platform called Siyafunda Online

For children, folktales are the closest thing to experiencing real magic. It’s even better when the stories are told in the first language they learnt to wrap their tongue around. Gift your children with the power of good storytelling. They’ll enjoy it just as much as the kids’ meal that comes with it.