Patricia Barnard: 9 books

Onias’ problem is that he can’t get to school on time because he can’t wake up early enough. It is winter, and his three friends pass his house on their way to school, but he’s never ready when they stop and call him. They don’t have warm clothes, so they run on to school without waiting. Onias’...

When the teacher asked the children what they wanted to be one day, she got a variety of responses. James wanted to be James wanted to be a driver. No one was at home after school, but he saw his uncle's car parked outside his house. He decided to sit in it. Soon his friends joined him. James, behind...

Christopher is a schoolboy who comes from a poor home. He has no father, and his mother struggles to make ends meet. His school clothes are old and no longer fit him, and the roof of their home is in need of repair. A farmer gives Christopher a job looking after sheep during the school holidays....

Eleven year old Peter Motlala is crazy about soccer. Half watching the TV news one day he hears the name Botshe Ofentse. Botshe is the local football star, who scored many goals for his team the previous season. Peter wishes he could be like him. He’s popular with everyone. Peter often watches...

Sizi’s mother hurts her leg badly and Sizi takes over the household chores. There is no water supply in the village houses. The people collect it from a river a little way away. The problem is, that there are crocodiles in the river! Sizi dreads going to the river in case a crocodile pulls...

The six stories in this book are all about children of various ages, who live in Southern Africa. Each story shows how one or more children cope with difficulties that arise in their lives, and also with unexpected things that happen. Sometimes laughter helps them and sometimes sharing their problem...

Rosa's mother, Mrs Funani, asks her to take her little sister to Mrs Mabuza's house. Rosa thinks that her mother herself asks her to do too many things. She decides to look for paid work. She sees that her friend, Nomsa, is busy. Nomsa asks her to help Mr Phiri, a restaurant owner. Mr Phiri isn't...

When Gibson goes to the store one day he spots an old man sitting on a bench nearby. Gibson is fascinated that the old man has a crutch. He wonders why, and sits near to the bench to have a closer look. The old man tells him about a dreadful experience he had, that left him very badly injured. Now,...

The novels of the South African writer J. M. Coetzee won him global recognition and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2003. His work offers substantial pedagogical richness and challenges. Coetzee treats such themes as race, aging, gender, animal rights, power, violence, colonial history and accountability,...