Local author’s book teaches kids self-acceptance
Nokuphiwa Nala launches a book to inspire children, through reading, to accept themselves as they are.
UPPER HIGHWAY author Nokuphiwa Nala is happy for the opportunity to pen her insecurities in an empowering way in her new book titled Stop Bullying My Afro. Nala is a teacher who’s had a passion for writing from a young age.
The book by Nala is for children and is about a little girl who feels cautious about her afro after being teased about it. In the book, the young girl is told that her hair is funny and that she should tie it. She eventually falls in love with it and tells her mom not to tie it.
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Nala said she has had a passion for writing and knew that she had to do something about it. “It felt perfect for me to collaborate my passion with telling my story and inspiring children at the same time. When I was young, I was made to feel like something is wrong with my hair and that I had to hide it,” she said.
Nala said the idea of writing the book was also to encourage her daughter who is growing up. “The book essentially teaches about self-acceptance. I want my daughter and all the young girls to accept themselves. I do not wish for them to have my experience, and this is why I made it into a children’s book, so I can try and instil self-acceptance from a young age,” she said.
She further highlighted that the book is aimed to instil the love of reading in children. “It is important for children in the developmental stages to enjoy reading, and the aim was to make the book relatable as some children, if not most, experience bullying and identity crises. So I believe that it would be helpful to put this kind of information in reading material for children as they will learn not only to read but to accept themselves as they are,” she said.
The book is currently available at the Hillcrest Library in the children’s section. “We are also in the process of having the book in Braille so it can be accessible to everyone,” she said.
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