African Picture Book Author Spotlight: Christine Mapondera-Talley
Meet Zimbabwean children’s book author Christine Mapondera-Talley!
We connected via social media (thanks, Instagram) and quickly found out we shared a passion of African representation in children’s literature. What inspires me most about Christine is her visionary nature. She is an African woman with a mission. Her passion and entrepreneurial nature truly exude in the work that she does—from writing and independently publishing a high-quality picture book to launching the publishing company (Global Kids House) to her charitable endeavors with Kidlit Nation which connects and uplifts diverse content creators working in the children’s literature space.
I asked Christine to share her story and journey to becoming a children’s book author. She discusses her writing, her advice to new children’s book authors, and her exciting new projects.
For some background, tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from and what you do?
I’m Christine Mapondera-Talley, author of Makanaka’s World, a picture book series designed to teach young children about world cultures, geography, and language in a fun and engaging way. The first book under the series is called Makanaka's World: Adventure in Morocco.
I was born in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, and now reside in Chicago with my husband and two children. Currently, I also work outside the home with the goal of becoming a full-time author and publisher.
When did you first become interested in writing for children and did you always know you wanted to write African heritage books?
My writing was initially inspired by my daughter, Jillian Makanaka. I wanted to create simple stories to help her learn my native language Shona, spoken in Zimbabwe. The name Makanaka means you're beautiful or you're awesome in the Shona language.
What is your inspiration behind writing Makanaka’s World?
Now my goal with this series is to allow children around the world to go on adventures with Makanaka, to learn some geography and about other cultures along the way. After all, we live in a global world and what better time than at this age for kids to embrace that concept and what it truly means to be a global citizen.
You published your book independently; are there any unique challenges to publishing or marketing a book on your own? What are they and how did you overcome them?
Christine Mapondera-Talley first book in the Makanaka’s World Adventure series.
My book, Makanaka's World: Adventure in Morocco, was published independently under my company Global Kids House. I’m entrepreneurial by nature and love creating things, it seemed only right that I start from the ground up. I expected to encounter challenges along the way, partly because I was entering a new industry.
However, I also believe that every great company in existence reached those heights as a result of sheer passion and determination. So, I felt that self-publishing was an excellent fit for me. The greatest benefit is that I get to build my own team of editors, illustrators, printing partners, and marketing experts. There is no “self” in self-publishing, at least not if you’re doing it right. The challenge I have is the same for every business on the planet, create a great product and find your tribe aka customer.
Did you have any fears or self-doubts when writing an African heritage children’s book? What were they, and how did you overcome them??
While working on this book, I definitely was very focused on making sure that I represented Morocco and Moroccans in a way that would make them proud. It made me very hypersensitive which resulted in a lot of research. I’m happy to say Moroccans who have read my book were pleasantly surprised by how positively authentic it depicted their lives.
What advice do you have for authors writing African heritage children’s books?
If one chooses to write African heritage books, it really helps if you’re in love with the subject matter. That passion will come in very handy when you feel like you’re running out of creative ideas; that passion will push you to learn more and more, which will, in turn, show in your work.
What is your favourite African heritage children’s book?
My favorite African heritage book at present is The Girl Who Buried Her Dreams in a Can by Tererai Trent
Any advice on how people can encourage children to read more diverse books?
Makanaka’s World: Adventure in Morocco
When it comes to helping kids discover diverse books, it will help to choose a book that also contains themes that resonate with them (e.g., soccer, art, food, adventure, etc.).
What are you working on next? Are there any other African heritage children’s books that you have written?
I have several titles I’ve been working on over the last 2 years in addition to the next Makanaka’s World title. The majority of my stories are definitely inspired by Africa. I’ve never been more excited to create stories that will make us all proud.
Three Fun Facts
My favorite sport to watch is figure skating
I was a fashion designer prior to discovering writing
When I was younger, I was deathly afraid of chameleons, lol, now I think they are so magnificent
Books by Christine Mapondera-Talley: