Three years ago, we had an idea. What if we got readers, publishers, librarians, authors, and everyone who loves books together to celebrate African literature? That was the start of our Reading Africa Week celebration, and this year we’re excited to hold it for the fourth time. Each year during the first full week of December— this year December 6-12— we ask book lovers of all kinds to use the hashtag #ReadingAfrica on posts that highlight African literature. Whether it’s a new release or an old favorite, poetry or comics, non-fiction or a thriller, make sure to use #ReadingAfrica across social media to let us know what you’re reading.
Part of why we’re so excited about Reading Africa Week is that it shows the diversity of writing from the continent. As our colleague at Cassava Republic, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, noted “African writing is not a genre. It encapsulates different genres.” Readers of all kinds can find something to love when they read globally. Over the past three years, we’ve seen booklists, playlists, videos, amazing articles, and one year, when Africa Science Week overlapped, a fantastic assortment of academic papers and scientific studies. All this is to say, this is one of our favorite weeks. We get to talk (even more) about books and authors we love, and we get to learn more about the books and authors you love. For us, the magic of discovering a new author, a new poem, or a new book to share with a child you love never goes away.
We’re looking forward to sharing even more great books and authors with you this year.
Update: We’ve added a new piece to our #ReadingAfrica Week celebration! Join us for two virtual events. Both are free, but registration is required. More information here.
