Not So Fast Songololo

Written by Niki Daly

Narrated by Gcina Mhlope

Malusi, a young South African boy, spends a delightful day shopping in the city with his grandmother, Gogo, in this warm and tender story about love and sharing and :new red tackies."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Weston Woods
• Release date: Jan 1, 1992
• ISBN: 9780545416856

Niki Daly

Niki Daly has won many awards for his work. His groundbreaking Not So Fast Songololo, winner of a US Parent’s Choice Award, paved the way for post-apartheid South African children’s books. Among his many books, Once Upon a Time was an Honor Winner in the US Children’s Africana Book Awards and Jamela’s Dress was chosen by the ALA as a Notable Children’s Book and by Booklist as one of the Top 10 African American Picture Books of 2000. It also won both the Children’s Literature Choice Award and the Parents' Choice Silver Award. Niki lives with his wife, the author and illustrator Jude Daly, in South Africa.

Reviews for Not So Fast Songololo

[arieldean · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Malusi takes his Gogo into the city. He eventually gets new shoes. I did not care too much for this book because it was not interesting.

[conuly · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a story about a poor boy in South Africa (so be mindful of South African terms such as "zebra crossing" where Americans would say "crosswalk") who helps out his grandmother and as a special treat gets a new pair of sneakers. His FIRST new pair of sneakers, as he usually wears his older sibling's falling-apart handmedowns.The family relationships are sweet and clear, the story is vividly told, the resolution is simple... and yet, I just can't get into this book when I read it to my nieces. This, in turn, affects their appreciation of it as they can see that I'm just going through the motions instead of enjoying it. Try Jamela's Birthday or Those Shoes instead.