Stories From In2Ed Africa Series

Obu is 9 years old. He lives in Kenya with his family and loves playing soccer. But Obu does not talk. Despite many attempts to get him to speak, Obu chooses to remain silent. One day, Obu’s grandfather gives him a drum. Obu loves the feel and look of the drum, but it is the sound of it that brings about the magic for Obu. He discovers that he can communicate with others through the beating of the drum. He is able to tell his classmates when he wants to play through the steady, rhythmic beating of the drum. He can express when he needs a hug with gentle, quiet tapping. He is even able to alert people when a hyena tries to attack his family’s goats, through loud, vigourous pounding. Mama notices this and realises that Obu is able to speak using the drum, and that people listen when he plays. Grandfather tells Obu that the drum will speak for him until he is able to find his own voice. Obu whispers ‘thank you’ and no-one but Grandfather hears. This is the story of how one silent boy taught everyone around him to listen.

Makena can’t sleep. A storm is raging and she is worried about the safety of her chickens. Deciding she needs to the action, Makena creeps out in the middle of the night to rescue them. Dressed in just her pyjamas and a raincoat, she splashes her way through the garden to the chicken house. There she quickly tucks the three chickens inside her coat and dashes back to the house. Just in time! As she gets indoors, a branch from the tree falls on top of the chicken house! Dad, Mum and her brother all hear the crash and run out into the garden, thinking the chickens are in trouble. Makena tells them that the chickens are in fact safe and shows them the funny beds she has made for them – one in a bucket, one in a basket and one in a pot! Makena’s Dad, Mum and brother laugh at the chickens in their unusual beds, but are very proud of Makena for rescuing the chickens. They call her a hero. Mum promises to build a new house for the chickens in the morning, which means that for one night only, they can sleep in the house. Makena is very pleased and settles down to sleep in her cosy bed, knowing her chickens are safe and well.

Stanley is small. His Mummy, the horse, is big. Stanley wants to be big just like Mummy, but he never seems to grow. With the help of his kitten friend, Pipkin, Stanley decides to make himself look more like Mummy using lots of different tricks. First he takes the farmer's wife's knickers from the washing line and uses them as a mane, just like Mummy's. Next, Pipkin ties his feet onto plant pots, so he is tall, just like Mummy. Finally he makes a long tail out of the farmer's socks, so it is just like Mummy's. When Mummy sees Stanley, she gently removes each item and tells him that he is perfect as he is. Stanley gets upset and says he wants to be like her and Mummy tells him a secret. She says he will never look like her, because Stanley is a goat! Stanley was left alone as a baby, so Mummy took care of him. She says she might not be a Mummy goat, but all families are different and she loves him very much indeed. Stanley feels much better after this. Mummy tells him that he should never be anyone other than himself - and Stanley agrees.

Have you ever tried to count the stars? This is the story of a little girl who wanted to know how many stars there were in the night sky, but through a magical adventure learnt that sometimes it is OK not to know everything.

Wanjira and her friends are in trouble. Mama is having a party and she needs Wanjira to go to the market to buy the food she needs. But Wanjira plays with her friends on the way, so when they get there, the market is closed. Mama's party is the very next day and they have no food. The children walk home, feeling sad. What will Mama say when they turn up without her shopping? On the way home they help a lady who has lost her dogs. The lady thanks them by giving them bags of flour. Then they help a gardener who needs soil moving. The gardener thanks them by giving them some eggs. Finally, they help a farmer put out a fire in his barn. The farmer thanks them by giving them some milk. After the children get home, Mama tells them that they were naughty not to go straight to the market as she had asked, but she is proud of them for helping others. Smiling, Mama tells them that with the flour, eggs and milk she will be able to make pancakes. And that is exactly what she did! The pancake party was a great success, and everyone agreed that Mama's pancakes were the best they'd ever tasted.

Grace feels sad as she walks to school. She is all on her own and wishes she had someone to walk with. Along the way she meets many different animals, who all decide to travel along with her. Grace sings a little rhyme each time, which the reader can join in with. Join Grace as she walks to school and makes lots of new friends on the way. But will she ever get to school on time?

Have you ever wondered where coffee comes from? People love to drink it, but did you know that coffee beans are actually little tiny superheroes? 9-year-old Ted is in a cafe with his Dad. Discovering more about each stage of the coffee bean's journey, Ted also learns fun rhymes, helping him remember the story of the coffee beans more easily. And most importantly, he learns about the coffee beans' greatet superpower of all: bringing people together. Find out amazing facts about coffee beans in this book, and learn all about their incredible superpowers!

The rains have arrived in Africa. A giraffe tries to shelter under the baobab trees, but his neck is too long and his head sticks up above the treetops. The other animals make him different hats to keep his head dry. But no matter how hard the animals try, each new hat is a disaster. But then, a little mouse stops by. And he just might have an idea that will save the day!

Julius loved soccer. He's desperate to play in the team, but whenever he tries, he always falls over his feet. Whenever Julius comes to the pitch, the other team members sigh. Then one day, one of the usual players is sick, and Julius has to play. Still falling over all the time, his team is losing by half time. But when Julius sees a pile of plates and cups starting to wobble, he dives forward quickly as a flash and catches them all. Seeing this, the manager realizes that Julius would make a very good goalkeeper. But will it be enough to keep him in the team?

Eric was very proud of his 10 hens. But when they all had little fluffy chicks, he worried about how to look after them all. Then one day, all the hens and chicks escaped. How would Eric ever find them? Emma Dredge's 'Chasing Chickens' is a compelling, easy-to-read story about teamwork and friendship for early readers.