A great story, a moral lesson and a trip to Africa.
The story
A time-honored South African folktale, retold for today’s children and beautifully illustrated.
The moral lesson
Integrity, and what happens when you don’t keep your promise. A lesson children remember long after the story ends.
Geography and culture
A child-friendly geography lesson about South Africa, plus fun culture cards.
How Jabu learned to keep his word
Questions to ask at bedtime
Turn the story into a conversation.
Why was it hard for Jabu to trust the lion the second time?
How do you feel when someone breaks a promise to you?
What is a promise you can keep this week?
“I’ve ordered the set of African Folktales for my child and this is their favorite! It’s also mine for the lesson it contains, which is important for them and for me as well. We’re hopeful for more of these titles.”
Michael T. · Verified buyer
Stories with roots.
Ada Ari’s picture books return a piece of the African legacy that was lost over centuries of migration from the continent. Each one retells a time-honored folktale and pairs it with geography and culture lessons from the country it came from.
Read her storyOne for every night of the week.
Questions parents ask
Is this story only for South African families?
Not at all. These stories are designed to be shared with audiences around the world, and their universal moral lessons work for children of all backgrounds.
Is it good for reading aloud to a class?
Yes. In fact, many schools have folktale mandates as part of their curriculum, and the culture cards and geography lesson add a social studies component too.
Where does it ship from?
From whichever of our hubs is closest to you. We ship from the US, the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, South Africa, Kenya and China.
The details
For classrooms
Bring African folktales into your reading corner with a classroom set.
Shop classroom sets