Who is King?

Subtitled Ten Magical Stories from Africa, Beverley Naidoo's collection comes from the rich folklore of Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Malawi, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa. In her introduction she celebrates the wealth of material in Africa, and elsewhere she lists some of the protagonists as a Trickster Tortoise, a mighty Elephant, a lazy Ox, a mischievous Monkey, a boastful Cockerel, a hapless Hippo, the woman who had a mouse-child - and two brave, clever girls.

Naidoo is unrivalled at encapsulating both story and style within her retellings, and we are often reminded of other fables told by Kipling and Aesop.  Like Naidoo's earlier Aesop retelling, these stories are illustrated by Piet Grobler, whose distinctive, humorous images enliven and enrich every tale.