Africa Day was inspired by events at a cultural festival. It pictures a little boy’s excitement and discovery of interesting and colourful features of the African culture, on a day out with his mum. It is a story that depicts a child's curiosity and appreciation of culture that ignites conversation and promotes literacy. Author Chi Mary Kalu took her young sons to the Africa Day Festival in Brisbane, as the family loves to spend time outdoors. The boys could not contain their excitement during the event, they asked a host of questions, tried new snacks and meals and learnt a bit of drumming. It was the curiosity displayed by the children, and their boisterous interest in almost every craft and activity, that got Chi thinking of their cultural awareness, and our responsibility as parents and a community to teach or provide opportunities for all children to discover the interesting features replete in various cultures. There are references to African names, fabrics and foods, intentionally used to highlight the ethnic setting. Suitable for readers aged 5 – 10.
