Title: The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle Author: Dan Gutman Genre: Fiction/ Egypt Publisher: Holiday House Release Date: June 4, 2024 "From the author of the My Weird School books, an adventure story that spans centuries and continents. In Central Park, New York, stands Cleopatra’s Needle. But what do you know about? Did you know that thousands of people worked in 1461 BCE to build it? Then hundreds more moved it, and erected it in Alexandria, where it stood for 3,000 years? So how did a monolith weighing over 200 tons get moved all the way to New York City—and in the 19th Centur ..read more

Title: Zandi's Song Author: Zandile Ndhlovu Genre: Picture book / Ages: 6-8 / South Africa Publisher: Amazon Crossing Kids Release Date: March 26, 2024 Zandi is a girl on a mission: to bring a message of conservation to the world. Zandi was always thinking and dreaming about the ocean. Then, one special day, the ocean calls for her. Zandi tentatively approaches the water--and that's when her adventure begins! She soon finds herself transformed into a mermaid and on an unforgettable underwater journey, where she hears the song of the ocean. But there is something threatening this magical worl ..read more

Title: Daughters of the Lamp Series: Daughters of the Lamp, Book 1 Author: Nedda Lewers Genre: Fiction / Egypt / Ages 8-12 Publisher: Penguin Release Date: February 20, 2024 Pages: 353 "Percy Jackson meets Arabian fairy tales in this stunning middle grade fantasy debut about a girl who becomes the guardian of Ali Baba’s legendary treasure. Believe in fairy tales. Sahara Rashad lives by logic. Loves science. And always has a plan. Except her dad just whisked her away to her uncle’s wedding in Egypt, upending every single plan she had for the summer. In Cairo, Sahara’s days are filled with fam ..read more

Title: Rise of the Green Flame Author: Bernard Mensah Genre: Friendship / Ages 6-8 / Fiction / Ghana Publisher: Scholastic Incorporated Release Date: 2024 Eight-year-old Kwame is eager to start Nkonyaa School and learn calabash magic, yet none of the teachers can figure out what kind of magic is in his calabash--but when one of Kwame's new friends is possessed by an evil magic his power is revealed ..read more

Title: Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem Author: Roseanne A. Brown Genre: Fiction / Ghana / Ages: 10-13 Publisher: Serwa Boateng Release Date: September 12, 2023 "... After a lifetime of fighting creatures of black magic, twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng has just learned a devastating secret: she herself is half vampire! Now not only is she dealing with vampire puberty, she's on the run from the organization of Slayers she trained her whole life to join. Serwa's only ally is her aunt Boahinmaa, an obayifo who urges Serwa to embrace her vampire side. Boahinmaa and her underlings are ..read more

Title: Waiting to Welcome Author: Samantha Cleaver, Reuben Nantogmah, Genre: Picture Book / Ages 3-6 / Ghana Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, 2024 Release Date: July 16, 2024 A little girl and her Ghanaian extended family joyfully prepare to celebrate the arrival of a new baby in this warm, inviting picture book ..read more

Title: Kwame Crashes the Underworld Author: Craig Kofi Farmer Genre: Fiction / Ghana / Ages 8-12 Publisher: Roaring Brook Press Release Date: September 10, 2024 "Twelve-year-old Kwame is hurled into the Ghanaian underworld where he helps his late grandmother save humanity." Publisher ..read more

Title: The Gabi That Girma Wore Author: Fasika Adefris, Sara Holly Ackerman, Genre: Fiction / Ethiopia / Ages 4-8 Publisher: Little Brown Release Date: 2024 "Follows how a Gabi is made in Ethiopia from seed to harvest, to weaving to shop, to gift for Girma." Publisher ..read more

Title: Flying Through Water Author: Mamle Wolo Genre: Fiction / Ghana / Ages: 8-12 Release Date: May 14, 2024 Sena thinks he is helping his poverty-stricken family when a man calling himself Jack of Diamonds promises him a job and a better life, but he ends up in the clutches of human traffickers and must use all his resolve to escape and survive. “Sena treasures his life in rural Ghana–playing soccer, working the family farm, striving to do his best at school–but he is increasingly aware of his family’s precarious security in the face of poverty. When an alluring gentleman comes to town ..read more

Title: The Fastest Boy in the World Author: Elizabeth Laird Genre: Nonfiction / Ethiopia / Ages: 7-9 Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books Release Date: August 27, 2024 "... Eleven-year-old Solomon loves to run! The great athletes of the Ethiopian national team are his heroes and he dreams that one day he will be a gold-medal-winning athlete like them, in spite of his ragged shorts and bare feet. When his grandfather announces that he's going to take Solomon to Addis Ababa, Solomon cannot believe his ears. A trip to the capital? It's unfathomable. Solomon's joy is increased when he realizes ..read more