A collection of stories featuring Bongwe the Baboon, by Esnat Phiri

Join us as we scamper around the Kingdoms of Njase and Zawe with the often misguided but always cheeky Bongwe the Baboon in this beautifully illustrated series of books for children.

The books are a multicultural series of colourful stories with a wide mass appeal.

Bongwe is the Chewa name for a Baboon (The Chewa is a tribe in the Eastern Province of Zambia and in Malawi) .

In African mythology animals have been used to illustrate morality in the form of fables. In these stories Bongwe is portrayed as naughty, cunning, crafty and boastful.

Many children in Africa still grow up in an environment with no electricity, TV, etc. and in these villages one of their favourite times is the evening when stories are delivered around a burning fire.

Evenings are best time to tell stories after all the chores and labours of the day have been done. Families will gather and talk and deliver wisdom to the young ones. One by one the older members will tell stories to explain their point.

Bongwe books can be purchased from the author, with royalties going to 'Contesa'; a charity providing shelter, food and education for orphans in Zambia.