Böcker av K a Mulenga

This memoir is all about my time growing up in Zambia with the main emphasis being on the friendships that were forged in my neighbourhood, Makeni, in Lusaka. It is all about the neighbourhood basketball team called the Makeni Homeboys. I wanted to share the escapades as well as the fun and learning experiences along the way.

Cam, the Camaro, is the youngest in a family of successful racing cars. He grows up racing too, and never minds that he is not as fast as his mom or dad. He doesn't mind that his brother and sister always beat him too because it is enough for him that he just has fun. Then one day, his father tells him that it is time for him to take over the reins because the rest of the family is growing older and will not carry on winning forever. Cam does not feel confident that he can ever beat the rest of his family in a race, but his father assures him, "As long as you believe in yourself and have courage, you will soon win a race". Is it possible, as the smallest of the racing cars, that this can come true?

Donk the donkey lives on Donkey Farm with his family. He may be the youngest of all his brothers and sisters, but boy, he is definitely the most curious of them all! Because his older siblings chase him away when he tries to play with them, Donk spends a lot of time alone. Being the deep thinker that he is, this little donkey questions everything and fills his days trying to work out why certain things are the way they are. One day, Donk decides to try and find out the answer to a particular question that's been on his mind for a while. He cannot understand why the farmer is always shouting at him and the other donkeys on Donkey Farm, and why the farmer asks them why they are all so stubborn. Donk approaches everyone in his family, one by one, asking them to help him with his burning question. But his search is all in vain and poor Donk ends up none the wiser. Everybody seems too busy to explain properly and they all give him exactly the same answer. Apparently, that's "just the way it is".Feeling frustrated and dissatisfied with everybody's identical (and quite frankly, very unhelpful!) answers, Donk takes a walk by himself by the stream. He is deep in thought when suddenly, he gets the surprise of his life! Jack the purple fairy donkey, the very same one whom his mother has told him about, the wisest donkey in the whole land, is standing right there in front of him!What will happen next? Will Jack be able to help Donk? Could he be the one to finally give him the answer to the question that nobody else can help him with?This charming story explains to children in a relatable way how negative labels are sometimes attached to those who don't deserve them. Children are encouraged to question what they hear and to make their own decisions, rather than just blindly following the crowd and adopting certain beliefs because "that's what everybody says", or "that's just the way it is".The value of this story lies in the important lessons it teaches young children - to keep an open mind and to keep searching for answers to their questions. It validates their need to be listened to and encourages them to speak up about things that are bothering them. It also encourages children not to give up when adults seem too preoccupied to help them, but to keep trying until they find someone who is willing to listen to them and to help them out with their problems. This story holds great appeal for children all over the world because Donk is a relatable character who, like them, has many questions that he urgently needs answers to! This delightful donkey experiences the same feelings of confusion, loneliness and frustration that we do all at times, but the happy ending at the end of the story serves as a beacon of hope for any child who has ever wondered, "But why?"

Polly the polecat is an African skunk with a special superpower. When she is feeling scared or in danger, she has the ability to release a really, really revolting smell! The smell is so hideous that it sends anyone who may be even considering harming her, running for the hills! Nobody wants to hang around once Polly has let off one of her stinky smells!Since Polly lives in a dangerous place, amongst lions, elephants and other wild animals just waiting to pounce on her, her special superpower comes in really handy and keeps her safe always.But there is one small problem with Polly the Polecat's special skill. She has absolutely no control over it! She finds herself releasing her foul smell at the most inappropriate times -such as when she is playing with her friends or when she is getting ready for bed. Polly the Polecat notices that she even does it when she is all by herself! Don't we all know how embarrassing it is when we are not able to control our own actions - especially when they involve letting off bad smells!Polly tries and tries to control herself, and, after a few months of hard work, appears to have mastered the art of keeping her bad smells to herself. She is absolutely delighted!One day, Polly finds herself in a compromising situation with a lion. And not just any old lion. This is without a doubt the biggest lion she has ever laid eyes on! So she does what any good polecat would do in the same situation and releases her ghastly smell. But...nothing happens! Polly tries again. It's no good. She has completely lost her special superpower! Oh no! What will happen next? Will poor Polly the Polecat be able to escape the lion's mouth?Read on to find out...Polly the Polecat is a delightful story containing elements of both humour and suspense. The younger reader will enjoy the story's amusing and relatable themes. Polly the Polecat teaches children valuable life skills, such as the importance of self-control, asking others for help when in trouble and the danger of wishing away what you have been blessed with!

Will is the nicest boy in town. Although he is much loved by all the town's grownups, the other boys don't appreciate his good qualities and not one of them wants to be his friend. At school he has no one to play with and feels lonely and sad. Luckily, Will has a special someone in his life who always makes him feel better. When the other boys are playing together, Will goes down to the harbour and spends time playing with Whale. Whale may not be a boy, but he is the best friend Will could ever ask for! He is kind, fun to be with and is always there for him. The other boys don't understand Will's friendship with Whale and bully him. They call him unkind names and refer to him as "Weird Will". They even make up nasty songs about him and sing them whenever they see him.The story takes a dramatic turn when, one day, Will goes to visit his best friend but finds he is not in his usual place. After looking for him for ages, Will receives some devastating news and is utterly heartbroken. His best friend has gone and he will never be able to play with him again. Will's parents explain that it was because of people's lack of respect for the ocean that Whale has fallen ill and won't be coming back. Will vows to honour the memory of his only friend by teaching people to be kind. He also thinks up an innovative way to educate the townsfolk about being more responsible about the way they treat their environment. Finally, Will's qualities are recognised and appreciated by the other boys. They feel compassion for Will's loss and see the error of their ways. Will, once known only as "the nicest boy in town" by the parents and as "Weird Will" by the boys, is now regarded as the wisest - not to mention the most popular - boy in town!This poignant story is written with great sensitivity and addresses many difficult issues that children may be facing. These include being the target of bullying from one's peers, the ache of loneliness and the devastation of the death of a loved one. The story also contains important and relevant lessons for children in terms of people's responsibility towards animals, our oceans and our planet in general. Although the story contains a few hard-hitting truths, young readers will enjoy the special friendship Will enjoyed with his best friend and take comfort in knowing that our true friends are sometimes found in the unlikeliest of places. The story's happy ending offers hope and a promise of better days ahead to any child who has had to deal with loss in their lives.

9-year-old Joe lives a long way from his school, so far away that he cannot walk there on his own. Every morning, his Mum drops him off at school and every afternoon, she collects him to take him safely home. But one afternoon, Joe's Mum doesn't arrive. Although he sits and waits patiently for her at school for a whole hour, still, she is nowhere to be seen. Joe is now the only child left at school and, besides being worried about his mother and why she hasn't arrived, something else is of great concern to him. What if he doesn't get home in time to watch his favourite TV show? After all, watching Star Fleet is without a doubt the favourite part of his day!Joe thinks hard about what to do and eventually comes up with a perfect plan. But things don't work out quite the way he expected them to. Feeling tired and hungry, but determined not to give up, Joe reminds himself to think hard again, and manages to come up with another great idea. His plans are altered again when he has a chance encounter with someone he knows.Will Joe ever successfully find his way home? Will he be reunited with his precious Mum, and... will he make it home in time to watch Star Fleet again? Read on to find out!This delightful story will appeal to any child who has ever been faced with a potentially scary situation. Young readers will find themselves inspired by Joe's calmness and clear-headedness as they follow this resourceful young man on his quest to return home. At the same time, the story teaches valuable life lessons about what to do in the case of an emergency. The overriding message behind this story is clear - keep calm and never give up!