Written by Liz Sparg, Jesse Breytenbach, ad Andy Thesen

Published by book Dash on the Woldreader children App, BookSmart App

Today I wanted to discuss Second class citizen by Buchi Emecheta before I was reminded that I had booked this Wednesday for Zanele Situ: My story. So here it goes.

Image: Book cover of the story. Credit: Bookdash.

Zanele Situ is a story told in the 1st person that is from the perspective of the storyteller. So basically you are seeing the story only from the writer’s vision or point of view.

You know that technique used in movies where for example a character is fainting or drugged and the screen starts to blur as if you are inside the actor’s eyes? Exactly. So this story comes from that point even though it is not indepth. So it does not go into all the complicated details of regular storytelling. The reason is simple, it is a story for children and truly there is a limit to what an adult who is writing for a child can write.

Furthermore it is written as a narrative and instructional book so not restricted to a past tense or a present continuous either. It flows from both ends, so sometimes it is a narrative of something that happened in the past and at another time it is present continuous, for example ‘This is what I teach my little girl…”

STORY

Image: Ntombizanele Situ (born 19 January 1971), better known as Zanele Situ, is a Paralympian athlete from South Africa competing mainly in category F54 throwing events. Specialising in the javelin throw, Situ is a two-time gold medalist at both the Paralympics and the IPC Athletics World Championships and is the first female South African black athlete to win a Paralympic gold medal. Credit: Wikipedia.

Zanele Situ just like the subtitle says, it tells the story of a woman, a real life story, who became lame after the family moved to Lesotho. The father had been a builder and was always moving from town to town because he was a builder.

Imade: Child on a wheelchair. Credit: Danny Nee, Unsplash

Her disability did not stop her from doing sports which she loved, she went on to join the Paralympics, a game for disabled people. She participated in shot putt, javelin and discuss. She also went to a school where basic chores were taught. We find out that she now has a child who she passes down words of wisdom to.

Image: Paralympics. Credit: Arisa Chattasa, Unsplash.

Despite her disability, sports took her out of the country to Australia where she became the first African woman to win a gold medal in the Paralympics. And has decided not to stop there.

Lesson and Perks

The book is written in simple language with pictures to illustrate what the child is reading.

And the lesson to take away is that disability of any sort is not a barrier to success.

Where to read?

Download the BookSmart App from Apple Store or Google Play Store


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