A new book, Grandad Mandela, has been published to celebrate what would have been Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday on July 18.
In this children’s picture book, the world icon’s greatgrandchildren, Zazi and Ziwelene, ask their grandmother, Nelson Mandela’s youngest daughter, Zindzi, questions about the man they may remember as their great-grandfather, but whose name everyone else knows as someone quite different.
To the world, Mandela was a global icon of peace and forgiveness; a freedom fighter who spent 27 years in prison, then put down his weapons for the sake of peace.
He became the president of SA and won a Nobel peace prize. He died in 2013.
Zazi Mandela, 8, and Ziwelene Mandela, 6, were tiny when he died in 2013: Zazi is a storyteller and an aspiring performer while Ziwelene is a storyteller and a maverick.
“My father’s belief in equality and equal opportunity remains all too relevant to the world today, and this book has been published with the intention of promoting his legacy around the world to a new generation,” Zindzi said.
“It does not only exist as a story about Mandela’s legacy, but it is an honest conversation between grandmother and grandchildren illustrating the tender and honest ways to speak with children about difficult topics in current events around the world.”
The illustrations are by award-winning artist Sean Qualls, a Brooklyn-based children’s book illustrator, artist and author.
Qualls has illustrated a number of highly acclaimed books for children, including Giant Steps to Change the World by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis-Lee, Little Cloud and Lady Wind by Toni Morrison and her son, Slade, and Before John Was a Jazz Giant.
Zindzi, the last-born of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Mandela, lives in Copenhagen where she serves as SA's ambassador to Denmark.
The hardcover picture book is published by Lincoln Children’s Books, distributed by Phambili Agencies and the recommended retail price is R170.
It is also available in isiXhosa as Utatomkhulu Umandela, in Afrikaans as Oupa Mandela and in Zulu as Umkhulu Umandela.