Carol Ofori dishes on her upcoming children’s book series
Earlier this year, South African television and radio personality Carol Ofori announced that she will be launching a series of six children’s books titled ‘The African Adventures of Sena and Katlego’. The book series, published by Lingua Franca Publishers, is a delightful and educational read which celebrates Africa and its various countries, landscapes and traditions.
The book series tells the story of a boy named Sena and his magical teddy bear Katlego who visits family members in different countries on the continent.
We love sharing truly South African stories, like our interview with artist and sculptor Michelle Markram. We therefore had to sit down with Carol to find out what inspired ‘The African Adventures of Sena and Katlego’ and the importance of telling African stories.
HLM: What do you hope both children and parents take away from this book series?
CO: I really hope that all those who read this series take away a true love for Africa and being African. So I would love to see Africans proud of their diversity and working together to be a powerful continent.
HLM: What inspired the stories behind the series?
CO: Honestly, I was just letting my creativity run. I envisioned myself as a child visiting these places with friends and having fun in the process.
HLM: What inspired the characters we meet in the book?
CO: Sena was inspired by my son and the rest of the characters were a result of my imagination. I did research on what the most common names were in the country Sena was visiting and that’s how I came up with the names of the characters Sena meets. Grandad had to be in Ghana and, coincidently, he has since moved there so that just adds a cherry on top.
HLM: How important was it for you to make sure these African stories be told?
CO: The divides that we see in Africa really breaks my heart. We are one people and the sooner we can see and appreciate that, the stronger we can be as a melting pot of nations. We have so much beauty on this continent, from people, food, culture, landscapes and much more.
HLM: What advice do you have for budding authors?
CO: Ink all your thoughts and have fun when doing it. Also, all will happen in the right time. I was clearly not ready four years ago and look at me now! I am a mom of two that will never stop dreaming and working hard to see those dreams come true.
‘The African Adventures of Sena and Katlego’ is available in bookstores and online stores around the country.
