Niki Daly is a renowned author and illustrator, illustrating his own text as well as the works of other authors. Much of Daly’s own work is based on his childhood experience of growing up in Cape Town, South Africa. Daly’s perspective of life in South Africa is gravely different than the reality of the lives his characters portray. Daly’s position is white. Daly addresses the paradox of his skin color and his passion for writing multicultural literature in a series of orations he made. Daly stated, “I thought it right that, as a white South African writer and illustrator who had grown up during the apartheid years, to question and attempt to explain how a white ‘child of apartheid’ became a writer of multicultural books (and is often mistaken for a black South African female)” (Talks Given by Niki Daly).
Daly’s characters are influenced by his own life, growing up as an only child. “As a solitary child myself, I suppose I have always counted on there being a powerful figure to open doors for me and to help me fulfill my dreams—in other words, a fairy godmother!”More can be found on how growing up in South Africa influenced Daly’s literary perspective and his view on literacy in Africa by connecting to his website. Niki Daly's Website
Daly’s most notable literary accomplishments include receiving a nomination for the Hans Christen Andersen Award in 2004. In 1995 Daly’s book, Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky, was named by the New York Times as one of the ten best published books in the USA. Daly’s books, Once Upon a Time, and Bravo, Zan Angelo, were Parent’s Choice Award winners. Daly has also been graced with other awards such as The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award as well as both the IBBY Honour Award and IBBY Honour Award for Illustrations.
Niki Daly is an incredibly accomplished, talented, and thoughtful author/illustrator. He doesn’t write solely to entertain, but he writes with a purpose. Daly writes to drive the culture of his native land, to influence, and allow others to experience the tradition of Africa. Without his books people would be unknowing of Africa and it’s beauty.
Check out some books written by Niki Daly!
Author: Niki Daly Illustrator: Niki Daly Title: Jamela’s Dress ISBN: 0374437203 Place of Publication: United States Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux Date of Publication: 2004 Number of Pages: 32 Recommended/Listed Price: $6.99 Review: This book tells the story of a young girl Jamela who is responsible for watching a piece of fabric her mother has purchased for an upcoming wedding. As she spends time watching it as it dries on the clothes line, she finds herself wrapped in the material parading the South African streets! Jamela is swept up in her own special fantasy: that of an African Queen. Her active imagination gets the best of her, and she does not realize that through her journey she has destroyed her mother’s fabric. With the special help of a photographer who caught a photo of Jamela, she is able to replace her mother’s fabric and all ends well. This is a beautifully written story with captivating illustrations making it an enjoyable and realistic read!
Author: Niki Daly Title: Not So Fast, Songololo ISBN: 978-0711217652 Place of Publication: United States Publisher: Frances Lincoln Date of Publication: 2001 Number of Pages: 32 Recommended/Listed Price: $13.00 (Amazon.com) Review: Not So Fast, Songololo is a heartwarming story about the relationship between a South African boy and his grandmother. Malusi, the boy, is part of a large family that makes it difficult for him to get ay real attention from his mother and siblings. Being a middle child, Malusi is always given hand me downs and that includes a pair of holey sneakers he got from his big brother. Gogo, Malusi’s grandmother comes to take Malusi for a trip into town – an excellent opportunity for special attention and love from grandma. However, Malusi spots a pair of brand new sneakers in the store window, and we all know how much grandmothers love their grandkids....
Author: Niki Daly Illustrator: Niki Daly Title: Pretty Salma: A Little Red Riding Hood Story from Africa ISBN: 0618723455 Place of Publication: New York, NY Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Date of Publication: 2007 Number of Pages: 32 Recommended/Listed price: $14.40 Review: Pretty Salma is the tale of Little Red Riding Hood set in Africa. Daly does an excellent job of showcasing the different aspects of the African culture into the story. Salma carries a basket from the market place with her watermelon and such home, but she doesn’t carry the basket in her hand like Little Red, she carries it on her head! Take a look at Salma getting ready to go to the market, as she puts on her articles of clothing, the blue scarf and her “stripy natama.” Daly doesn’t shy from using cultural terminology in the book, such as natama, the traditional name for the sarong/skirt-like item worn by girls and women. Along the way to the marketplace, Salma sings the song of her grandmother, “Oh Salma, Pretty Salma, come kiss Granny, your darling old Granny, who loves you sooooooooooooo!” Just like Little Red Riding Hood, Salma goes wayward and wanders off the beaten path and she travels to the “wild side of town.” The antagonist, Mr. Dog, tricks Pretty Salma, just as the wolf trick Little Red. Mr. Dog tricks Salma into giving him her basket, cloths, jewelry, and sandals to wear, and he also steals Salmas’s song; “Oh Salma, Pretty Salma, come kiss Granny, Your darling old Granny, Who loves you sooooooooooo!” The contrasts between the stories of Pretty Salma and Little Red are obvious, but the contrast between the two stories prove to be an effective way of communicating the African culture to young audiences, since they can relate the characters to a story they are already familiar with.
Author: Niki Daly Illustrator: Niki Daly Title: The Herd Boy ISBN: 978-0-8028-5417-9 Place of Publication: N/A Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Date of Publication: October 2012 Number of Pages: 32 Recommended/Listed Price: $17.00 (hardcover) Review: The Herd Boy is Daly’s most recent book and is not yet released. The book is about Malusi, a herd boy who looks after his grandfather’s sheep and goat. Malusi does his job well for being such a small boy. This story follows Malusi as he dreams of someday being more than a herd boy. Daly writes this story to show that many great people come from unpretentious beginnings. This hardcover will be released in October 2012.
Meet Niki Daly
Niki Daly is a renowned author and illustrator, illustrating his own text as well as the works of other authors. Much of Daly’s own work is based on his childhood experience of growing up in Cape Town, South Africa. Daly’s perspective of life in South Africa is gravely different than the reality of the lives his characters portray. Daly’s position is white. Daly addresses the paradox of his skin color and his passion for writing multicultural literature in a series of orations he made. Daly stated, “I thought it right that, as a white South African writer and illustrator who had grown up during the apartheid years, to question and attempt to explain how a white ‘child of apartheid’ became a writer of multicultural books (and is often mistaken for a black South African female)” (Talks Given by Niki Daly).Daly’s characters are influenced by his own life, growing up as an only child. “As a solitary child myself, I suppose I have always counted on there being a powerful figure to open doors for me and to help me fulfill my dreams—in other words, a fairy godmother!”More can be found on how growing up in South Africa influenced Daly’s literary perspective and his view on literacy in Africa by connecting to his website. Niki Daly's Website
Daly’s most notable literary accomplishments include receiving a nomination for the Hans Christen Andersen Award in 2004. In 1995 Daly’s book, Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky, was named by the New York Times as one of the ten best published books in the USA. Daly’s books, Once Upon a Time, and Bravo, Zan Angelo, were Parent’s Choice Award winners. Daly has also been graced with other awards such as The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award as well as both the IBBY Honour Award and IBBY Honour Award for Illustrations.
Niki Daly is an incredibly accomplished, talented, and thoughtful author/illustrator. He doesn’t write solely to entertain, but he writes with a purpose. Daly writes to drive the culture of his native land, to influence, and allow others to experience the tradition of Africa. Without his books people would be unknowing of Africa and it’s beauty.
Check out some books written by Niki Daly!
Author: Niki Daly
Illustrator: Niki Daly
Title: Jamela’s Dress
ISBN: 0374437203
Place of Publication: United States
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Date of Publication: 2004
Number of Pages: 32
Recommended/Listed Price: $6.99
Review: This book tells the story of a young girl Jamela who is responsible for watching a piece of fabric her mother has purchased for an upcoming wedding. As she spends time watching it as it dries on the clothes line, she finds herself wrapped in the material parading the South African streets! Jamela is swept up in her own special fantasy: that of an African Queen. Her active imagination gets the best of her, and she does not realize that through her journey she has destroyed her mother’s fabric. With the special help of a photographer who caught a photo of Jamela, she is able to replace her mother’s fabric and all ends well. This is a beautifully written story with captivating illustrations making it an enjoyable and realistic read!
Author: Niki Daly
Title: Not So Fast, Songololo
ISBN: 978-0711217652
Place of Publication: United States
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Date of Publication: 2001
Number of Pages: 32
Recommended/Listed Price: $13.00 (Amazon.com)
Review: Not So Fast, Songololo is a heartwarming story about the relationship between a South African boy and his grandmother. Malusi, the boy, is part of a large family that makes it difficult for him to get ay real attention from his mother and siblings. Being a middle child, Malusi is always given hand me downs and that includes a pair of holey sneakers he got from his big brother. Gogo, Malusi’s grandmother comes to take Malusi for a trip into town – an excellent opportunity for special attention and love from grandma. However, Malusi spots a pair of brand new sneakers in the store window, and we all know how much grandmothers love their grandkids....
Author: Niki Daly
Illustrator: Niki Daly
Title: Pretty Salma: A Little Red Riding Hood Story from Africa
ISBN: 0618723455
Place of Publication: New York, NY
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Date of Publication: 2007
Number of Pages: 32
Recommended/Listed price: $14.40
Review: Pretty Salma is the tale of Little Red Riding Hood set in Africa. Daly does an excellent job of showcasing the different aspects of the African culture into the story. Salma carries a basket from the market place with her watermelon and such home, but she doesn’t carry the basket in her hand like Little Red, she carries it on her head! Take a look at Salma getting ready to go to the market, as she puts on her articles of clothing, the blue scarf and her “stripy natama.” Daly doesn’t shy from using cultural terminology in the book, such as natama, the traditional name for the sarong/skirt-like item worn by girls and women. Along the way to the marketplace, Salma sings the song of her grandmother, “Oh Salma, Pretty Salma, come kiss Granny, your darling old Granny, who loves you sooooooooooooo!” Just like Little Red Riding Hood, Salma goes wayward and wanders off the beaten path and she travels to the “wild side of town.” The antagonist, Mr. Dog, tricks Pretty Salma, just as the wolf trick Little Red. Mr. Dog tricks Salma into giving him her basket, cloths, jewelry, and sandals to wear, and he also steals Salmas’s song; “Oh Salma, Pretty Salma, come kiss Granny, Your darling old Granny, Who loves you sooooooooooo!” The contrasts between the stories of Pretty Salma and Little Red are obvious, but the contrast between the two stories prove to be an effective way of communicating the African culture to young audiences, since they can relate the characters to a story they are already familiar with.
Author: Niki Daly
Illustrator: Niki Daly
Title: The Herd Boy
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5417-9
Place of Publication: N/A
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Date of Publication: October 2012
Number of Pages: 32
Recommended/Listed Price: $17.00 (hardcover)
Review: The Herd Boy is Daly’s most recent book and is not yet released. The book is about Malusi, a herd boy who looks after his grandfather’s sheep and goat. Malusi does his job well for being such a small boy. This story follows Malusi as he dreams of someday being more than a herd boy. Daly writes this story to show that many great people come from unpretentious beginnings. This hardcover will be released in October 2012.