South Africa

Queen Bee

The Whirlwind

The Whistlers in the Dark

Algeria

Just a Girl

A Secret in Time

Dhara's Revolution

Twelve-year-old Astrid has come to Ghana with her family in 1979 so that her father can help oversee Ghana's first democratic election. Astrid and her brother, Gordo, were told it would be a great family adventure, but they soon find out that everything about Ghana is difficult—the heat, the food, the threat of disease, the soldiers on the roads, the schools. Gordo fits in more easily than Astrid, who is often left to look after her baby sister, Piper, as their mother begins to fall apart under the strain of living in Ghana. When the government is overthrown, Gordo comes down with malaria and a soldier threatens her family, Astrid is surprised to discover how protective she has become of her new home.

Discover Your Child's Next Read

South Africa

Tonya Leslie, 2002

Queen Bee

Elizabeth Weigandt, 2017

The Whirlwind

Carol Matas, 2007

The Whistlers in the Dark

Victoria Williamson, 2023

Algeria

Marlene Targ Brill, 1990

Just a Girl

Lia Levi, Jess Mason, Sylvia Adrian Notini, 1994

A Secret in Time

H Y Hanna, 2021

Dhara's Revolution

Varsha Seshan, 2023