South African author Daniëlla van Heerden has recently launched her first children's rhyming book, 'n Leeu in 'n lugballon – alfabetrympies vir aapsterte, at the Woordfees in Stellenbosch. The book aims to teach children the alphabet in a fun and engaging way. Van Heerden's book takes children on a journey through South Africa, introducing them to a fictional child for each letter of the alphabet who travels to a town or city with the same letter.
The idea for the book came about when Van Heerden was approached by Miemie du Plessis, a children's book publisher at Pan Macmillan, to write a children's rhyming book. Van Heerden worked with du Plessis to create 26 fun and silly alphabet rhymes that would help children learn about the alphabet and their country. The book features colorful illustrations by renowned illustrator Zinelda McDonald, which bring the rhymes to life.
Van Heerden's approach to teaching the alphabet is unique and engaging. Instead of simply associating each letter with a word, such as "A" for "appel" and "B" for "bal", Van Heerden has created a story for each letter of the alphabet featuring a child who travels to a town or city with the same letter. For example, children learn about Ben in Ballito and his braai with Bruno, or Alex from Adelaide who arm-wrestles with a seal.
The book's launch at the Woordfees in Stellenbosch was a fun and interactive event. Van Heerden read the rhymes aloud and had children guess the letter and story, while also encouraging them to make sounds and dance like dinosaurs. The event was attended by children and their parents, who were all delighted by Van Heerden's engaging and entertaining storytelling style.
Van Heerden's inspiration for the book came from her own childhood love of Phillip de Vos's rhyming books. She also drew inspiration from her own children, Simoné and Lana, who served as sounding boards for her rhymes. Van Heerden's family, including her husband Cornél and her brother's child, Katryn, are all featured in the book with their own rhymes.
Van Heerden is a corporate communications manager at the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools, while also running her own podcast series, 'n Ma en 'n mikrofoon, and hosting Die Papier Praat. She has also written other books, including the youth book As jy droom and Die hart van 'n ma, which features conversations from her podcast series.
'n Leeu in 'n lugballon – alfabetrympies vir aapsterte is available for purchase at Graffiti Boeke for R200. The book has been praised for its unique approach to teaching the alphabet and its engaging and entertaining storytelling style. Van Heerden's achievement is a testament to her creativity and dedication to education.
Key points
- The book teaches children the alphabet through fun and engaging stories set in South Africa.
