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Henrietta Lacks: The Mother of Modern Medicine
Henrietta Lacks: The Mother of Modern Medicine introduces young readers to the remarkable story of story of Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cancer cells revolutionised medical science. This book charts Henrietta’s life, from her upbringing in Virginia through to the births of her five children, before she passed away aged31 from cervical cancer. Henrietta’s cells lived on, taking from her tumour while she was undergoing surgery without her knowledge, leading to the discovery of the first ‘immortal cell line’, and giving Henrietta the name ‘the mother of modern medicine’.
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What Sunny Saw in the Flames
What Sunny Saw in the Flames transports the reader to a magical place where nothing is quite as it seems. Born in New York, but living in Aba, Nigeria, thirteen-year-old Sunny is understandably a little lost. She is albino. Her eyes are so sensitive to the sun that she has to wait until evening to play football. Apart from being good at the beautiful game, she has a special gift: she can see into the future. At school, she soon becomes part of a special quartet with unique powers. Together, Sunny, Orlu, Chichi and Sasha explore this exciting realm of strange creatures and dark secrets. The good news is that in this world, your worst defect is actually your greatest asset. But there’s a catch. Someone is kidnapping children and maiming or killing them. The group is asked to help track down the criminal. Will Sunny be able to overcome the killer with powers stronger than her own, or will the future she saw in the flames come to reality?
Nnedi Okorafor’s novel is an absorbing coming-of-age fantasy novel, ideal for young teenagers.
Author: Nnedi Okorafor | Print ISBN: 978-9785023855 | Format: Paperback | No of Pages: 229 | Pubication Date: November 2013
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The Hidden Star
Nolitye lives in a shack with her mother Thembi in Phola, a dusty township on the edge of Jo’burg. She is good at maths and likes collecting stones, which she places in a bucket under her bed. She also has unusual powers: she can communicate with dogs. Nolitye has two close friends, Bheki, who is overweight, and the bespectacled Four Eyes. The girls’ lives are made miserable by Rotten Nellie and her gang of Spoilers.
Author: K. Sello Duiker | Print ISBN: 978-1911115434| E-Book ISBN: 978-1911115441 | Format: Paperback | No of Pages: 210 | Publication Date: 7th November 2017
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Last Days at Forcados High
The Last Days at Forcados High tells the story of Jimi Solade, the most popular boy at the elite Forcados High School. As he begins his final year in senior secondary together with his friends, the sweet-hearted and devout Nene and Ansa, the nerdy art genius, he’s determined it’s going to be his best year yet. But Jimi’s rogue brother, Wole, is back – which means trouble can’t be far behind. Then there’s Efua, the beautiful and mysterious new girl in class who seems to have no time for boys – including Jimi. But when Jimi’s mother falls ill, he realizes that things are about to change – and not necessarily in a good way.
A funny and honest book about self-discovery, family, friendship, tolerance and the highs and lows of life as a modern Nigerian teenager. Instead, Last Days stands out with its realistic situations, original characters and deft storytelling. It is at once entertaining and deadly serious, tackling a range of difficult issues including drug abuse, discrimination and loss, with intelligence and great writing.
Author: | Print ISBN: 978-0718157807 | Format: Paperback | No of Pages: 89 | Pub Date: 30th September 2013
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The Secret of the Purple Lake
A long time ago, during the days of the Ghana Empire, there lived a girl named Ajuba whose house was by the sea…
Ajuba, the Fisherman’s daughter, has to retrieve her dead father’s bones from the bottom of the sea in order to bring harmony back to her seaside village. In fulfilling her task, she must evade the clutches of The Fish-man of the Purple Lake, a monstrous creature who guards the lake with a sword made of a thousand shark’s teeth. But the Fish-man, once a beautiful boy called Musa has his own story about how he came to dwell alone, underwater, cast into the sea by a golden eagle as punishment for a treacherous deed.
Travel the world in this enchanting collection of interlinked stories, from Ghana to Orkney, and from Spain to Norway and Thailand. Learn how Musa escaped the wrath of Imoro the magic elephant. Meet Leo of the Norselands, who left his home to find a wife and was transformed into a Walrus Prince. And listen to the story of the Wild Princesses of Rousay, a tale of long ago, when mermaids swam beyond the coast of Scotland.
Author: Yaba Badoe | Print ISBN: 978-1911115311 | E-Book ISBN: 978-1911115328 | Format: Paperback with illustrations | No. of Pages: 132 | Pub. Date: 6th October 2017