Author Elizabeth Kabui (right) receives the 2014 Burt Award for her book ‘Was Nyakeeru My Father?’. PHOTO | FILE
Growing up, Elizabeth Kabui read a lot. Books took her to imaginary places on adventures and met characters whom she can still remember.
On becoming an author, she wanted to write books as interesting as those she had read. Her book, Was Nyakeeru My Father?, won her top prize of the 2014 Burt Awards for African Literature.
Why write children’s books?
Children and young people are honest when it comes to books. They will not read a boring book. They would rather play or watch TV.
What has winning the Burt Award done to your writing?
Winning the award has given me the confidence to give my all to writing. The greatest satisfaction for a writer I think is to write a book which people say is good or that they identify with the characters and their predicaments.
As you write do you know where the story is going or do you let the characters drive it?
I have a general idea before I start writing. When I start writing sometimes the characters take a life of their own and so the story develops as I interact more with the characters and the situations they find themselves in.
Your book ‘Was Nyakeeru my Father?’ touches on identity, where did the idea come from?
One of the biggest issues in a young teen’s life is identity. In as much as the young person wants to be a part of a group, one is also struggling to define who they are as an independent person.
“Who am I in relation to family and friends?” is important but “who am I?” is more important. The answer determines how one relates to others. If we are able to resolve some of the identity crisis at this age then we can confront life confidently.
How can you encourage children to read for fun?
There are many competing entertainment for children and so the first thing is to ensure that the child gets a good book to read. A good book for children is one that has a good story that is well written. I do not like books that have questions at the end of the story.
If the child enjoyed the book, they have all the answers, ask the deeper questions about characters motives and how they can be like the character they admired.
Where can a parent start?
It is good to introduce the child to a variety of types of stories such as adventure, detective, science fiction, fantasy and realistic, among others, so that the child can sample and know what they would enjoy.
Even if adults around the child do not read for one, they should at least make available the books for the child. Schools can play a big role through class readers, storytelling and creative encouragement to pupils.
What are you working on next?
I have many stories in my mind that waiting to be written. Right now I am working on the third book in an amateur detective series. The Dumpsite Puzzle and the Bizarre Bazaar are the first two.
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