Level 1

Today's Children stories are about brave children caught up in difficult situations whose lives are disrupted by disasters, whether man-made or natural.  They will discover how tolerance, ingenuity and generosity can bring people together and build a foundation for mutual help and understanding.

The series includes stories about refugees, displaced persons, land mines, street children, and children faced with natural disasters.  The stories have been graded into three language levels and there is a Teacher's Guide with activities to assist teachers on how to use the stories in the classroom.  The first six are also published in French, in association with UNHCR, under the titles Enfants D'Aujourd'hui.

Level 2

The Girl Who Couldn't Dance scooped Best Junior Young Adult Literature Prize at the 2002 National Arts Merit Awards Ceremony conducted by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe.

Level 3

Themes covered include: integration, peace and reconciliation, rehabilitation, the environment, disability, polio, returning home, refugees, street children, landmines, drought and famine and social issues.
For a full list of titles in this series, please contact your local office or click here to request our 2005/6 Readers Catalogue.

Forthcoming titles:

HIV·AIDS Action Readers

HIV·AIDS Action Readers aim to promote good health practice through extensive reading. They are designed to help young people to develop the knowledge, attitudes, self-esteem and skills needed to manage their relationships safely and happily, and to cope better with the crisis of HIV and AIDS which is affecting all our communities today.

HIV·AIDS Action Readers are suitable for use across the curriculum: in literacy, social studies and science classes as well as in after-school or community clubs.

The readers are at three levels. Within each level there is some development in reading levels and language is controlled. The issues are dealt with in a straightforward way with respect for individual and cultural values
*    Level 1 - simple stories which encourage good relationships, help children to cope with living in communities with HIV and AIDS and prepare children to protect themselves and understand how their bodies fight disease.
*    Levels 2 & 3 - stories about different aspects of HIV/AIDS are presented with factual information and activities for children.

LEVEL 1

THE FRIENDSHIP TREE

By Catherine House
Theme:    Helping a sick friend
ISBN:     1 4050 6610 5

THE BOOK:
Chiwila is sad because her best friend, Musosa, is sick. Chiwila’s grandmother helps her to understand how she can be a good friend to Musosa and help her in practical ways.

Teachers, parents and guardians are aware that children affected by HIV and AIDS in our communities sometimes find it difficult to cope with their emotions, or to know how to help their friends. They need to understand what makes a good friend, how to be sensitive to the feelings of others and how to help them.

By reading this story, children will be encouraged to empathise with other children who are sick or who have a sick friend, to understand what makes a good friend and how we can help each other.


I STILL WANT TO PLAY

By Catherine House
Theme:    The needs of the children in the role of
the ‘carer’, stigma and fear
ISBN:     1 4050 6307 6

THE BOOK:
This story shows how Kudzi, who looks after his sick mother, is encouraged to play football again and have some fun, while continuing to care for his mother.

Children affected by HIV·AIDS often have to take on extra responsibilities. Many have to drop out of school to look after a sick relative, either completely or for short periods, while the parent recovers from an opportunistic infection. Such children may be in danger of losing their childhoods.

By reading this story children can be encouraged to talk about the emotions and issues involved. They will see that even when someone is ill there can still be time to play. In this way they will be better able to cope with the affects of HIV·AIDS.

IT'S OK TO BE SAD

By Adwoa Badoe
Theme: Coping with emotions
ISBN:     1 4050 6306 8

THE BOOK:
In this story Kofi is helped to deal with his worries about his father, his sadness and his anger towards others by talking with a friend. He comes to understand that everyone feels sad sometimes and it is OK for men to cry.

Teachers, parents and guardians are aware that sometimes children affected by HIV and AIDS in our communities find it difficult to cope with their emotions. They may be worrying about a sick parent, fearing for the future or suffering teasing or taunting from other children. They need encouragement to talk to a friend or trusted adult.

By reading this story children will be encouraged to empathise with other children who have a sick relative, to understand that teasing or taunting about HIV and AIDS is not acceptable, and that people with HIV need good care and can live longer with it. Children who have a relative with HIV·AIDS may find a good role model in Kofi. ‘Let’s Talk about the Story’ encourages children to discuss the feelings in the story.

WE CAN COOK!

By Gisele Winkler
Theme: Cooking and Nutrition Skills
ISBN:     1 4050 6309 2

THE BOOK:
This story shows how Lungi learns to cook. His friends share their food and show him how to make a nutritious soup for his sick mother. In the end there is enough soup to feed Lungi’s mother and all the friends!

Teachers, parents and guardians are aware that life skills are important. In a world affected by HIV·AIDS many young children have to take on extra responsibilities at home. They have to cook and clean and help with the medication, when adults in the household are ill.

By reading this story, children can learn how to cope. The story does not talk directly about HIV·AIDS, but through Lungi it provides a role model for children who are affected by the disease.


SECRET STRIKER

By Polly Alakija
Theme: Stigma, poverty and orphans
ISBN:     1 4050 6310 6

THE BOOK:
This story shows how Victor and his sister Temi and their friend J. cope with the changes to their lives caused by AIDS. It offers hope that some good things can still continue or get better and that there is a future for everyone, even when their lives are badly affected by AIDS.

There is great concern about children who are orphaned by AIDS. Some of them go to live with relatives or other people in the community. Some end up as street children. Children with sick parents will themselves be concerned about the future.

By reading this story and discussing the questions on page 16, children will be encouraged to think positively about themselves and their own futures.


WE CAN CLEAN!

By Gisela Winkler
Theme: Cleaning and hygiene skills
ISBN:     1 4050 6578 8

THE BOOK:
This story shows how Kumi and his friends clean Kumi’s house and look after his sick mother. Kumi learns how to use bleach to kill germs. It is important to clean properly mainly to prevent Kumi’s mother from getting infections, but also to prevent the spread of HIV.

Teachers, parents and guardians are aware that life skills are important. In a world affected by HIV·AIDS many young children have to take on extra responsibilities at home. They have to clean the house and look after sick relatives when adults in the household are ill.

By reading this story children can learn how to cope. The story does not talk directly about HIV·AIDS, but through Kumi it provides a model for children who are affected by the disease. It also presents good cleaning and hygiene practices for all children.

LEVEL 2

MY SISTER JULIE

By Adwoa Badoe
(Fact pages by Jenny Dunlop and Rachel Carnegie)
Theme: Orphans, child-headed households
ISBN:     1 4050 95423 8

THE BOOK:
Suki misses her mother and doesn’t like her older sister Julie being the ‘house boss’. Suki finds it hard to understand how and why their lives have changed since their mother died. But when Suki gets lost she begins to understand how important her sister is to her and how they need to help each other.

This story shows how children orphaned by AIDS are coping in child-headed households. It highlights the responsibilities and sacrifices that Julie, the older sister, aged 14, has taken in order to protect her younger brother and sister, John and Suki. Julie shows understanding, patience and wisdom towards her siblings. In return, she needs their support to cope with her role as head of the family.

By reading this story, young people will see how families, and especially orphans, can continue to support each other through times of great hardship. By studying the fact file pages and doing the activities, young people will be better informed and able to support each other when coping with the impact of HIV·AIDS in their families and communities.


A LETTER TO PEARL

By Jenny Robson (Fact pages by Jenny Dunlop and Rachel Carnegie)
Theme: Prevention and spread of HIV, abstinence, good relationships
ISBN:     1 4050 1277 3

THE BOOK:
Nandi thinks she has a good agreement with her boyfriend, Seth, to keep them both safe from HIV·AIDS. But then Nandi discovers a love letter written by Seth to another girl called Pearl. Has Seth decided to look for excitement elsewhere?

Teachers, parents and guardians are all concerned about the health and well being of the young people in their care. Young people need access to knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe and healthy. In this story, the teacher and Nandi’s mother are both very supportive. They want young people to learn more about HIV and AIDS so that they can protect themselves. But it is Nandi and her boyfriend, Seth, who demonstrate the confidence and skills to negotiate with each other to avoid sex.

The story shows how adolescent girls and boys can have caring, loving relationships while avoiding the risk of HIV and unwanted pregnancy. The fact file the activities help to develop young people’s life skills. This book enables young people to discuss these issues openly and to consider how their choices will affect their health and happiness.



BREAKING THE SILENCE

By Jenny Robson
(Fact pages by Jenny Dunlop and Rachel Carnegie)
Theme:    Talking about HIV and AIDS
ISBN:     1 4050 1276 5

THE BOOK:
A young teacher, Miss Tumi Chabi is sick in hospital. She decides to write letters to her students telling them the cause of her sickness and warning them about HIV and AIDS. Sadly, when her mother and brother are given the letters to post they burn them instead to keep the silence. Will Miss Chabi be able to pass on her last lesson?

Breaking the silence about HIV·AIDS is one of the biggest challenges in the fight against this disease. Many people are still too scared to speak about their HIV status because they are afraid of losing their loved ones, family, friends and their jobs. This situation leads to silence and denial, and continued ignorance.

In this story, we see how a young teacher, Miss Tumi Chabi, wants to ‘break the silence’ by writing letters to her students telling them the cause of her sickness. Sadly, when her mother and brother are given the letters to post, they burn them instead to keep the silence. Will Miss Chabi’s class ever learn the truth about HIV·AIDS? Will Miss Chabi be able to pass on her last lesson? By studying the information and doing the activities, young people will recognise the importance of breaking the silence. They will also be able to challenge stigma, to gain courage themselves and to offer comfort and love to others, who are living with HIV·AIDS.



THE NIGHT THE ROOF FELL IN

By Catherine House
(Fact pages by Gisela Winkler and Rachel Carnegie)
Theme: Community working together to help those with HIV·AIDS
ISBN:     1 4050 6577 X

THE BOOK:
Mama Makonde cares for her six orphaned grandchildren because her children have died of AIDS. When the roof falls in one night, everything seems hopeless, but the family are helped by the community.

All over Africa people are beginning to realise that the problems caused by HIV·AIDS can no longer be dealt with solely by the extended family network. As more and more children are orphaned, the whole community needs to be involved to support families affected by HIV and AIDS.

The Night the Roof Fell In tells the story of how one community worked together to help Mama Makonde, a grandmother whose children had all died of AIDS. Mama Makonde was very poor, yet she had to care for six orphaned grandchildren. When her roof fell in, her situation seemed hopeless. But then the villagers stopped talking and began to act.

This story has been written to stimulate discussion amongst children about the role of the community in supporting people affected by HIV·AIDS. It concentrates on a positive example of community effort, based on a true-life incident. By studying the fact and activity pages young people will be encouraged to think about how they can work together to cope with the impact of HIV·AIDS in their families and communities.

LEVEL 3

HOPE

By Jenny Robson
Theme: Understanding and living positively with HIV·AIDS
ISBN:     1 4050 6308 4

THE BOOK:
When Samuel discovers by accident that his sister, Hope, is HIV positive, he is very angry and does not know what to do. With help from his friend, Johnson, he thinks of a good way to talk to his sister. Samuel’s care and honesty brings new hope to the whole family.

Many young people are affected by HIV·AIDS in the family and they are not sure how to respond. How should they prepare themselves for the possibility that someone they love is infected by HIV?

Hope is a story that shows how brothers and sisters can help each other to talk about HIV in the family. When Samuel discovers by accident that his sister is HIV positive, he is very angry and does not know what to do. With the help of his friend Johnson he thinks of a good way to tell his sister that he knows about the infection.

By reading this story, young people will see how families can be honest with each other regardless of the trouble they face. The story also provides useful role models for them, encouraging them to think about their feelings and their fears. The fact pages provide key information about HIV·AIDS and the activities help young people to explore why it is so hard to talk about HIV.


BEST FRIENDS

By Agnes Kimberley
Theme: Being open, taking responsibility, good relationships, prevention
ISBN:     1 4050 6305 X

THE BOOK:
Candice isn’t looking for a boyfriend, but then she meets William and really likes him. William, however, is HIV positive and believes he has to be open about his status. How can he talk to Candice?

Growing up has never been easy, but it is all the more difficult now, in the face of HIV·AIDS. Young people are faced with difficult choices and they need help in deciding what to do. At the same time, however, they want to be independent and make up their own minds. Stories like Best Friends can provide useful role models for young people.

By reading this story, young people will see how deeply teenagers are affected by the reality of HIV. It explores a range of emotions and choices young people face. It also shows how Candice has to overcome her own fears before she can hear William out.

The fact pages provide key information about HIV·AIDS, and the activities help to develop young people’s life skills. By studying the fact pages young people will be encouraged to think about the choices they have to protect themselves from HIV·AIDS.

Young Lives is a series of readers at upper primary/junior secondary level, which focus on the working lives of young women in Africa.
Each book brings alive its subject through the experiences of real women, their photos, memories of growing up, and descriptions of their social context.
The series aims to raise career awareness in a way which will inform and interest young children everywhere.  The lively magazine style format with interviews, quotes, photographs, maps, fact boxes and personal reminiscences is sure to inspire the young reader.
These women act as female role models for the reader and develop the issues surrounding gender awareness.  All the books are simply written, highly illustrated and supported by lively activities.

Young Lives gives a clear, informative and interesting insight into women's lives and to world of work.
  

The Young Lives series:

• Encourages girls to want to achieve
• Informs girls about the opportunities that exist
• Promotes gender awareness
• Features real young people in modern working situations
• Is written and presented in a lively style that will help readers identify with the subject

Careers covered include - agriculturalist, journalist, singer, rural health worker, pilot, water engineer, veterinary surgeon, mechanic, social worker, nusery teacher. For a full list of titles in this series, please contact your closest Macmillan office or click here to request our 2002 Readers Catalogue.

A Teacher's Guide to the series, as well as a poster, are available from your closest Macmillan office.

MACMILLAN AIDS AWARENESS PROGRAMME

18 readers and a Teacher's Guide For 12-18-year-olds Stories promote AIDS/HIV awareness Question and answer sections Teacher's Guide explores how to approach this sensitive subject with children

• Nine books each focusing on an important health topic
• For children aged 8-14
• Each book has a lively story and a fact file of background information and activities
• Graded into four language levels
• Themes covered: playing safely; road safety; health care; preventing HIV and AIDS; sanitation; malaria; first aid; traditional and western medicine; families and health

A short film based on a Living Health title won a prestigious Dolphin Award along with awards for directing, script writing and camerawork at the South African National Television and Video Association (NTVA) 2000 awards ceremony. The film, Hero of the Hills, took its inspiration from the book of the same name, which tells the story of the well-known hospital train, The Transnet Phelophepa. The film's director, Danie Hefers of the Boardwalk Production House, shot the film in the Eastern Cape and used local actors. The film is being used as a marketing and fundraising video for the Transnet Phelophepa.

• Fifteen books each focusing on an important environmental topic
• For children aged 9-14
• Each book has a lively story and a fact file of background information and activities
• Graded into four language levels for children
• Topics bring together social studies, science and geography
  Level 1 themes: coral reefs; deserts; water
  Level 2 themes: zoos and endangered species; the balance of nature; pesticides; tourism
  Level 3 themes: tropical rainforests; gorillas; hunting and poaching; clean water
  Level 4 themes: waste and recycling; fuelwood; sea fishing; pollution

MACMILLAN BIBLE STORIES

Eighteen storybooks that bring freshness and colour to familiar Bible stories Ideal for 8-13 years of age Simple and readable English In two language levels Beautifully illustrated

'Excellent. Very colourful ... Written with sensitivity and intelligence'
Canon Trevor Dennis
'They present lively, simple Bible stories that will excite the child to read further'
Rev. E.K. Churcher, Methodist Chaplain

The Macmillan Writer's Prize for Africa, 2004 Award Winning titles Click here for details of 2002 Winners and Shortlist and 2004 Winners and Shortlist

Back to index