Cassava Republic Spring/Summer 2019 catalogue

CO NTACT U S London office: Unit C11, Mainyard Studios, 94 Wallis Rd, London, E9 5LN E-mail: info@cassavarepublic.biz www.cassavarepublic.biz

C AS S AVA REPUBLI C PRESS S P R ING /SUMMER 2019 C ATALOG UE

NEW TITLES

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Princess Arabella is a Big Sister

by Mylo Freeman

he newest title in the popular Princess Arabella series!

Princess Arabella can’t wait to have a younger sibling to play with. But what would be most fun – a brother or a sister? Sisters seem great… until Arabella meets Prince Mimoun’s sister. A brother then? Princess Ling’s brothers seem like too much trouble! What do Mum and Dad have in store for Princess Arabella?

Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

T

Nights of the Creaking Bed

by Toni Kan

he first book in the new Cassava Shorts series offers an unflinching look at life and lust in Lagos. This memorable short story collection is full of colourful characters involved in affecting dramas: a young man who can’t get the image of his naked, beautiful mother out of his mind; a middleaged housewife who finds love again but has an impossible decision to make; a child so poor he has to hawk onions on Christmas day - and many others.

“Toni Kan’s stories look behind shuttered windows to express the unspeakable in the everyday.”

- Molara Wood, writer and cultural critic

Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Literary Fiction 978-1911115595 30th April 2019 £9.99 World

Children’s 978-1911115717 19th March 2019 £6.99 World English

NEW TITLES In Dependence

by Sarah Ladipo Manyika Over 3 million copies sold

I

n the early sixties, Tayo Ajayi sails to England from Nigeria to take up a scholarship at Oxford University. There he discovers a whole generation high on visions of a new and better world. He meets Vanessa Richardson, the beautiful daughter of a former colonial officer. Their story, which spans four decades, is a bittersweet tale of a relationship fraught with the weight of history, race and geography and the universal desire to fall truly, madly and deeply in love.

Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Literary Fiction 978-1911115823 14th May 2019 £11.99 World

I

The Score

by H. J. Golakai

n this fabulous follow-up to the internationally-acclaimed The Lazarus Effect, Vee and her ever-faithful sidekick, Chlöe Bishop, have been banished from the newsroom of Cape Town’s Urban magazine to review a sleepy tourist lodge.

They have just checked in when the first body is discovered hanging from a tree, with Vee’s purple silk scarf used as a noose. Suicide… or strangulation? Vee discovers a strange world of conferences and corruption, dog-walking and drug addiction, all whilst juggling the two men in her love life.

Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Crime 978-1911115397 18th June 2019 £8.99 World English excl. South Africa

NEW TITLES

T

Queer Men’s Narratives edited by Jude Dibia and Olumide Makanjuola

his ground-breaking collection documents the oftenuntold life stories of gay and bisexual men in Nigeria through their own voices, featuring stories from across the country. It illuminates experiences that include the journey of self-acceptance, relationships, self-esteem, conflict, struggling with identity and coming out, class, religion and more. Queer Men’s Narratives challenges society at large to re-think its idea of what being a man entails, and how such concepts limit men and women’s freedom to be, to live and to understand each other.

Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Be(com)ing Nigerian: A Guide

by Elnathan John

A

n affecting, unrestrained and satirical guide to the Nigerians you will meet at home and abroad, or on your way to hell and to heaven. This is a searing look at how power is abused, negotiated and performed in private and in public; in politics, business, religious institutions and in homes.

Beyond poking fun at the holders of power, it is a summons, a provocation and a call for introspection among all levels of society. As is often said in Nigeria, when you point with one finger, there are four others pointing back at you.

Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Non-fiction 978-1911115960 11th July 2019 £9.99 World

Non-fiction 978-1911115670 4th June 2019 £12.99 World

NEW TITLES

A

A Small Silence

by Jumoke Verissimo

vivid and visceral excursion into the margins of society from a powerful new literary voice. After a long and brutal stint in jail for his activism, Prof returns to society a broken man. Tormented by memories of his past, he chooses to retreat into darkness and isolation. One day Desire, a young undergraduate student and orphan, knocks on his door. Her entry into Prof ’s life awakes long-repressed emotions and a longing in him which he struggles to tame.

Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Literary Fiction 978-1911115908 2nd July 2019 ÂŁ11.99 World

Literary Fiction Born on a Tuesday

by Elnathan John Winner of a Betty Trask Award 2017. Shortlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize & the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature 2016

D

antala lives in Bayan Layi, Nigeria and studies in a Sufi Quranic school. By chance he meets gang leader Banda, and is thrust into a world with fluid rules and casual violence. Dantala runs away and ends up living in a Salafi mosque, where he embraces Salafism as preached by his new benefactor Sheikh Jamal. But as political and religious tensions mount, he is torn between loyalty to his benefactor and adherence to the Sheikh’s charismatic advisor, Malam Abdul-Nur. This novel explores life, love, friendship, loss and the effects of extremist politics and religion on everyday life in Northern Nigeria.

“Born on a Tuesday brings home the reality of what is happening in northern Nigeria with a power the news reports of Boko Haram’s atrocities can’t adequately project. Elnathan John is a writer to watch.”

- Fiammetta Rocco, The New York Times ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Sold:

978-1911115021 2016 £9.99 French, German, English (US, India)

Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun

by Sarah Ladipo Manyika Shortlisted for the California Book Awards and the Goldsmiths Prize

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r. Morayo is a cosmopolitan Nigerian woman, on the cusp of seventy-five and living in San Francisco. She has a zest for life as she speeds through the streets in her vintage Porsche, chats to strangers, and reminisces about characters from her favourite novels - until she has an accident, crushing her independence. As Morayo recounts her story, moving seamlessly between past and present, we meet a range of characters reflecting the diversity of San Francisco. A beautifully uplifting story.

“Manyika’s story about an elderly Nigerian woman is quiet, sophisticated and it expands the canon of contemporary African literature into welcome new territory.”

- Bernardine Evaristo, author of Mr Loverman “Ladipo Manyika’s book reminds us of the value of indulgence and delight – in sex, in food, in company, and in reading.”

- The New Statesman ISBN: 978-1911115045 Publication Date: 2016 Price: £9.99 Rights Held: World Rights Sold: French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Danish, English (India)

Literary Fiction

Season of Crimson Blossoms

by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim Winner of the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature 2016 “Season of Crimson Blossoms is written in a gorgeous tapestry of language, tying together large-scale historical events with the smaller more mundane activities of daily life.”

- New York Journal of Books

A

story of love and longing in conservative Northern Nigeria featuring Binta, a fifty-five-year-old widow yearning for intimacy after the sexual repression of her marriage and Reza, a twenty-five-year-old weed dealer. Brought together in unusual circumstances, Binta and Reza face a need only they can satisfy in each other. Rumours surface about their illicit affair and a family confrontation results in disastrous consequences. A novel that unfurls gently, revealing layers of emotion that defy age, class and religion.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held: Rights Sold:

When We Speak of Nothing

by Olumide Popoola Shortlisted for a DIVA Literary Award 2017 “... a linguistically inventive and deliciously original debut novel.”

- The Guardian, Best Books of 2017

B

est mates Karl and Abu are both 17 and live near King’s Cross.

It’s 2011 and racial tensions are running high in London.

Normally chatty Abu is infatuated with gorgeous classmate Nalini but dares not speak to her. Meanwhile, Karl is the target of the local thugs, who are irked by his being. When Karl finds out that his father lives in Nigeria, he decides that Port Harcourt is the best place to escape the sound and fury of London and connect with a Dad he’s never known. Rejected on arrival, Karl befriends Nakale, an environmental activist in the Niger Delta, and falls headlong for his feisty cousin Janoma. Meanwhile, the murder of Mark Duggan triggers a full-scale riot in London and Abu finds himself in its midst.

When We Speak of Nothing launches a powerful new voice onto the literary stage. The fluid prose, peppered with contemporary slang, captures what it means to be young, black and queer in London.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115458 2017 £9.99 World

978-1911115007 2016 £9.99 World French, German, English (India)

Literary Fiction

The Hundred Wells of Salaga

by Ayesha Harruna Attah

A

minah lives an idyllic life until she is brutally separated from her home and forced on a journey that turns her from a daydreamer into a resilient woman. Wurche, the wilful daughter of a chief, is desperate to play an important role in her father’s court. These two women’s lives converge as infighting among Wurche’s people threaten the region.

Set in pre-colonial Ghana, The Hundred Wells of Salaga is a story of courage, forgiveness, love and freedom. Through the experiences of Aminah and Wurche, it offers a remarkable view of slavery and how the scramble for Africa affected the lives of everyday people.

“Who says that there are no good authors coming from Ghana?

Shut up! Have you read Ayesha Harruna Attah?”

- Ama Ata Aidoo, author of Our Sister Killjoy and Changes

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Rights Sold:

978-1911115519 2018 £9.99 World English (excluding North America) Dutch, French, German, Italian

German Calendar No December

by Sylvia Ofili (author) and Birgit Weyhe (illustrator) Winner of a Rudolph Dirks Award 2018 Shortlisted for the Max & Moritz Award 2018

O

livia Evezi’s childhood is a happy one; her days are spent listening to Highlife records with her father, and poring over the colourful postcards her mother receives from Germany. But Olivia is a dreamer and longs for more. Her restlessness takes her first to a boarding school in Lagos, and then to her mother’s homeland of Germany. There, she is thrown into a hidden world of workers and migrants; a world of constant vigilance, where a piece of paper can hold the key to survival.

Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Graphic Novel 978-1911115618 13th November 2018 £15.99 World English

Literary Fiction

T

Nights of the Creaking Bed

by Toni Kan

he first book in the new Cassava Shorts series offers an unflinching look at life and lust in Lagos. This memorable short story collection is full of colourful characters involved in affecting dramas: a young man who can’t get the image of his naked, beautiful mother out of his mind; a middle-aged housewife who finds love again but has an impossible decision to make; a child so poor he has to hawk onions on Christmas day - and many others.

“Toni Kan’s stories look behind shuttered window to express the unspeakable in the everyday.”

- Molara Wood, writer and cultural critic

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115595 30th April 2019 £9.99 World

In Dependence

by Sarah Ladipo Manyika Over 3 million copies sold

I

n the early sixties, Tayo Ajayi sails to England from Nigeria to take up a scholarship at Oxford University. There he discovers a whole generation high on visions of a new and better world. He meets Vanessa Richardson, the beautiful daughter of a former colonial officer. Their story, which spans four decades, is a bittersweet tale of a relationship fraught with the weight of history, race and geography and the universal desire to fall truly, madly and deeply in love.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115823 14th May 2019 £11.99 World

A

A Small Silence

by Jumoke Verissimo

vivid and visceral excursion into the margins of society from a powerful new literary voice. After a long and brutal stint in jail for his activism, Prof returns to society a broken man. Tormented by memories of his past, he chooses to retreat into darkness and isolation. One day Desire, a young undergraduate student and orphan, knocks on his door. Her entry into Prof ’s life awakes long-repressed emotions and a longing in him which he struggles to tame.

ISBN: 978-1911115908 Publication Date: 2nd July 2019 Price: £11.99 Rights Held: World

Crime

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Easy Motion Tourist

by Leye Adenle (An Amaka Thriller)

uy Collins, a British hack in Lagos, ends up stumbling into the murky underworld of the city. He meets Amaka, a sassy guardian angel of Lagos working girls who wants to expose the dark underbelly of Nigerian organ trafficking. With Easy Motion Tourist’s astonishing cast, Tarantino has landed in Lagos. This pageturning crime novel pulses with the rhythm of Nigeria’s mega-city, reeks of its open drains and sparkles like the champagne quaffed in its upmarket districts.

“It’s shocking, it’s funny, it’s a vaulting jackal of a book that rips out your throat… and your heart. This book roils, rages, and roars. Leye Adenle has my vote for crown prince of crime writers in the UK.” - James Ellroy

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held: Rights Sold:

When Trouble Sleeps

by Leye Adenle (An Amaka Thriller) “Spectacular - Adenle is crime fiction’s best new voice for years.”

- Lee Child

T

he self-appointed saviour of Lagos’ sex workers, Amaka may have bitten off more than she can chew this time as she finds herself embroiled in a political scandal. When a plane crash kills the state gubernatorial candidate, the party picks a replacement who is assured of winning the election: Chief Ojo. But Amaka knows the skeletons that lurk in Chief Ojo’s closet, including what took place at the Harem, the secret sex club on the outskirts of Lagos that he frequents. Amaka is the only person standing between Chief Ojo and election victory, and he sends hired guns Malik and Shehu after her. Caught in a game of survival, against a backdrop of corruption, violence, sex and sleaze, Amaka must find a way to outwit her bloodthirsty adversaries.

In this compelling sequel to the award-winning Easy Motion Tourist, Leye Adenle pulls back the curtain on the seedy underbelly of Lagos once again in this gritty and widely-acclaimed thriller.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115632 2018 £8.99 World

978-1911115069 2016 £8.99 World French, Spanish, English (India)

Crime

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The Carnivorous City

by Toni Kan

oni Dike is a Lagos big boy; a criminal turned grandee, with a beautiful wife, a sea-side mansion and a questionable fortune.

Then one day he disappears and his Jag is found in a ditch, music blaring from the speakers. When his younger brother, Abel, a small-town teacher, discovers that his brother is missing, he takes the first plane to Lagos. He is rapidly sucked into the unforgiving Lagos maelstrom where he has to navigate encounters with a motley cast of common criminals, deal with policemen intent on getting a piece of the pie, and contend with his growing attraction to his brother’s wife.

“The Carnivorous City takes the reader on a Dickensian tour of Lagos, bringing the city to life like no other book I have read.”

- Helon Habila, author of Waiting for an Angel andThe Chibok Girls ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115243 2016 £8.99 World

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Lagos Noir edited by Chris Abani

n anthology of noir stories set in the tumultuous metropolis, Lagos. Featuring corrupt cops, luxurious mansions and a trail of bodies, this carefully curated collection brings together brand-new stories from some of Nigeria’s most reputed and exciting writers, including Leye Adenle, Nnedi Okorafor and Sarah Ladipo Manyika. With an intimate knowledge of the city, each writer takes us through the murky underbelly of waterways and alleyways, freeways and spaghetti bridges to reveal the unbridled darkness pulsating through this megacity by the lagoon.

“A not-to-be-missed fiction anthology edited by Chris Abani, Lagos Noir features Nigeria’s most compelling writers on the darker side of Lagos. A must-read for literary fans of all kinds.”

- The Root

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115731 2018 £12.99 UK & Commonwealth

Crime

The Lazarus Effect

by H. J. Golakai (A Vee Johnson Mystery)

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ee Johnson’s life is a mess. She’s an investigative journalist who’s been seeing things: a teenage girl in a red hat that goes handin-hand with the debilitating episodes she is loath to call ‘panic attacks’. When she spots a photo of the girl from her hallucinations at a local hospital, Vee embarks on an investigation with her oddball assistant Chloe, delving into the secrets of the fractured Fourie and Paulsen families. A gripping new addition to the African crime genre. “a wonderful debut … brimming with intelligence, wit and real heart.

Enormously entertaining.”

– Deon Meyer ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Sold:

I

The Score

by H. J. Golakai (A Vee Johnson Mystery)

n this fabulous follow-up to the internationally-acclaimed The Lazarus Effect, Vee and her ever-faithful sidekick, Chlöe Bishop, have been banished from the newsroom of Cape Town’s Urban magazine to review a sleepy tourist lodge. They have just checked in when the first body is discovered hanging from a tree, with Vee’s purple silk scarf used as a noose. Suicide… or strangulation? Vee discovers a strange world of conferences and corruption, dogwalking and drug addiction, all whilst juggling the two men in her love life.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115397 18th June 2019 £8.99 World English excl. South Africa

978-1911115083 2016 £8.99 Italian

Non-fiction

A Stranger’s Pose

by Emmanuel Iduma “Dream of a perfect book, a ballad with all the lyrics remembered. The sleeper wakes from dreams. That book is in your hands.”

- Teju Cole, author of Every Day is for the Thief and Open City “Iduma’s book is a marvel.”

- David Levi Strauss, author of Words Not Spent Today Buy Smaller Images Tomorrow “A stunning hybrid of a book.”

- Vanity Fair

“A brilliant travelogue… Emmanuel Iduma expands what writing about the continent can be by paying extraordinary attention to the ebbs and flows of human connection.”

- The Atlantic

A

unique blend of travelogue, musings and poetry, A Stranger’s Pose draws the reader into a world of encounters haunted by the absence of home, estrangement from a lover and family tragedies. The author’s recollections and reflections of fragments of his journeys to African cities offer a compelling and very personal meditation on the meaning of home and the generosity of strangers to a lone traveller. Includes 39 photographs by acclaimed African photographers.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115496 16th October 2018 £10.99 World

Non-fiction She Called Me Woman edited by Chitra Nagarajan, Azeenarh Mohammed & Rafeeat Aliyu

S

he Called Me Woman is a collection of first-hand accounts by a community telling their stories on their own terms.

In this absorbing and ground-breaking collection, 25 narratives are brought together to paint a picture of what it really means to be a queer Nigerian. Covering tales of first love and boarding school curiosity, as well as the (sometimes fraught) relationship between sexuality and spirituality, She Called Me Woman challenges stereotypes with these snapshots into queer Nigerian life.

“This is a bold, brave and brilliant book.”

- Jackie Kay (MBE), author of Trumpet and The Adoption of Papers

“These true stories, these women speaking in their own words, of their own lives, are radical, vital, and timely […] they are beautifully told, the pain and honesty and hope and joy in these accounts is strong like a song.”

- Stella Duffy, author of The Hidden Room ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

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Queer Men’s Narratives edited by Jude Dibia and Olumide Makanjuola

his ground-breaking collection documents the oftenuntold life stories of gay and bisexual men in Nigeria through their own voices, featuring stories from across the country. It illuminates experiences that include the journey of self-acceptance, relationships, self-esteem, conflict, struggling with identity and coming out, class, religion and more. Queer Men’s Narratives challenges society at large to re-think its idea of what being a man entails, and how such concepts limit men and women’s freedom to be, to live and to understand each other.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115670 4th June 2019 £12.99 World

978-1911115595 2018 £12.99 World

Non-fiction Be(com)ing Nigerian: A Guide

by Elnathan John

A

n affecting, unrestrained and satirical guide to the Nigerians you will meet at home and abroad, or on your way to hell and to heaven. This is a searing look at how power is abused, negotiated and performed in private and in public; in politics, business, religious institutions and in homes. Beyond poking fun at the holders of power, it is a summons, a provocation and a call for introspection among all levels of society. As is often said in Nigeria, when you point with one finger, there are four others pointing back at you.

Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Non-fiction 978-1911115960 11th July 2019 £9.99 World

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Highlife Giants

by John Collins

ighlife Giants is an intimate portrait of the pioneering artistes of West Africa’s vibrant music scene from the 1920s onwards. It is packed full of inside information from stars including E.T Mensah, Kofo Ghanaba, King Bruce, Bobby Benson, Victor Uwaifo, and Ignace De Souza. For those who lived through the era, Highlife Giants will be a compendium that invokes treasured memories. For their children and grandchildren, this book will inspire an interest in the rich musical history of West Africa.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115298 2016 £12.99 World English

Non-fiction Longthroat Memoirs: Soups, Sex and Nigerian Taste Buds

by Yemisi Aribisala Winner of the John Avery Award, André Simon Food and Drink Book Awards. Shortlisted for the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

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ongthroat Memoirs presents a sumptuous menu of essays about Nigerian food, lovingly presented by the nation’s top epicurean writer. As well as a mouthwatering appraisal of the cultural politics and erotics of Nigerian cuisine, it is also a series of love letters to the Nigerian palate. From the cultural history of soup, fish as aphrodisiac and the sensual allure of snails, Longthroat Memoirs explores the complexities, the meticulousness, and the tactile joy of Nigerian gastronomy. “…amazing witty writing about Nigerian cooking and identity.”

- Ruby Tandoh, baker, columnist and author of Flavour

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

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Safe House edited by Ellah Wakatama Allfrey

n a collection of creative essays that ranges from travel writing and memoir to reportage, Ellah Wakatama Allfrey brings together some of the most talented writers of creative nonfiction from across Africa. This anthology contains a range of unforgettable stories. Whether examining the increasing influence of China in Ghana or understanding what it means to be gay in Africa, these essays present personal views of contemporary issues in an accessible and thought-provoking manner.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115168 2016 £12.99 UK & Commonwealth

978-1911115267 2016 £12.99 World

Young Adult What Sunny Saw in the Flames

by Nnedi Okorafor “The sheer joy of something like the ‘Sunny’ series is the feeling that I simply have not read this before, and that is so rare... It’s fantasy, yet it comes from a cultural place that isn’t the stuff we’ve already seen 1,000 times before.”

- Neil Gaiman “There’s more imagination on a page of Nnedi Okorafor’s work than in whole volumes of ordinary fantasy epics.”

- Ursula K. Le Guin, award-winning author of A Wizard of Earthsea “If you’re tiring of knights, dragons and Merlin-type wizards and are interested in exploring a fresh and different world of magic, try What Sunny Saw in the Flames. It’s jam-packed with mythological wonders.”

- Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series

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welve-year-old Sunny Nwazue doesn’t fit anywhere. She is albino, and she has a special gift: she can see into the future. But when she meets Orlu, her classmate, she becomes part of an exciting new realm of strange creatures and dark secrets – a world where your worst defect is actually your greatest asset. Now, Sunny and Orlu, with their friends Chichi and Sasha, must help track down a criminal who has been kidnapping and maiming children all over the city.

ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115106 132pp 2016 £7.99 UK & Commonwealth

Sunny and the Mysteries of Osisi

by Nnedi Okorafor Winner of the 2018 Lodestar, the World Science Fiction Society Award for the Best Young Adult Book

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n this sequel to What Sunny Saw in the Flames, from award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor, an encounter with a lake monster sets Sunny Nwazue on a thrilling path. She must learn to master her magic powers, while uncovering the mysteries of the shadowy town of Osisi.

This is a compelling tale combining culture, fantasy, history and magic.

“Nnedi Okorafor’s imagination is stunning.”

- The New York Times

“Mythology, fantasy, science fiction, history, and magic blend into a compelling tale that will hold readers spellbound.”

- Chicago Review of Books ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115571 13th March 2018 £7.99 UK & Commonwealth

CHILDREN’S/YOUNG ADULT The Secret of the Purple Lake

by Yaba Badoe With illustrations

by Gbolahan Adams “Mermaids, magical elephants and singing walruses all feature in Badoe’s enchanting collection.”

- Mail on Sunday, Top Books of 2017

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he Secret of the Purple Lake is a collection of five interlinked stories that take us from Ghana to Orkney, and from Spain to Norway and Thailand. As a minor character from one story assumes a major role in the next, we meet a fascinating cast, including Imoro the magic elephant, the Walrus Prince, and the Wild Princesses of Rousay. These tales of transformation and independence are brought to life with 24 beautiful black and white illustrations.

ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

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The Hidden Star

by K. Sello Duiker

olitye lives in a shack with her mother Thembi in Phola, a dusty township on the edge of Johannesburg. 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, who join with her to resist the bullying from Rotten Nellie and her gang of Spoilers. One day, Nolitye finds a special stone that has the power to make people feel happy and laugh. Her mission from now on is to gather together the other pieces of the stone and reunite them, to stop darkness from taking control of her world.

“With strong elements of magical realism, the novel is both charming and whimsical with several heart-thumping moments that make it difficult to put down.”

– Kirkus Reviews

ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115434 210pp 2017 £7.99 World English excl. South Africa

978-1911115311 132pp 2017 £9.99 World English

Children’s

Princess Arabella’s Birthday

by Mylo Freeman “Once upon a time, there was a little princess called Arabella. She lived in a big palace with her father, the King, and her mother, the Queen. It was nearly Arabella’s birthday. But what do you give a little princess who already has everything?”

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uby-encrusted roller skates, a golden bicycle, a stuffed mouse, a cuddly mouse, a tea set, a doll’s pram? No, Princess Arabella wants something different for her birthday: an elephant! But will she get what she wants?

ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115137 28pp 2016 £6.99 World English

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Princess Arabella Mixes Colours

by Mylo Freeman

rincess Arabella thinks her room is boring. So she decides she’s going to do something about it – all by herself. She mixes up some paints and in no time at all her room looks fabulous. An entertaining book about the popular little Princess Arabella, with fun information about mixing colours.

“Arabella’s adventures offer something fresh and entertaining to anyone looking for princess stories with a difference.”

- The Alligator’s Mouth children’s bookshop, Richmond, Surrey

Genre: ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Picture book 978-1911115120 28pp 2016 £6.99 World English

Children’s

A

Princess Arabella Goes to School

by Mylo Freeman

delightful addition to the popular ‘Princess Arabella’ series. Princess Arabella and her friends embark upon their first day at Princess School. They find themselves taking some very unusual lessons – and when they are allowed to bring their pets to school, fun and games ensue!

ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

I

Princess Arabella and the Giant Cake

by Mylo Freeman

t is almost Granny’s birthday and Princess Arabella and her friends set out to bake the most DELICIOUS and most GIGANTIC cake in the entire world. But who will be the winner – Princess Arabella, Prince Mimoun, Princess Sophie or Princess Ling? And what is that surprise in the Giant Cake?!

“A joyful, multi-ethnic tale in the Princess Arabella series, with vibrant illustrations.”

- BookTrust

ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115427 28pp 2017 £6.99 World English

978-1911115410 28pp 2017 £6.99 World English

Children’s Princess Arabella is a Big Sister

by Mylo Freeman

T

he newest title in the popular Princess Arabella series! Princess Arabella can’t wait to have a younger sibling to play with. But what would be most fun – a brother or a sister? Sisters seem great… until Arabella meets Prince Mimoun’s sister. A brother then? Princess Ling’s brothers seem like too much trouble! What do Mum and Dad have in store for Princess Arabella?

Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

A

Children’s 978-1911115717 19th March 2019 £6.99 World English

Hair, It’s A Family Affair!

by Mylo Freeman

celebration of black hair, through the vibrant and varied hairstyles found in a single family. With Mylo Freeman’s trademark colourful illustrations, this entertaining book will show young black children the joys that can be found through their hair, and remind other children of the many different types of hair that can be found in the world around them.

“Freeman continues to depict authentic black families, which are sadly under-represented in picture books, with vibrant illustration and some simple text about elements of everyday life.”

- BookTrust

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115670 12th September 2018 £6.99 World

A

Every Girl Is A Princess

by Mylo Freeman

charming novelty picture book that will entertain even the youngest readers. Try and match each crown with a princess – and then see who appears on the final page!

ISBN: Pages: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115380 18pp 2017 £9.99 World English

Children’s

A Fun ABC

by Sade Fadipe Illustrated by Shedrach Ayalomeh

J

oin Adanah on an alphabetical adventure as she goes to visit her grandfather. Every letter, from A to Z, is featured in this African alphabet book, including a camera to take pictures, an eagle spied above the trees, a pump for fetching water, and stories told by Auntie Sumbo. Written in a bouncing rhyming style, children will learn while having fun as they join Adanah on her school break.

Mayowa and the Masquerades

by Lola Shoneyin Illustrated by Francis Blake

M

ayowa and the Masquerades tells the story of Mayowa’s visit to his relatives in Ilisan where he learns to love the outdoors and comes to understand important lessons about his people’s customs. This story is a bright, light-hearted read and the bold illustrations will engage children and their parents.

ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115144 32pp 2016 £6.99 World

“A fun, positive portrayal of everyday life in a Nigerian village, which effectively introduces the alphabet to young children.”

- BookTrust ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115151 32pp 2016 £6.99 World

Ankara Press

M

Black Sparkle Romance

by Amara Nicole Okolo

ira is ambitious and creative but she’s stuck as a PA to the ruthless editor of fashion magazine Black Sparkle. A string of disastrous dates threatens to put her off men forever. And then she crashes into the Mercedes of tiger-eyed Dominic. Mira’s luck changes when she’s promoted to assistant editor, but Dominic is the photographer for her first edition in charge. Sparks fly as the creative energy of two talented individuals fuels a heady mix of fear and desire.

ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

K

978-1911115229 152pp 2016 £5.99 World

Finding Love Again

by Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam

ambi thinks the serene Obudu Mountain Resort is the perfect place to finish her poetry collection and heal her broken heart. But along comes Beba, the gorgeous man from her past who reignites the spark between them. Can Kambi resist Beba’s charms and keep up the pretence of being his fake fiancée to help him in his quest to find his mother? Or will a phony engagement be the key for Kambi to begin Finding Love Again?

ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115212 172pp 2016 £5.99 World

P

A Tailor-Made Romance

by Oyindamola Affinih

hoenix Advertising Agency star Tishe is looking forward to her first date with sharply-dressed Adnan. She is shocked when she discovers that he is a tailor. She vows that there will be no second date … ever. But once they share a goodnight kiss, everything changes. They embark on a whirlwind romance as she struggles to reconcile her disapproval for Adnan’s profession with her burning desire for him. Will Tishe give Adnan a chance? Find out in this racy romance.

“Step aside Mills and Boon. Ankara Press is here! The new and hip romance story imprint that’s had African literary Twitter buzzing for weeks is worth every beam of spotlight it’s enjoying at the moment.”

– The Guardian

ISBN: 978-1911115182 Pages:

176pp Publication Date: 2016 Price: £5.99 Rights Held: World

Ankara Press

T

A Taste Of Love

by Sifa Asani Gowon

hey say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. But this delectable romance has Toby, manager of the Bar-Rage, winning over feisty mum and successful baker Adoo with his delicious pizza, suave good looks and his calm, confident demeanour. Soon, Adoo and Toby are enjoying spontaneous dates. Adoo loves how Toby treats her son, and is thrilled to find a man her son approves of. Will Toby and Adoo commit or will they only have A Taste of Love?

ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781-911115199 172pp 2016 £5.99 World

T

Love’s Persuasion

by Ola Awonubi

hings are changing at Lagos firm City Finance. But for Ada Okafor, a bright and dedicated trainee, the only change worth noticing is the dashing, new British-trained assistant MD, Tony Okoli. Ambitious and determined, Ada ignores her feelings for Tony and focuses on juggling her work in accounts with studying. But the two are drawn together and they embark on a secret and passionate affair. Their love is truly tested as they fight to persuade themselves and the world that love, in the end, trumps social status.

“There’s definitely a need for diverse and different love stories – and Cassava Republic’s set of entertaining tales is a very good start.”

– The Sunday Times

ISBN: 978-1911115205 Pages:

192pp Publication Date: 2016 Price: £5.99 Rights Held: World

I

The Elevator Kiss

by Amina Thula

t’s Christmas and Sindi has been invited to her friend’s stunning new apartment for dinner. She finds herself in the elevator with a handsome man in a dashing blue suit. Their impromptu kiss under the mistletoe ignites unanticipated desire. But Sindi is focused on rebuilding her life after a messy break-up. Edward is the last thing she needs. Or so she thinks. A steamy romance set in the beautiful city of Cape Town.

ISBN: Pages:

Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

978-1911115236 200pp 2016 £5.99 World

CASSAVA REPUBLIC PRESS: SPRING & SUMMER 2019 ORDER FORM Page ISBN No.

Pub date Title

1

978-1911115717

19/02/19

1

978-1911115595

2

Author

Price

Princess Arabella is a Big Sister

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

30/04/19

Nights of the Creaking Bed

Toni Kan

£9.99

978-1911115823

14/05/19

In Dependence

Sarah Ladipo Manyika

£11.99

2

978-1911115397

18/06/19

The Score

H.J. Golakai

£8.99

3

978-1911115670

04/06/19

Queer Men’s Narratives

Jude Dibia & Olumide Makanjuola

£12.99

3

978-1911115960

11/07/19

Be(com)ing Nigerian: A Guide

Elnathan John

£9.99

4

978-1911115908

02/07/19

A Small Silence

Jumoke Verissimo

£11.99

5

978-1911115021

01/04/16

Born on a Tuesday

Elnathan John

£9.99

Sarah Ladipo Manyika

£9.99

5

978-1911115045

01/04/16

Like A Mule Bringing Ice Cream To The Sun

6

978-1911115007

20/05/16

Season of Crimson Blossoms

Abubakar Adam Ibrahim

£9.99

6

978-1911115458

03/07/17

When We Speak of Nothing

Olumide Popoola

£9.99

7

978-1911115519

08/05/18

The Hundred Wells of Salaga

Ayesha Harruna Attah

£9.99

7

978-1911115618

13/11/18

German Calendar No December

Sylvia Ofili & Birgit Weyhe

£15.99

9

978-1911115069

01/04/16

Easy Motion Tourist

Leye Adenle

£8.99

9

978-1911115632

12/09/18

When Trouble Sleeps

Leye Adenle

£8.99

10

978-1911115243

01/10/16

The Carnivorous City

Toni Kan

£8.99

10

978-1911115731

02/10/18

Lagos Noir

Chris Abani (ed.)

£12.99

11

978-1911115083

01/05/16

The Lazarus Effect

H.J. Golakai

£8.99

12

978-1911115496

16/10/18

A Stranger’s Pose

Emmanuel Iduma

£10.99 £12.99

13

978-1911115595

26/04/18

She Called Me Woman

Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan & Rafeeat Aliyu

14

978-1911115298

15/10/16

Highlife Giants

John Collins

£12.99

Yemisi Aribisala

£12.99

Ellah Wakatama Allfrey (ed.)

£12.99

15

978-1911115267

15/10/16

Longthroat Memoirs: Soups, Sex and Nigerian Taste Buds

15

978-1911115168

07/05/16

Safe House: Explorations in Creative Nonfiction

Qty

Page ISBN No.

Pub date Title

16

978-1911115106

01/09/16

16

978-1911115571

17 17

Author

Price

What Sunny Saw In The Flames

Nnedi Okorafor

£7.99

28/03/18

Sunny & The Mysteries of Osisi

Nnedi Okorafor

£7.99

978-1911115311

06/09/17

The Secret of the Purple Lake

Yaba Badoe

£7.99

978-1911115137

30/06/17

The Hidden Star

K. Sello Duiker

£7.99

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

18

978-1911115137

01/04/16

Princess Arabella’s Birthday

18

978-1911115120

01/04/16

Princess Arabella Mixes Colours

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

19

978-1911115410

10/04/17

Princess Arabella Goes to School

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

19

978-1911115427

10/04/17

Princess Arabella and the Giant Cake

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

20

978-1911115670

12/09/18

Hair, it’s a Family Affair!

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

20

978-1911115380

27/03/17

Every Girl is a Princess

Mylo Freeman

£9.99

21

978-1911115151

01/06/16

A Fun ABC

Sade Fadipe

£6.99

21

978-1911115144

01/05/16

Mayowa and the Masquerades

Lola Shoneyin

£6.99

22

978-1911115229

01/07/16

Black Sparkle Romance

Amara Nicole Okolo

£5.99

22

978-1911115212

01/07/16

Finding Love Again

Chioma IwunzeIbiam

£5.99

22

978-1911115182

01/07/16

A Tailor-made Romance

Oyindamola Affinnih

£5.99

23

978-1911115199

01/07/16

A Taste of Love

Sifa Asani Gowon

£5.99

23

978-1911115205

01/07/16

Love's Persuasion

Ola Awonubi

£5.99

23

978-1911115236

01/07/16

The Elevator Kiss

Amina Thula

£5.99

Qty

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Contact Us Cassava Republic Press Unit C11, Mainyard Studios, 94 Wallis Rd, London E9 5LN Email: info@cassavarepublic.biz Website: www.cassavarepublic.biz

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CO NTACT U S London office: Unit C11, Mainyard Studios, 94 Wallis Rd, London, E9 5LN E-mail: info@cassavarepublic.biz www.cassavarepublic.biz

C AS S AVA REPUBLI C PRESS S P R ING /SUMMER 2019 C ATALOG UE