Cassava Republic Spring 2021 Catalogue

C A S S AVA R E P U B L I C P R E S S S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 C ATA LO G U E

PUBLISHER'S NOTE 2020 has been a year of uncertainty and unrest for us all, with the twin impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and uprisings across the globe, including the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement and the End SARS protest movement in Nigeria.

While it was encouraging to see Black writers and books given more visibility this year, it was jarring to see that it took the murder of George Floyd to kickstart these conversations. Since its founding in 2006, my goal with Cassava Republic has been to showcase Black writing in all its diversity, and to challenge the conception of African literature as a genre. I do not know what the future will bring for the publishing industry as a whole and its newfound commitment to Black writing, but I do know that our mission at Cassava Republic will continue as it always has: to publish quality literature from the African world that displays the wide range of our experiences. î ˘e books in this catalogue are a product of this commitment, from histories of pre-colonial Nigeria, to the untold stories of Abyssinian slaves in Iran and the secrets of becoming a man through Xhosa initiation rituals, all deal with universal realities while remaining speci c and local in subject matter, even as we have had to adapt to an everchanging landscape, working remotely and juggling publication schedules. î ˘e events of this year have proven that people still turn to books to try and understand new situations, or simply for comfort. It has been encouraging to see both booksellers and media respond by expanding the kinds of books they carry and promote. Publishing can be a rigid industry, but the lessons I will be taking from 2020 is an understanding that nothing is set in stone, that it is imperative that we are able to adapt and change with the circumstances, and crucially the power of community and connection between people, however this can be achieve, including the connections between publishers, booksellers, the media and the public.

BIBI BAKARE-YUSUF, CO-FOUNDER AND PUBLISHING DIRECTOR CASSAVA REPUBLIC PRESS

NEW TITLES

by Fola Fagbule and Feyi Fawehinmi

F

ormation tracks the unlikely series of events and characters that led to the creation of the modern Nigerian nation: from 1804 when the rst jihadists began their attack on a collection of independent nations to 1914 when the current shape of Nigeria was completed as a British colony through amalgamation. Formation sheds light on an increasingly forgotten and largely mythologised period of Nigeria's history; revealing an incredibly complicated portrait of a nation with a tangled history, where violence was and remains a primary organising principle for elite competition and political negotiations. In uential gures loom large over the narrative including: Usman dan Fodio, Modibbo Adama, Frederick Lugard, Samuel Ajayi-Crowther, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Flora Shaw, Joseph Chamberlain alongside other well-known and many less familiar names.

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

Non-Fiction 9781913175092 19th January 2021 ÂŁ19.99 World

NEW TITLES

by ando “Highly original.” – Nadine Gordimer “A brave book, triumphant and a testament to the indefatigable will to live.”

– Mail & Guardian “His straightforward no-frills prose tells an effective story of a botched circumcision and its consequences.”

– Zakes Mda, Sunday Independent

A

Man Who Is Not A Man recounts the personal trauma of a young Xhosa initiate aer a rite-of-passage circumcision goes wrong. With frankness and courage, this powerful novel details the pain and lifelong shame this protagonist experiences as a result not only of the physical trauma, but the social ostracism from being labeled 'a failed man.' He decodes the mysteries of this long-standing cultural tradition and calls to account the elders for the disintegrating support systems that allow such tragic outcomes.

But it is also through this life-changing experience that the protagonist is forced to nd his strength and humanity and reassess what it really means to be a man.

Genre: Literary Fiction ISBN: 9781913175023 Publication Date: 12th January 2021 Price: £11.99 Rights Held: World (excluding South Africa)

In the Palace of Flowers

by Victoria Princewill

S

et in the opulent Persian royal court of the Qajars at the end of the 19th century, In the Palace of Flowers is an atmospheric historical novel following the lives of two Abyssinian slaves, Jamila, a concubine, and Abimelech, a eunuch. Torn away from their families, they now serve at the whims of the royal family, only too aware of their own insigni cance in the eyes of their masters. Abimelech and Jamila's quest to take control over their lives and nd meaning leads to them navigating the dangerous, and deadly politics of the royal court, both in the government and the harem, and to the radicals that lie beyond its walls. But have these two slaves found themselves in over their heads?

Love, friendship and political intrigue will set the fate of these two slaves.

Highly accomplished, richly textured and elegantly written, In the Palace of Flowers is a magni cent novel about the fear of being forgotten.

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

Literary Fiction 9781911115823 16th February 2021 £11.99 World (English)

NEW TITLES

by Mũkoma Wa Ngũgĩ A love letter to music, beauty, and imagination.

I

n the seedy ABC boxing club in Nairobi, four musicians—e Diva, e Corporal, the Taliban Man, and Miriam—gather for a competition to see who can perform the best Tizita. Listening from the audience is Kenyan tabloid journalist John andi Manfredi, whose own life makes him vulnerable to the Tizita.

Desperate to learn more, he follows the musicians back to Ethiopia, hoping to learn the secret to the music from their personal lives and histories. His search takes him from the idyllic Ethiopian countryside to juke joints and raucous parties in Addis Ababa where he quickly learns that there is more to these performers than meets the eye. From the humble home life behind the Diva's glamorous façade, to the troubling question of the Corporal's military service history, Manfredi discovers that the many layers to this musical genre are re ected in the lives and secrets of its performers.

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

Literary Fiction 9781911115984 18th May 2021 £11.99 World

by Pumla Dineo Gqola “Patriarchy does not respect national boundaries. It is unabashedly promiscuous in its in uences and tethers. Yet, it does use nationalism very productively.”

D

rawing on examples from around the world - from Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa to Saudi Arabia, the Americas and Europe, Gqola traces the construction and machinations of the female fear factory by exposing its lies, myths, and seductions. She shows how seemingly disparate effects like driving bans, higher education, rape, sexual harassment and femicide are all premised on the construction of people, mostly women, as female, and thereaer the use of fear as a tool of patriarchal subjugation and punishment.

Female Fear Factory is a sobering account of patriarchal violence in the world, and a hopeful vision for the work of unapologetic feminist imaginative strategies across the globe.

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

Non-Fiction 9781913175153 22nd June 2021 £12.99 World (excluding South Africa)

NEW TITLES

A Bouncy 123

by Sade Fadipe & Shedrach Ayalomeh A Companion Book to A Fun ABC

J

oin Adanah and her friend Kolade as they go running around their village in this fun 123 adventure book!

î ˘is colourful picture book set in Nigeria captures the fun of playing outdoors, as Adanah and Kolade chase two bouncy tyres around their village, clambering over rocks and encountering spiders and more!

Written in a fun bouncing style, children will learn to count while having fun as they join Adanah and Kolade's adventure.

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

Picture Book 9781913175078 13th April 2021 ÂŁ6.99 World

LITERARY FICTION: (CASSAVA SHORTS)

by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim

T

he magical tales in e Whispering Trees capture the essence of life, death and coincidence in Northern Nigeria. Myth and reality intertwine in stories featuring political agitators, newly-wedded widows, and the tormented whirlwind, Kyakkyawa. e two medicine men of Mazade battle against their egos, an epidemic and an enigmatic witch. And who is Okhiwo, whose arrival is heralded by a pair of little white butter ies?

“Fire and smoke, snapshots of life and brushstrokes of aerlife… these are the energetic strains of Abubakar Adam Ibrahim's debut story collection.”

- A. Igoni Barrett, author of Blackass Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Literary Fiction 9781911115861 22nd November 2020 £9.99 World

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timely collection of interconnected stories about the experiences of Nigerian migrants making their way in Belgium, centred around Prosperous and her husband Agu, and the various visitors who gather at their apartment each week. ese ten tales explore their struggles and triumphs, from unhappy marriages (of convenience or otherwise), and the pain of homesickness and loneliness, to dealing with religious fervour and exorcism. Award-winning author Chika Unigwe writes with humour and acute observation, providing a layered and very human portrayal of the realities of migrant life.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115540 2019 £9.99 World

T

he rst book in the new Cassava Shorts series offers an un inching look at life and lust in Lagos. is 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 nds love again but has an impossible decision to make; a child so poor he has to hawk onions on Christmas day - and many others.

“Beginning with deliberate brevity and ending on a note of lush lyricism, these fascinating vignettes of Lagos life showcase an array of peripatetic characters who are hopelessly stuck in their dilemmas.”

- Se Atta, author of Everything Good Will Come ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115847 2019 £9.99 World

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vivid and visceral excursion into the margins of society from a powerful new literary voice. Aer 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 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 longing in him which he struggles to tame. A Small Silence is an intimate and evocative exploration of Nigeria’s political history, the alienating effects of trauma and the restorative power of the dark and silence.

“Utterly hypnotic.”

–e Guardian “An intriguing... intimate debut.”Leila Aboulela, author of Bird Summons “Moving and shock- lled.”

- Giles Foden, author of e Last King of Scotland ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115908 2019 11.99 World

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. ere 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. eir story, which spans four decades, is a bittersweet tale of a brave but doomed affair and the universal desire to fall truly, madly and deeply in love.

“In Dependence is a riveting love story across the challenges of race, geography and scars of colonial history.” – Ngũgĩ wa iong’o “A graceful and astonishing achievement.” –Henry Louis Gates Jr. ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115823 2019 £11.99 World (English)

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. ese two women’s lives converge as in ghting among Wurche’s people threaten the region. Set in pre-colonial Ghana, e Hundred Wells of Salaga is a story of courage, forgiveness, love and freedom. rough 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.

“An instant modern classic. Gave me the same feeling as when I nished reading ings Fall Apart; like something deep within me had shied, and would never be the same again.”

- JJ Bola, author of No Place To Call Home “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 Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price:

Literary Fiction 9781911115519 2017 £9.99

Shortlisted for a DIVA Literary Award “A amboyant and moving debut novel.” – Diane Evans

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est mates Karl and Abu are both 17 and live near King’s Cross. It is 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 “wannabe” thugs, who are irked by his being. When We Speak of Nothing unleashes a forceful new talent. e stream of consciousness storytelling captures and bottles late adolescent Black London slang and the mixing of identities and desires of our contemporary moment.

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

Literary Fiction 9781911115458 2017 £9.99 Word

LITERARY FICTION

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 Su Quranic school. By chance he meets gang leader Banda, and is thrust into a world with uid rules and casual violence. Dantala runs away and ends up living in a Sala mosque, where he embraces Sala sm 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 AbdulNur. is 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, e New York Times ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Sold:

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 y- ve-year-old widow yearning for intimacy aer the sexual repression of her marriage and Reza, a twenty- ve-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.

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

Literary Fiction 9781911115007 2016 £9.99 World French, English (India)

9781911115021 2016 £9.99 French, German, English (US, India)

Shortlisted for the California Book Awards and the Goldsmiths Prize

D

r. Morayo is a cosmopolitan Nigerian woman, living in San Francisco and on the cusp of seventy- ve.

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 re ecting the diversity of San Francisco. A beautifully upliing 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 Girl, Woman, Other ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held: Rights Sold:

9781911115045 2016 £9.99 World French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Danish, Italian, English (India)

LITERARY FICTION (GRAPHIC NOVEL)

by Elnathan John (author) and Alaba Onajin (illustrator) “is soapy, spiky book is a compelling read, and a ne addition to a genre that all too rarely lis its gaze beyond Europe and North America.”

(English)

by Sylvia O li (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 rst to a boarding school in Lagos, and then to her mother's homeland of Germany. ere, 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.

“A worthy coming-of-age story about resilience.”

- Kirkus Reviews Genre: ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

Graphic Novel 9781911115618 2018 £15.99 World (English)

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airobi Noir brings together some of Kenya's most exciting and acclaimed writers, in this celebration of noir writing, played out on the streets of Nairobi.

“Although the range of issues explored in Nairobi Noir is as diverse as its contributors, it all gestures toward a common theme. In this concrete jungle, the hunters and herders live on. As do the hunted...”

- Peter Kimani, introduction Featuring brand new stories from: Ngũgĩ wa iong'o, Stanley Gazemba, Ngumi Kibera, Peter Kimani, Winfred Kiunga, Kinyanjui Kombani, Caroline Mose, Kevin Mwachiro, Wanjikũ wa Ngũgĩ, Faith Oneya, Makena Onjerika, Troy Onyango, J.E. Sibi-Okumu, and Rasna Warah.

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

Non- ction 978-1913175009 2020 £12.99 UK & Commonwealth

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n anthology of noir stories set in the tumultuous metropolis, Lagos.

Edited by Chris Abani, this 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.

“A not-to-be-missed ction 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.”

- e Root G e nre: Crime ISBN: 9781911115731 Publication Date: 2018 Price: £12.99 Right Held: UK & Commonwealth

V

ee and her ever-faithful sidekick, Chlöe Bishop, have been banished from the newsroom to review a sleepy tourist lodge. ey have just checked in when the rst 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.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115397 2019 £8.99 World English (excluding South Africa)

S

oni Dike is a Lagos big boy; a criminal turned grandee, with a beautiful wife, a sea-side mansion and a questionable fortune. en 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 rst 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. “e 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 and e Chibok Girls

by Leye Adenle (An Amaka riller) “Spectacular - Adenle is crime ction'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 nds 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 aer her. Caught in a game of survival, against a backdrop of corruption, violence, sex and sleaze, Amaka must nd 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:

9781911115632 2018 £8.99 World

by Leye Adenle (An Amaka riller)

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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. is pageturning crime novel pulses with the rhythm of Nigeria's megacity, 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. is book roils, rages, and roars. Leye Adenle has my vote for crown prince of crime writers in the UK.” - James Ellroy ISBN: 9781911115069 Publication Date: 2016 Price: £8.99 Rights Held: World Rights Sold: French, Spanish, English (India)

T

his collection tells the story of an emerging digital Africa, through the eyes of Africa's most promising young entrepreneurs. Charting the stories of 24 entrepreneurs working in dierent industries across the continent, Making Futures: Young Entrepreneurs in a Dynamic Africa showcases the young women and men who are taking charge of their destinies and building business enterprises and innovative non-pro ts to radically change their lives and the lives of their communities.

“While John is an advocate of collective responsibility, he aims his ercest barbs at those in positions of power, delivering a joyous massacre of sacred cows.”

- Kieron Monks, CNN

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. is 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.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115960 2019 £9.99 World

Edited by Chitra Nagarajan, Azeenarh Mohammed & Rafeeat Aliyu

S

he Called Me Woman is a collection of rst-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 rst 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. “e editors of this collection succeed in bringing LGBTQ Nigerian women out of the shadows.” - Publisher's Weekly “is is a bold, brave and brilliant book.”

- Jackie Kay (MBE), author of Trumpet and e Adoption of Papers “ese 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 e Hidden Room ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115595 2018 £12.99 World

Longlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize

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. e author's recollections 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. Alongside accounts of the author's own travels are other narratives about movement, intimacy, the power of language and translation.

Includes 39 photographs by acclaimed African photographers.

“Dream of a perfect book, a ballad with all the lyrics remembered. e sleeper wakes from dreams. at book is in your hands.”

- Teju Cole, author of Every Day is for the ief and Open City “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 ows of human connection.” - e Atlantic ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held: Rights Sold:

9781911115496 2018 £10.99 World Italian

H

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:

9781911115298 2016 £12.99

Winner of the John Avery Award, André Simon Food and Drink Book Awards.

Shortlisted for the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

L

ongthroat Memoirs presents a sumptuous menu of essays about Nigerian food, lovingly presented by the nation's top epicurean writer. As well as a mouth-watering appraisal of the cultural politics and erotics of Nigerian cuisine, it is also a series of love letters to the Nigerian palate. “…amazing witty writing about Nigerian cooking and identity.”

- Ruby Tandoh, baker, columnist and author of Flavour ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115267 2016 £12.99 World

I

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 non ction from across Africa. is anthology contains a range of unforgettable stories. Whether examining the increasing in uence 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:

9781911115168 2016 £12.99

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

I

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

“Nnedi Okorafor's imagination is stunning.” - e New York Times “Mythology, fantasy, science ction, history, and magic blend into a compelling tale that will hold readers spellbound.”

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

9781911115571 2018 £7.99 UK & Commonwealth

“e 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 “ere'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

T

welve-year-old Sunny Nwazue doesn't t anywhere. She is albino, and she has a special gi: 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.

ISB N: Pages: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115106 132pp 2016 £7.99 UK & Commonwealth

N

olitye lives in a shack with her mother embi 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 nds 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.

“Duiker has created a vibrant cityscape populated by living, breathing, multifaceted human beings... [insert space] Simply put, it's a home.”

– New York Times “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

‘Mermaids, magical elephants and singing walruses all feature in Badoe’s enchanting collection.’

- Mail on Sunday, Top Books of 2017

T

he Secret of the Purple Lake is a collection of ve interlinked stories that take us from Ghana to Orkney, and from Spain to Norway and ailand. 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. ese tales of transformation and independence are brought to life with 24 black and white illustrations.

ISBN: Pages: Publication Date: Price:

9781911115311 132pp 2017 £9.99

CHILDREN’S BOOKS (THE PRINCESS ARABELLA SERIES)

P

rincess Arabella and her friends go to the museum. ere are works of different artists exhibited: some are big and others are small. In some works you can lose yourself and others make you smile. en the children want to go home. Why? Because they want to make their own work of art!

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

Picture Book 9781913175054 7th April 2020 £6.99 World

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

“Using bright colors and brilliant prints, Freeman encourages young readers to be themselves.”

– Kirkus Reviews ISBN: Pages: Publication Date: Price:

9781911115410 28pp 2017 £6.99

I

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 Mimoen, 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:

9781911115427 28pp 2017 £6.99

CHILDREN’S BOOKS (THE PRINCESS ARABELLA SERIES)

P

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.”

- e Alligator’s Mouth children’s bookshop, Richmond, Surrey Genre: ISBN: Pages: Publication Date: Price:

Picture book 9781911115120 28pp 2016 £6.99

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

- e Alligator’s Mouth children’s bookshop, Richmond, Surrey “A delightful story with gorgeously fresh, bright and ‘smudgy’ illustrations, complete with nellyphant end pages!”

- Letterbox Library

I

t’s Princess Arabella’s birthday. She wants a very special present. But will she get what she wants? A happy story about birthdays!

ISBN: Pages: Publication Date: Price:

9781911115137 28pp 2016 £6.99

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

- e Alligator’s Mouth children’s bookshop, Richmond, Surrey

I

t’s Princess Arabella’s birthday. She wants a very special present. But will she get what she wants? A happy story about birthdays!

“Vibrant illustrations burst from every page, making this a fun book to share with young children, particularly those who are anticipating a new arrival in the family.”

- BookTrust ISBN: 9781911115137 Pages: 28pp Publication Date: 2019 Price: £6.99

Hair, It’s a Family Affair

A

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.

“A ne mirror book for kids with textured hair that has endless possibilities.”

- Kirkus Reviews “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: Pages: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

A

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 nal page!

An interactive book, including aps and a mirror.

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

9781911115380 18pp 2017 £9.99 World English

9781911115670 28pp 2018 £6.99 World

J

oin Adanah on an alphabetical adventure as she goes to visit her grandfather in Modokeke. 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.

“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

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. is story is a bright, light-hearted read and the bold illustrations will engage children and their parents.

9781911115151 32pp 2016 £6.99 Held: World

A Taste of Love

T

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, con dent demeanour. Soon, Adoo and Toby are enjoying spontaneous dates. Adoo loves how Toby treats her son, and is thrilled to nd a man her son approves of. Will Toby and Adoo commit or will they only have A Taste of Love?

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115199 2016 £5.99 World

T

hings are changing at Lagos rm 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. eir love is truly tested as they ght to persuade themselves and the world that love, in the end, trumps social status. “ere’s de nitely a need for diverse and different love stories – and Cassava Republic’s set of entertaining tales is a very good start.”

– e Sunday Times ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115205 2016 £5.99 World

by Amina ula

I

t’s Christmas and Sindi has been invited to her friend’s stunning new apartment for dinner.

She nds herself in the elevator with a handsome man in a dashing blue suit. eir impromptu kiss under the mistletoe ignites unanticipated desire. But Sindi is focused on rebuilding her life aer 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: Publication Date: Price:

9781911115236 2016 £5.99

M

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 rst edition in charge. Sparks y as the creative energy of two talented individuals fuels a heady mix of fear and desire.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115229 2016 £5.99 World

K

ambi thinks the serene Obudu Mountain Resort is the perfect place to nish 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 ancee to help him in his quest to nd his mother? Or will a phony engagement be the key for Kambi to begin Finding Love Again?

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115212 2016 £5.99 World

by Oyindamola Affinnih

P

hoenix Advertising Agency star Tishe is looking forward to her rst date with sharplydressed 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. ey 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.

ISBN: Publication Date: Price: Rights Held:

9781911115182 2016 £5.99 World

CASSAVA REPUBLIC PRESS: SPRING & SUMMER 2021 ORDER FORM PAGE NO. 2

ISBN

TITLE

AUTHOR

PRICE

978-1913175092

PUB DATE 19/01/21

Formation

£19.99

3

978-1913175023

12/01/21

3 4

978-1911115823 978-1911115984

16/02/21 18/05/21

4 5 6

978-1913175153 978-1913175078 978-1911115861

22/06/21 02/06/20 22/11/20

A Man Who Is Not A Man In the Palace of Flowers Unbury Our Dead With Song Female Fear Factory A Bouncy 123 The Whispering Trees

Fola Fagbule and Feyi Fawehinmi Thando Mgqolozana Victoria Princewill Mũkoma Wa Ngũgĩ

£12.99 £6.99 £9.99

6

978-1911115847

30/04/19

Pumla Dineo Gqola Sade Fadipe Abubakar Adam Ibrahim Toni Kan

6 7 7

978-1911115540 978-1911115793 978-1911115779

22/10/19 05/08/19 21/05/19

£9.99 £11.99 £11.99

8

978-1911115519

08/05/18

8

978-1911115458

03/07/17

Chika Unigwe Jumoke Verissimo Sarah Ladipo Manyika Ayesha Harruna Attah Olumide Popoola

9 9

978-1911115021 978-1911115007

01/04/16 20/05/16

£9.99 £9.99

10

978-1911115045

01/04/16

11

978-1911115618

13/11/18

11

978-1911115908

05/11/19

12 12 13 13 14 15 15 16 17

978-1913175009 978-1911115731 978-1911115397 978-1911115083 978-1911115243 978-1911115632 978-1911115069 978-1911115885 978-1911115960

04/02/20 02/10/18 19/11/19 01/05/16 01/10/16 12/09/18 01/04/16 17/09/19 11/07/19

Elnathan John Abubakar Adam Ibrahim Sarah Ladipo Manyika Sylvia Ofili & Birgit Weyhe Elnathan John & Alaba Onajin Peter Kimani Chris Abani (ed.)

H.J. Golakai H.J. Golakai Toni Kan Leye Adenle Leye Adenle Sangu Delle Elnathan John

Nights of the Creaking Bed Better Never Than Late A Small Silence In Dependence The Hundred Wells of Salaga When We Speak of Nothing Born on a Tuesday Season of Crimson Blossoms Like A Mule Bringing Ice Cream to The Sun German Calendar No December On Ajayi Crowther Street Nairobi Noir Lagos Noir The Score The Lazarus Effect The Carnivorous City When Trouble Sleeps Easy Motion Tourist Making Futures Be(com)ing Nigerian: A Guide

£11.99 £11.99 £11.99

£9.99

£9.99 £11.99

£9.99 £15.99 £15.99 £12.99 £12.99 £8.99 £8.99 £8.99 £8.99 £8.99 £16.99 £9.99

QTY

17

978-1911115595

26/04/18

She Called Me Woman

18 18 19

978-1911115496 978-1911115298 978-1911115168

16/10/18 15/10/16 07/05/16

19

978-1911115267

15/10/16

20

978-1911115106

01/09/16

20

978-1911115571

28/03/18

21 21

978-1911115434 978-1911115311

30/06/17 06/09/17

22

978-1913175054

07/04/20

22

978-1911115410

10/04/17

22

978-1911115427

10/04/17

23

978-1911115120

01/04/16

23

978-1911115137

01/04/16

23

978-1911115717

19/02/19

24

978-1911115670

12/09/18

24 25 25

978-1911115380 978-1911115151 978-1911115144

27/03/17 01/06/16 01/05/16

26 26 26 27

978-1911115199 978-1911115205 978-1911115236 978-1911115229

01/07/16 01/07/16 01/07/16 01/07/16

A Stranger’s Pose Highlife Giants Safe House: Explorations in Creative Nonfiction Longthroat Memoirs: Soups, Sex and Nigerian Taste Buds What Sunny Saw in The Flames Sunny & The Mysteries of Osisi The Hidden Star The Secret of the Purple Lake Princess Arabella at the Museum Princess Arabella Goes to School Princess Arabella and the Giant Cake Princess Arabella Mixes Colours Princess Arabella’s Birthday Princess Arabella is a Big Sister Hair, it’s a Family Affair!

Every Girl is a Princess A Fun ABC Mayowa and the Masquerades A Taste of Love Love's Persuasion The Elevator Kiss Black Sparkle Romance

27

978-1911115212

01/07/16

Finding Love Again

27

978-1911115182

01/07/16

A Tailor-made Romance

Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan & Rafeeat Aliyu Emmanuel Iduma John Collins Ellah Wakatama Allfrey (ed.)

£12.99

Yemisi Aribisala

£12.99

Nnedi Okorafor

£7.99

Nnedi Okorafor

£7.99

K. Sello Duiker Yaba Badoe

£7.99 £7.99

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

Mylo Freeman

£6.99

Mylo Freeman Sade Fadipe Lola Shoneyin

£9.99 £6.99 £6.99

Sifa Asani Gowon Ola Awonubi Amina Thula Amara Nicole Okolo Chioma IwunzeIbiam Oyindamola Affinnih

£5.99 £5.99 £5.99 £5.99

£10.99 £12.99 £12.99

£5.99 £5.99

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