But in thinking about the books that I read while growing up and the books that I’ve researched, I keep asking myself: where are all the African children’s literature writers? Why aren’t there more books being produced? Have we, as African writers, moved away from this pride and responsibility of rearing conscious, confident, and self-aware African children?

Many parents want their kids to develop a lifelong culture of reading and writing. But from the desire to the reality, there are huge...