Age rating and parents' guide:Le jour où je quittai la maison pour la ville
by Lesley Koyi, Ursula Nafula
Ages 6–10
Le jour où je quittai la maison pour la ville by Lesley Koyi, Ursula Nafula is best for children aged 6–10. It has no violence, nothing scary, no romance and no bad language.
Leaving his rural village behind, a young boy boards a bustling long-distance bus headed for the big city. Surrounded by shouting touts, hustling hawkers, and weary travelers, he squeezes into a window seat with only a small bag and no pocket money. Over the nine-hour journey through heat and fatigue, he worries about his mother, his rabbits, and his seedlings back home, while quietly rehearsing the address of the uncle he must find once he arrives.
Content ratings
How much of each a parent can expect, from none to strong.
- Violence
- None
- Scary moments
- None
- Romance
- None
- Bad language
- None
Content checked by Dhiraj Bodade, co-founder of Bookstaken, on .
At a glance
- Picture book
Books like Le jour où je quittai la maison pour la ville
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Ages 6–10
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Mtoto Punda
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Poule et Aigle
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Long ago, none of the birds could fly. When a harsh famine forces Eagle to walk exhaustingly far for food, Hen suggests sewing fallen feathers together to make wings. Eagle shares her precious needle with the other birds, but when it is carelessly lost in the sand, a bitter debt transforms two close friends into lifelong rivals. A striking traditional pourquois tale explaining why chickens scratch the ground and flee the shadow of an eagle.
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When a hunter named Gingile hears the call of Ngede the honeyguide, he eagerly follows the bird to a wild fig tree brimming with honey. Gingile smokes out the bees and harvests the rich comb, but his greed gets the better of him: refusing to share even a scrap with the helpful bird, he heads home. Insulted and determined to teach him a lesson, Ngede waits for the perfect moment to lure the greedy hunter into an unforgettable surprise. This traditional Zulu folktale explores themes of reciprocity, wildlife respect, and the natural consequences of selfishness.
Ages 6–10
Als ich mein Zuhause verließ und in die Stadt zog
by Lesley Koyi, Ursula Nafula
Leaving his rural village behind, a young boy boards a bustling long-distance bus headed for the big city. Surrounded by shouting touts, hustling hawkers, and weary travelers, he squeezes into a window seat with only a small bag and no pocket money. Over the nine-hour journey through heat and fatigue, he worries about his mother, his rabbits, and his seedlings back home, while quietly rehearsing the address of the uncle he must find once he arrives.
Ages 6–10
L'enfant-âne
by Lindiwe Matshikiza
When a traveling mother gives birth to a donkey, the surrounding community turns away in fear of bad luck. Devoted to her unusual son, she raises him on her own, but growing up torn between animal instincts and human expectations proves agonizing. Following an explosive conflict, Donkey runs away into the wilderness, where an encounter with an enigmatic mentor offers wisdom, self-discovery, and the possibility of reconciliation.
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