Ellen Banda-Aaku Knihy

Winner of the Penguin Prize for African Writing 2010 (fiction). Destined from birth to inhabit two very different worlds - that of her father, the wealthy Joseph Sakavungo, and that of her mother, his mistress - this emotive tale takes us to the heart of a young girl's attempts to come to terms with her own identity and fashion a future for herself from the patchwork of the life she was born into. Beautifully constructed, warm and wise, this is a novel that will transport the reader to a world in which we can all become more of the sum of our parts.

Set in a Lusaka suburb, this engaging story follows a young girl as she navigates the challenges of adolescence. Through her journey, themes of growth and self-discovery are explored, capturing the essence of coming-of-age experiences. Ellen Banda-Aaku's debut work, which garnered the prestigious Macmillan Writer's Prize for Africa in 2004, offers a poignant look at the struggles and triumphs of youth.