Books
Tololwa Mollel has written sixteen children's books, among them award winning titles such as The Orphan Boy, Rhinos for Lunch and Elephants for Supper!, Big Boy and My Rows and Piles of Coins. His books have been published in Canada, the U.S., England, Australia and Tanzania where he was born, and they have been translated into various Southern African languages and into Korean. Mollel's passion for writing grew out of his love of books and the written word early in his childhood. His love of the written word, and later performance, grew out of his life with his grandparents in Tanzania where words were and are still all important.
Books
Reviews of Books by Tololwa Mollel
The Orphan Boy
...magical.
— Books in Canada
...excellent...
— Newsweek
...makes convincing contact with that deep vein of folklore where...the child is the central figure
— The New York Times Review
The Flying Tortoise
...a delicious feast
— The Calgary Herald
The Flying Tortoise, the Play
...irresistible...
— The Edmonton Journal
A Promise to the Sun
...a rare book that, once read, leaves the mind uplifted by its prose and stimulated by its images.
— The London Times Educational Supplement
The Princess Who Lost Her Hair
...a lively and appealing retelling
— School Library Journal
Big Boy
...an engaging adventure story.
— The New York Review of Books
...a resonant tale
— Maclean's Magazine
Kele's Secret
A warm family story with universal appeal, lovingly told
— School Library Journal
Ananse's Feast
Full of trickery and comeuppance...[it] will have children cheering
— School Library Journal
With its well-cadenced text and witty, colorful illustrations, this picture book makes a rewarding choice for reading aloud
— ALA Booklist
Dume's Roar
Begs to be read aloud
— The Edmonton Journal
Kitoto the Mighty
Compelling
— Kirkus
Song Bird
An engaging and well told story
— Booklist
expressive watercolor illustrations.
— Kirkus
My Rows and Piles of Coins
Deft and effective
— School Library Journal (starred review)
...a delightful story, full of episodes and images worth savoring
— Quill and Quire (starred review)
Subira Subira
A subtle message, which avoids didacticism through the simplicity of its language and the power of its illustrations. (pointer review)
— Kirkus
...compelling adaptation (starred review)
— Publishers Weekly
(A) marriage of a poignantly written tale with sophisticated artwork...A book all libraries will want to own... (starred review)
— School Library Journal
To Dinner, for Dinner
Great fun for both teller and audience,...a sure winner.
— School Library Journal
Awards and Honors for Books by Tololwa Mollel
The Orphan Boy
- The Governor General's Award
- Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts
- Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
- Parents' Choice Storybook Award
- American Booksellers Association (ABA) Pick of the Lists
- Amelia Howard-Gibbon Award
- Elizabeth Cleaver Award
- Canadian Library Association Notable Books List
- Canadian Children Book Centre (CCBC) Our Choice List (an annual list of 30 best children's books in Canada)
To Dinner, for Dinner
- Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
- Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Book Award
Subira Subira
- Nominated for the Kansas Reading Association Bill Martin, Jr. Award
My Rows and Piles of Coins
- Alberta Writers Guild R. Ross Annett Childrens Literature Prize.
- African Studies Association Children's Africana Award
- Coretta Scott King Honor Book
- American Library Association (ALA) Notable Book
- CCBC Our Choice List (starred selection)
- ALA list of the year's 10 best African-American books for children
- Canadian Maclean's Magazine's list of the year's 8 best children's books
Kitoto the Mighty
- CCBC Our Choice List
Dume's Roar
- CCBC Our Choice List
Ananse's Feast
- ABA Pick of the Lists
- CCBC Our Choice List
Big Boy
- Canadian Library Association Honour Book
- Writers Guild of Alberta Award for Children's Literature
- CCBC Our Choice List
The Flying Tortoise
- ABA Pick of the Lists
- A Bank Street College Children's Book of the Year
- Nominated for the Ontario's Silver Birch Award
- CCBC Our Choice List
The King and the Tortoise
- Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
- CCBC Our Choice List
A Promise to the Sun
- Honorable Mention, California Children's Media Awards
- CCBC Our Choice List
Rhinos for Lunch and Elephants for Supper
- Florida Reading Association Award
- Nominated for the Georgia Reading Association Award
- CCBC Our Choice List