I was so excited to interview our favourite Kids South African author! We love the Sophia's Safari series by Kayleigh Huysamen. They're a firm favourite in our house and my son loves that the children in the books are real life children and he can relate to some of their adventures. To have South African kids books where the topics are things he sees or has a high chance of seing in a local game park. And that Asher is a little boy just like him, they're even the same age! You can buy the Sophia Safari books, Fun on the Farm readers and a stunning collection of conservation books here on Amazon, Etsy or if you're in South Africa you can contact Kayleigh directy via email, Facebook or instagram. Those links are at the bottom of the interview.
What inspired the ideas for your books?
My husband and I farm in Pongola, Zululand and manage a game reserve in Mkuze. Living on the river and working in the bush while home-schooling our three little ones (Sophia, Asher and Isla-Mae) led me to create stories for our daily lessons. There is a lack of relatable stories for South African children, so I made my own. I started making stories about my children on the game farm while incorporating the alphabet and animals we encounter. This led to me creating actual story books for them which led to friends and family loving them and encouraging me to publish them. And so Wildkidsbooksa was born.
Are any scenes in the books based on real life events?
Yes. A lot of the stories are based on our actual adventures on the game reserve. A few stories are made up to allow for the alphabet flow but majority of them are real stories from our lives living in the bush. All the characters are real too.
What books are your favourites from the series?
This is a tough question. I have put so much love into every book that I honestly don’t think I can single out one in particular. The Kruger Guides were super fun to create as it was a family collaboration with everyone’s input and ideas from all our travels and holidays there over the years.
What is your writing process like?
I feel led to create literature that is relatable to South African children. More so in the home- schooling environment. There are some fabulous books available but certainly not enough. I have created a list (a very long, long list) of topics and subjects that I want to cover in future books. When I start a new book or series of books, I write down all my thoughts, ideas and outline the main topics. I will always keep the notebook with me as ideas seem to pop into my head at the most random of times. From there, I will start writing and once I start, I can’t stop. Once I am happy with my story, I start on the illustrations and putting it all together.
Do you do your own illustrations? Tell me about your process
In a nutshell, yes and no. I use digital art and create a lot of pieces like that. For photos and other elements that I want in my books that I can’t create or that I don’t have myself, I purchase (a good example is the Conservation book which is filled with photos). I also draw by hand and upload them. A story book coming out this year, Asher’s Amazing Adventure, are all hand drawn illustrations that I upload and then use a specific program to edit them on my computer.
What is your favourite childhood book?
A few stand out for me. Alice in wonderland by Lewis Carroll, The lion, the witch and the wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, Watership down by Richard Adams and Charlotte’s web by E. B. White to name just a few. Again, this list is also very, very long.
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
I do a happy dance! And then I sigh with relief.
If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
I do quite a bit besides writing already. Between the game reserve (which includes birding groups, hosting weddings, a study nyala breeding program and lodge), home-schooling my three bush children, writing my masters in ecology, starting a conservation club for kids and other hobbies (reading, painting, gardening, birding, and crochet), I think I would love to focus more on a specific conservation project, probably vultures.
Have pets or other animals ever gotten in the way of your writing?
Oh yes! From kittens sleeping on my keyboard, hens laying eggs under my desk, dogs stealing my chair to turkeys clucking for a treat – I am constantly being interrupted by our menagerie of pets! But I love them all and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Do you have a message for your readers?
Firstly, a huge thank you to every single person who has supported me on this adventure. I couldn’t have done it without all of you. Your encouragement and love for my books keeps me going. Secondly, take time to be present with your children. When they grow up, they won’t remember that TV show, but they will remember the memories of reading together. Go on adventures, even if it is a walk in your garden. Explore the outdoors and slow down to observe the little things. And lastly, buy books! You honestly cannot have enough!
Social media links
Instagram
Facebook
Webpage
Etsy shop
Thank you so much for this awesome interview, it was really nice getting to know the woman behind the books.
My husband and I farm in Pongola, Zululand and manage a game reserve in Mkuze. Living on the river and working in the bush while home-schooling our three little ones (Sophia, Asher and Isla-Mae) led me to create stories for our daily lessons. There is a lack of relatable stories for South African children, so I made my own. I started making stories about my children on the game farm while incorporating the alphabet and animals we encounter. This led to me creating actual story books for them which led to friends and family loving them and encouraging me to publish them. And so Wildkidsbooksa was born.
Are any scenes in the books based on real life events?
Yes. A lot of the stories are based on our actual adventures on the game reserve. A few stories are made up to allow for the alphabet flow but majority of them are real stories from our lives living in the bush. All the characters are real too.
What books are your favourites from the series?
This is a tough question. I have put so much love into every book that I honestly don’t think I can single out one in particular. The Kruger Guides were super fun to create as it was a family collaboration with everyone’s input and ideas from all our travels and holidays there over the years.
What is your writing process like?
I feel led to create literature that is relatable to South African children. More so in the home- schooling environment. There are some fabulous books available but certainly not enough. I have created a list (a very long, long list) of topics and subjects that I want to cover in future books. When I start a new book or series of books, I write down all my thoughts, ideas and outline the main topics. I will always keep the notebook with me as ideas seem to pop into my head at the most random of times. From there, I will start writing and once I start, I can’t stop. Once I am happy with my story, I start on the illustrations and putting it all together.
Do you do your own illustrations? Tell me about your process
In a nutshell, yes and no. I use digital art and create a lot of pieces like that. For photos and other elements that I want in my books that I can’t create or that I don’t have myself, I purchase (a good example is the Conservation book which is filled with photos). I also draw by hand and upload them. A story book coming out this year, Asher’s Amazing Adventure, are all hand drawn illustrations that I upload and then use a specific program to edit them on my computer.
What is your favourite childhood book?
A few stand out for me. Alice in wonderland by Lewis Carroll, The lion, the witch and the wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, Watership down by Richard Adams and Charlotte’s web by E. B. White to name just a few. Again, this list is also very, very long.
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
I do a happy dance! And then I sigh with relief.
If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
I do quite a bit besides writing already. Between the game reserve (which includes birding groups, hosting weddings, a study nyala breeding program and lodge), home-schooling my three bush children, writing my masters in ecology, starting a conservation club for kids and other hobbies (reading, painting, gardening, birding, and crochet), I think I would love to focus more on a specific conservation project, probably vultures.
Have pets or other animals ever gotten in the way of your writing?
Oh yes! From kittens sleeping on my keyboard, hens laying eggs under my desk, dogs stealing my chair to turkeys clucking for a treat – I am constantly being interrupted by our menagerie of pets! But I love them all and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Do you have a message for your readers?
Firstly, a huge thank you to every single person who has supported me on this adventure. I couldn’t have done it without all of you. Your encouragement and love for my books keeps me going. Secondly, take time to be present with your children. When they grow up, they won’t remember that TV show, but they will remember the memories of reading together. Go on adventures, even if it is a walk in your garden. Explore the outdoors and slow down to observe the little things. And lastly, buy books! You honestly cannot have enough!
Social media links
Webpage
Etsy shop
Thank you so much for this awesome interview, it was really nice getting to know the woman behind the books.
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