Bouba and Zaza Help their friends

For the first time, Africa has a series of children's books developed by Africans to meet African challenges. Despite the young age of its target audience (3 - 8), the Bouba and Zaza series, "Childhood Cultures", freely examines serious subjects. Its stories are set in contemporary society and portray early childhood and its problems. To break with the secrecy and silence that go hand in hand with AIDS, the violence done by those who violate the physical integrity of children, and war-induced traumas, the publisher has adopted an educational approach, using fiction to examine the questions children may ask themselves and the answers they need.
Among the themes chosen are: AIDS; Children in an emergency situation (sexual abuse); The culture of peace and non-violence (scars left by war); Accepting difference, tolerance (living with a disability); Children faced with natural disasters (earthquakes, droughts, etc.); Protection of the environment, education in sustainable development; Identity, cultural identity; Remembering to say "thank you"; Respect for elder people and respect for each other; The importance of water; Safety, protection (the dangers of the street and domestic risks); Hygiene, health and diet.
From the very first years of school, there is a fundamental need to organise the way the rules governing community life are taught. Young children gain their first experience of socialization at nursery school, outside the family circle. In short, this series of books encourages mutual respect in children, tomorrow's adults, with as many shared activities and as much constructive interaction as possible. It teaches them to manage their impulses and live in a community.
The series is intended to bring substantial improvement in the quality of education and to democratize information on contemporary topics of the first importance for Africa's sustainable development. It is designed for children of both preschool and primary school age, as well as for parents and teachers.