Children's books for a family trip to Kenya and safari

Children's books for a family safari in Kenya, from native Kenyan author Muthoni Muchemi to playful savanna tales.

Updated

Try Hermo free

A story set where you are headed can turn the journey into part of the trip. For Kenya and safari, that means children's books by authors and illustrators from Kenya and safari, starting with Attack of the Shidas by Muthoni Muchemi. Below are three books worth packing, each available in English with links to find them at Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Best local older-child pick
Attack of the Shidas
Muthoni Muchemi · ages 9-15 · illustrated story

Three children put aside their differences to save their desert town from invisible enemies, by a native Kenyan author.

Best local school pick
Kamau's Finish
Muthoni Muchemi · ages 7-11 · story

A Kenyan running story, taught as world literature in schools in the US and UK.

Best younger safari-animal pick
Greedy Zebra
Mwenye Hadithi, illustrated by Adrienne Kennaway · ages 3-7 · picture book

A playful tale of how savanna animals got their features; by a British author who grew up in Kenya.

More destinations in Africa

Egypt · Morocco

← See all destinations

The half-term dates are already in an email somewhere

Hermo is the AI family assistant that lives in WhatsApp. It reads the family emails, turns the dates and to-dos into a shared list and calendar both partners can see, and reminds you about things like half-term while there is still time to plan.

Try Hermo free