It all begins with falling in love with books …
STEPi publishes children’s books that encourage empathy, self-awareness and inclusivity, and focuses on the emotional development of children. Each book has specific themes that deal with a child’s real, everyday life so that they can relate to the characters and see themselves in each story.
We work with a wide range of communities to help better their literacy skills and change lives by creating opportunities. You can read all the STEPi books online below. Contact us if you are making a literacy difference in your community and what your community needs are.
STEPi Kids Books
Come along on this wonderful adventure with young Pantone. We learn many things together on this journey, such as how to cope with strong feelings, how to navigate difficult situations about people and their differences, as well as the power of apology and forgiveness.
This book covers sensitive topics such as bigotry and prejudice in a mindful and open way, hopefully conveying the message that above all, we are all people with the same heart and soul.
Illustrated by Jasmyne White
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This fantastic book is about a young boy who is learning to manage and identify his emotions through the help of different yoga poses. This book helps the reader learn to connect with their emotions and body to help gain mastery over their physical and emotional responses to life.
Illustrated by Bronwyn Webb
This story is about a young autistic boy named Adroa who moves to his grandparents farm with his sister. This book explains the importance of making accommodations for those who need them, such as people on the autism spectrum and others who are neurodivergent. Accepting that brains and emotions can work differently for others is often harder to understand, but is an important part of any person’s development.
Illustrated by Vicki Venter
Fatima is a young girl from a small village in Senegal known for their chariot racing. Each year, chariot racers from all around the country come to Fatima’s village to join the chariot race. This year, Fatima wants to join the chariot race too! But she can't do it on her own, she needs help. Come along on this journey with Fatima and her friends as they help her prepare for her first ever chariot race.
Illustrated by Ashley Mwalimu
This book brings to light an important message about courage, and how to stand for justice by practicing values, virtues, and love. Justice stands up to a bully and befriends her, showing the importance of love and empathy. Inspired by the many world heroes who have stood up for justice – like Nelson Mandela, Malala, and many others. This is the perfect story to teach children about standing up for what’s right and helping others.
Illustrated by Muwanga Daniel
Facebook: @muwanga.daniel
Sharon's Song is a practical book designed to help girls, boys, teachers, and caregivers discover values, virtues and optimism within themselves as the building blocks for healthy relationships. It will also help children discover their own character strengths, as well as determine their own value and virtues. This book is perfect for anyone wanting to teach children about important life matters such as empathy in a fun and captivating way.
Illustrated by Muwanga Daniel
Facebook: @muwanga.daniel
A young monkey finds himself in an unexpected situation when he stumbles into the home of a family who love to take walks outside, read books and eat chapati. They decide to care for the young monkey, showing him a new way of life. This is a tale of acceptance, compassion and great love; a story of the warmth and comfort of a forever family. This is the perfect story to show children that love can come from anyone.
Illustrated and designed
by Mwesigwa Benjamin
Sometimes, we feel happy, and sometimes, we feel sad! In this story, Happy Girl teaches us that it's okay to feel all kinds of different emotions, no matter whether they are positive or negative. We learn that emotional intelligence is a foundational character strength in how we choose to live in the world. This book, with its important message about emotions, is necessary for showing children that you can be successful and still experience all emotions healthily.
Illustrated by Ashley Mwalimu
Designed by Tarryn Rennie
See the Teacher Guide here to accompany this book.
On Smelly Fish Island, a young girl named Tipti Mara tells her story about stepping in fish pies, riding in a boat to the hospital, reading books, getting in trouble, and helping to save her island from some bad men. Tipti also adds a story for big kids and adults to read at the end of the book. Smelly Fish Island is a STEPi storybook designed, imagined, printed, illustrated and edited in Africa, especially for Africa’s children.
Illustrated by Nes Blundel and Kerry Moolman, Designed by Kadi
See the Teacher Guide here to accompany the book.
This illustrated story book is an adventure tale of a young African girl called Amani who dares to dream. Transcending societal norms, expectations, and restrictions, she ultimately becomes a successful female, commercial boda-boda rider in Kampala, Uganda. Amani displays the value of courage and determination in this incredible story. This book is the perfect tool to teach children that they can achieve their dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem.
Illustrated by Bahizi Jovan
This is a delightful, captivating book about tolerance. It is a tale of two sets of children living on opposite sides of a tree. Calamity ensues when they try to learn more about each other, but ultimately they discover that the positive virtues of love, tolerance, friendship, respect, connection, and curiosity form the foundation for a lasting friendship. This book is perfect for anyone wanting to teach children the value of tolerance and unity.
Illustrated by Abel Rutaro
Can a small, peaceful, happy tribe living in an African jungle save the world? Let yourself be inspired to change the world in this captivating story about a community of youth and grandparents who fight to save their environment. This book has the important message of standing up for your community, no matter how big or small it may be. It’s an interesting and captivating tale of courage and perseverance.
Illustrated by Bahizi Jovan
Feel the love, comfort, security, and happiness that radiates from the pages as you follow along the survival tale of two unlikely friends who venture across the savanna only for them to find their forever family. The lion and snake end up spending time together and telling fun imagination stories on the journey. This is the perfect book for a young child seeking an adventure story involving unlikely friends.
Illustrated by Abel Rutaro
This is a lovely storybook written by Dennis Warner based on his song, We Are All Beads On One String. It shows children how we are all connected no matter our differences, and that we should all be treated with the same amount of respect, love and kindness.
Note: The physical book is only available for distribution in Africa through STEPi.
This simple book has been designed to guide parents, caregivers, teachers, and clergy with tools and understanding so that our children can thrive now and into adulthood. Simply, parenting takes work; it is a skill that can be learned and developed through reading, classes, observation, experience, and study. This small booklet is meant to be a brief introduction to parenting to help us build a strong, resilient, loving world for all children no matter their circumstances.
Designed by Tarryn Rennie
This simple book has been designed to guide parents, caregivers, teachers, and clergy with tools and understanding so that our children can thrive now and into adulthood. Simply, parenting takes work; it is a skill that can be learned and developed through reading, classes, observation, experience, and study. This small booklet is meant to be a brief introduction to parenting to help us build a strong, resilient, loving world for all children no matter their circumstances.
Designed by Tarryn Rennie
STEPi also develops its own resources and tools to assist teachers, parents, researchers, educationalists, caregivers and others who wish to see well-run, grassroots-oriented programs that work to help children in their communities. Additionally, view the full STEPi catalogue below.