‘Why did you write Super Lisu?’ A question I am often asked. Sometimes the answer flows off my tongue and sometimes, I hesitate, unsure of how to respond. I wonder where to start. I wonder if sharing my story would make any difference in whether they buy the book, or not. In the end, I realise it does not matter. I tell my story anyway, because stories need to be told. And Super Lisu started with my love for stories.
I start at the beginning. I fondly recall my childhood growing up in a publishing family, living and breathing books. I read with innocence, as children do, not ever questioning why the characters did not look like me. I believed all the mysterious places described in books were better, naturally, than my home town.
I like to say Super Lisu, the concept of a Kenyan Superhero with powers from her hair, was buried deep in my head for a long time. Too afraid to come out. Why? Because my subconscious voice was trained to believe that superheroes do not come from Kenya. Superheroes are not people of colour. There is only one accepted form of a superhero. My subconscious voice was loud.
Something clicked when I my had children. Call it an awakening. My life experiences had taught me the meaning of racism and ethnic discrimination, and the importance of diversity and inclusion. I became deliberate about what my children were reading. Stunned that the range of books on offer was so limited. Many of the same books I read as a child, or by the same old authors. This time, I ignored my subconscious voice. I knew better. The story buried in my head started taking shape. I was determined to do something for my children.
With Super Lisu, I found the courage to tell a different type of story, set in Nairobi, a modern African city. An aspirational, fun, and adventurous story that is representative. A story that challenges the common narrative on Africa, where poverty, villages and animals are not the central focus. A story that normalises a black African girl as a hero. A story that celebrates all that is different about afro hair. A story that inspires.
After publishing 3 books with East African Educational Publishers and number 4 on the way, I am no longer writing for my children. Every so often I get a message or picture from complete strangers, grateful for diverse content that has inspired their child, or excited that their daughter ‘has her afro out’ or simply passing a message that ‘he is waiting for book 4!’ Super Lisu is a different type of story, for those who dare to be different. In a long-winded answer to the question: I wrote Super Lisu for parents who crave for more representation and diversity in children’s content. I wrote Super Lisu for children from all walks of life to know that superheroes look like everyone and can come from anywhere – yes, even from your home town.
