About the Book
From two award-winning teams of South African artists, writers and animators, these middle grade fantasy graphic novels take readers on an adventure to the fabled waters of Africa, where ancient creatures slumber in the deep and two powerful young women must discover their destinies.
In KARIBA, a young girl's strange abilities to manipulate water grow out of control. When Siku's father goes to the Kariba Dam in search of a cure and never returns, she set off on a dangerous journey to find him, through Zimbabwe's rugged jungles, elephant graveyards, and ancient ruins. On the run from pirates, bootleggers, and shape-shifting prophets ready to use her power to their own advantage, Siku soon discovers a terrible secret that will change her life--and her people--forever.
In Pearl by the Sea, a young freediver named Pearl struggles to fit into her life on land in her impoverished South African town, where her father can't pay the bills, and every encounter with her crush Naomi seems to go horribly wrong. But when Pearl meets a giant sea monster in need of a friend, she'll need help from the people she loves--and her one-eyed pup sidekick--to save him from evil poachers.
About the Author :
Anthony Silverston is partner and Head of Development at Triggerfish Animation Studios where he oversees a slate of projects including Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire with Disney+, Mama K's Team 4 with Netflix, and Kiya with Disney, eOne and Frogbox, and a number of feature films and TV series. In 2015, he oversaw the Story Lab, which developed 4 feature films and 4 TV series chosen from a continent-wide search that drew almost 1400 entries. He directed and co-wrote the feature film Khumba and written on Seal Team and Zambezia. Silverston was also producer of the short films Troll Girl and Belly Flop which screened at over 135 festivals and won 14 awards.
Raffaella Delle Donne has over fifteen years of experience in the animation industry developing and creating content for Disney, eOne, Wekids, Snipple Animation, Netflix, Baobab Studios and Triggerfish Animation Studios. She was the TV Development Executive for the Triggerfish Studios/Disney Storylab that incubated Mama K's Team 4 and co-wrote the award-winning features Adventures in Zambezia and Khumba. Raffaella is currently a writer and Executive Creative Consultant on Kiya and the Kimoja Heroes, a new preschool show slated for release on Disney.
Willem Samuel is a visual artist working in animation and comic books. His comic work has featured in zines internationally, including the cult series Bitterkomix and the award-winning online anthology Aces Weekly. Previously, Willem Art Directed the pan-African comic Supa Strikas, which was adapted into an animated series. More recently he served as Head of Story on the animated feature Seal Team as well as creating concept art for the Warhammer+ streaming series, Hammer & Bolter.
Daniel Clarke is a Cape Town-based artist working in animation, film and illustration. As an illustrator and designer he has worked with clients such as Netflix, Animal Logic, The Line, National Geographic Kids, Nike, Adidas, and Penguin Random House. Daniel has worked as an illustrator, production designer, and art director for international feature films such as Chronicle, The Giver, and Chappie, the feature film Khumba, BBC's Stick Man and Snail and the Whale. Daniel recently directed Aau's Song, a Star Wars: Visions film from Lucasfilm, available on Disney+.
James Clarke was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and educated at the University of Cape Town, where he studied history and literature and completed his Masters in Creative Writing as a Harry Crossley Fellow. In 2016, he was the South Africa finalist in fiction for the PEN International New Young Voices Award.
Daniel Snaddon is an artist, illustrator, and film director of Scottish-South African and Chinese-Australian descent. He has worked in the animation and film industries for fourteen years, best known for his work with Triggerfish Animation Studios and with Magic Light Pictures' animated BBC Christmas specials. Among these, Daniel served as animation supervisor on the Academy Award nominated "Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes", co-director on the BAFTA nominated "Stick Man", and as director on both the Annie award winning "The Snail and the Whale" and the International Emmy winning "Zog". Daniel's most recent work, his fourth Magic Light Pictures Christmas special, "The Smeds and the Smoos", based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (authors of The Gruffalo), was awarded the Audience Award at the New York International Children's Film Festival in March 2023. Daniel served as the founding director of CTIAF, South Africa's premiere animation festival, for 4 years.
Review :
PRAISE FOR PEARL OF THE SEA
"[A] stupendous WOW. [...] Into an undeniably exhilarating narrative, the South African creative team manages to deftly weave in resonating issues, from environmental destruction to socioeconomic struggles to familial dysfunctions. Silverston, Samuel, and Delle Donne are undoubtedly master storytellers." --Booklist (starred review)
"A heartfelt tale. This steady coming-of-age journey tackles the complexities of poaching while showcasing Pearl's journey to let people into her life." -- Kirkus Reviews
[A] heartwarming, adventurous sea tale. [...] A fast-paced graphic novel about making friends in unlikely places and opening up your heart after experiencing grief." -- School Library Journal
" Pearl of the Sea is a vibrant coastal coming-of-age story with secrets, monsters, and thrills throughout." -- Foreword Reviews
"A winning story of friendship, nature, and trust." -- Publishers Weekly
"Original, entertaining, and memorable, Pearl of the Sea is especially and unreservedly recommended." -- Midwest Book Review
PRAISE FOR KARIBA
"Kariba is a mystical graphic novel about magic, self-discovery, and the delicate balance between human ambition and the natural world." -- Foreword Reviews, Starred Review
[A]n astonishing fairy tale [...] The art is utterly breathtaking throughout, saturated with sumptuous color, enhanced with stupendous details, vivid with energy and action. A wow-inducing phenomenal gift to be treasured." -- Booklist, Starred Review
"This fast-paced work, full of daring acts and highlighting Siku's powerful voice, has a backdrop inspired by colonial history. The illustrations are reminiscent of an animated feature, with strong facial expressions and vivid hues. [...] A dynamic, mystical coming-of-age story." -- Kirkus Reviews
"[KARIBA] is an African fantasy-adventure graphic novel without comparison. The artworks draw the reader into Africa in a stunning appreciation for nature. The use of language, symbolism and engaging dialogue helps to keep one foot of the reader in African culture, and the other in global myth. [A] story that cannot be ignored." -- World Kid Lit
"[A]nother stellar addition to Catalyst Press' catalog of African books published for North American readers." -- BooksYALove
"Libraries interested in increasing their selection of African stories would do well to consider adding this book to their collections." -- Global Literature in Libraries Initiative (GLLI)
"A riveting coming-of-age story that intertwines magic and history." -- Blogcritics
