Lagos-based literary magazine The Republic is doing something new and exciting! They’re launching Little Republic, an interactive children’s book series designed to introduce young readers to Africa’s cultural heritage and storytelling traditions. The first edition focuses on African music, and if you’re in Lagos on December 6th, you can celebrate its launch at the Fela Kuti: Afrobeat Rebellion Exhibition.

The first edition of Little Republic, produced in collaboration with the French Embassy in Nigeria, celebrates five African music icons: Papa Wemba, the King of Rumba Rock; Cesária Évora, the Barefoot Diva of Cape Verde; Atanasio Ndongo Miyone, the voice of Equatorial Guinea’s dream; Angélique Kidjo, the voice of freedom; and Onyeka Onwenu, Nigeria’s Elegant Stallion. Through original writing and illustrations, the book invites young readers to experience the sounds and stories that have shaped the continent.

Little Republic addresses a gap in African children’s literature, where access to culturally specific books remains limited. The series aims to provide young readers with stories rooted in African contexts and featuring African cultural figures. It’s an immersive introduction to the role music plays in cultural and intergenerational pride and identity.

See photos culled from The Republic’s Social Media page below: