This collection of essays analyzes the work of 29 authors and illustrators. South African children's and youth literature has a long history. The country is the most prolific publisher of children's books on the continent, producing perhaps the highest quality literature in Africa. Its traditions resonate within the larger world of children's literature but are solidly grounded in African myth and archetypes. The African diaspora in the U.S. and elsewhere have stories rooted in these oral traditions.

Much has changed in South African literature for children since the 1994 transformation of the country. A field once dominated by all white and mostly female writers and illustrators has diversified, adding many new voices.