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Vivian Uwakwe is an author and illustrator who takes pride in her African heritage. In 2022, she won a $1,000 scholarship to SPMS (Self Publishing Made Simple), a 12-week workshop run by accomplished children’s book authors April Cox and Bobbie Hinman. Since then, she has been on a mission to document all the stories her father, a fantastic storyteller, told her as a child.

She has been rewriting several African folktales and also creating original, interactive children’s storybooks plus accompanying activity books in simple, modern language with beautiful, vibrant illustrations to capture the minds of young kids around the world.

Her children’s picture book, How The Tortoise Broke Its Shell (An African Folktale), secured the coveted number one Best Sellers Rank in the Children’s African Folk Tales & Myths category on Amazon; an impressive accomplishment that highlights her expertise and creativity in the realm of children’s literature.

African folktales are usually full of humor but end up teaching moral lessons. Village griots and the elderly typically do storytelling among several African tribes. The young listeners pass on the torch by retelling these stories from generation to generation. Vivian considers herself a modern-day African griot.

In addition to her work for children, Vivian has designed several other Afrocentric books and stationery, including notebooks, journals, coloring, and activity books, all available on Amazon. She prides herself on bringing diversity and representation to the global art scene through her Afrocentric designs. She infuses a unique twist of African culture into her designs, making them appealing to audiences worldwide.

To see more of Vivian’s work and follow her creative process, visit her official website or social media.