Sala, Mountain Warrior
Wakanyi Hoffman and Onyinye Iwu
Otter-Barry Books


When Sala sees a poster announcing a school camping trip that involves climbing a mountain near her Grandmother’s village, she’s excited at the prospect but also rather worried. Nevertheless, with her Grandmother’s stories, encouragement and a week’s preparation, she registers for the climb – the only girl to do so. She wants to be brave like her Great-Grandfather.

Before the climbers leave, her Grandmother gives her a water gourd as a good luck present and after a long journey in the school bus, they reach the bottom of the mountain. There they make their base camp.


Early the following morning their mountain guide. Laibon, leads them on the first stage of the climb, which they do by afternoon. Next day , the climb is harder work and not everyone reaches the third campsite. Sala perseveres despite feeling a bit shaky and eventually gets to the field of ‘Forever Flowers’ as Laibon calls them, showing the girl his beads and giving her words of encouragement. That night Sala’s dream is of those pink flowers, but all too soon it’s time for the last leg of the climb. Setting off before sunrise, Sala starts to doubt herself.

Can she make that final push? Yes, with a special something given to her by Laibon.
Back at base camp after their descent, the climbers are greeted by the entire party and somebody unexpected is there too, with something extra special for Sala.


Author, Wakanyi Hoffman’s uplifting present-day story was inspired by her childhood memories of spending school holidays in the foothills of Mt. Kenya where her grandmothers passed down their indigenous knowledge and wisdom through the telling of stories. Onyinye Iwu (you will likely recognise her name if you’re familiar with the Too Small Tola tales) illustrates the text with a colour palette that captures the natural hues of the setting, the intricacy of the Samburu peoples’ beaded accessories and the feelings of the climbers, especially Sala.


An empowering book that deserves to be in every primary school collection.