African Queens: Incredible Stories of Africa’s Legendary Women Leaders
Onyinye Iwu
Walker Books

It’s great to see a book featuring amazing African queens in an accessible style that will inspire child readers. By means of captivating visual images, immediately engaging captions and factual paragraphs, Onyinye Iwu introduces youngsters to some impressive leaders – thinkers, warriors and protectors (a dozen in all) – from various civilisations that developed over many centuries.

First, we’re taken right back to circa 1504-1459 BCE to meet Queen Hatshepsut who became a pharaoh, ruling alongside her stepson. Her focus was on trading and during the years of her reign, Egypt grew exceedingly rich. Hatshepsut used some of this wealth to build huge temples, the most famous being the Temple of Deir-el-Bahri. After her death, her successors attempted to erase her memory but were not wholly successful.

New to me two women I was particularly drawn to are: Queen Arawelo and Queen Nyabinghi. Queen Arawelo did all she could to ensure that men and women were treated equally in her kingdom; awesome to see a peaceable ruler and one who fought for women’s equality in Somalia circa 15CE. Moving forwards in time, the other is Queen Nyabinghi (circa 1750-1800).

Not only did she give her all, including her life, to the people of Karagwe (she was murdered by her jealous husband), but her wisdom and desire for peace inspired Muhumuza, a wife of the King of Rwanda, some hundred years later who is remembered as a freedom fighter and spiritual leader.

I learned a lot from this absorbing book and think there should be a copy in all primary collections and on the shelves of all children with an interest in world history.