Springboks have a superpower.

They play the best rugby, of course.

Amabhokobhoko!

But … what if you have another superpower? What if your superpower is READING!

While the other Springboks are busy perfecting their rugby skills, Springbookaroo discovers his extraordinary superpower—READING!

Follow Springbookaroo’s journey as he tries to share the joy of reading with his mud-loving friends.

Can he convince them that books are anything but boring, even for an angry lion? Find out in this heartwarming story that celebrates the magic of books and the power of friendship.

Buy

Springbookaroo is available in all good bookshops.

Click here to buy it online from Lapa Publishers.

Click here to buy it from Takealot.

Click here to buy the ebook.

Note:

Springbookaroo is also available in Afrikaans as Springboekie.

Extract

1

The big scare

Not all springboks play rugby.

One springbok does something completely different.

He reads books. Many, many books.

His name is SPRINGBOOKAROO!

But his friends just galled him Bookaroo.

One day, Bookaroo stood in front of his bookshelf. It was carved from a large tree trunk. Thick bushes grew around the tree. That’s why you could hardly see the bookshelf and the small clearing in front of it. That’s where Bookaroo always sat around, reading – just like one day in summer.

His eyes wandered over all the books. Which one should he read next?

He chewed his tongue as he thought.

He scratched his head with his hoof as he wondered.

He pursed his lips as he decided.

“AAH!” Bookaroo shouted loudly. He pulled a thick book from the shelf. THE BIG BOOK OF FAIRY TALES.

Bookaroo lay down on his back in front of the bookshelf. The mat of woven grass was soft beneath him. He rolled a wild watermelon in under his head – carefully, so it wouldn’t get caught on his short horns. Then he opened the book. It had the most beautiful pictures of warthog fairies, crow kings, and tortoise soldiers. Bookaroo’s favourite was a skunk mermaid.

Bookaroo found the first story in the book. Pure joy shivered through him. What adventure lay ahead in the story today?

“One day, there was …” he read.

Suddenly, there was a loud roar.

GRRR-RRR-RRR-AUUU!

Bookaroo slammed the book shut. His whole body turned cold. His tail twitched nervously.

GRRR-RRR-RRR-AUUU!

GRRR-RRR-RRR-AUUU!

Goodness grazeland, it was a lion!

Bookaroo leaped to his feet. He skipped around, frantically. His legs twisted like vines.

Ouff! He tripped over his book.

He flew back up.

His eyes widened to the size of ostrich eggs.

His heart thumped thumped thumped wildly in his chest.

He wanted to bolt away.

But he bumped right into something rock hard that left him dazed.

THE LION!