Oi Gets Lost
Written by Lorna Likiza
Illustrated by Yevheniia Melnyk
Ages 6+ | 124 Pages
Publisher: Bright Lights Books | ISBN-13: 9781739985318
Publisher’s Synopsis: Set in Kenya, Oi is a naughty kitten who lives with his Mummy and siblings in an outdoor shed. Despite Mummy’s warnings, Oi has a tendency of wandering off and exploring. But one day, after nearly being attacked by a dog, Oi ends up in an unfamiliar neighborhood. And this time, he’s not sure he’ll be able to find his way back home…
Oi’s adventure is sure to delight children and cat-lovers alike.
‘A brave and vivid adventure’ —Ijeoma Isichei
‘A sheer delight for all kids, a gem of a story’ —Okenna Nzelu
Available for purchase on Amazon or Bright Lights Books.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lorna Likiza is a Kenyan writer, tutor of French, and Founder of the Heroe Book Fair. Oi Gets Lost is her first published book. She considers Literature as one of her passions and lives in Mombasa.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Life Is What It's Called - Why did you choose Kenya as the setting for Oi Gets Lost?
Lorna Likiza - I am a Kenyan and I believe in writing what I know. I also wanted Kenyan readers to relate to the setting in my book hence the choice.
Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write this particular story?
Lorna Likiza - Oi Gets Lost was actually a draft for the 2018 Golden Baobab Prize which is based in Ghana and targeted African Writers and Illustrators for Children. I was pleasantly surprised when it ended up being longlisted. So initially, when I wrote the draft, I was trying out for a literary prize but then, I had for a while felt like I needed to write a story about a cat because we had one at home when I was younger. And cats as you know them, can be quite cheeky at times.
Life Is What It's Called - How has your background helped you in writing this book?
Lorna Likiza - Growing up in Eldoret town, I read a lot and I wrote a lot. I have been writing fiction from the time I was 7 years old and now when I look back at it as an adult, I realize that I have written fiction for children much longer than anything else I have ever wrote. So without knowing it, I was constantly programming my mind towards writing for a younger readership and years later in 2017, when I first wrote the draft for Oi Gets Lost, it wasn’t very difficult to do it.
Life Is What It's Called - What do you want children to learn from reading your book?
Lorna Likiza - That reading for leisure is a fun thing to pick up as a hobby.
Life Is What It's Called - What do you think kids will like most about this story?
Lorna Likiza - Oi’s oopsy nature, I guess. He’s very curious and brave, but then he has a tendency of carelessness sometimes. I hope they like that as much as I do.
Life Is What It's Called - How do you think Oi Gets Lost could be used in a classroom setting?
Lorna Likiza - Basically the vocabulary and grammar aspect of it when teaching English. Excerpts of Oi Gets Lost can also be used when examining written comprehension understanding. The book can further be used for reading aloud sessions in class to test pronunciation.
Life Is What It's Called - Do you own a cat like the one in the story?
Lorna Likiza - I do not own any pets but perhaps in future I may own one. A cat or a gentle dog.
Life Is What It's Called - How does Oi Gets Lost stands out from other books on the market?
Lorna Likiza - Its quality and attention to detail is definitely a marker. And I also feel it’s a much needed addition to the ever increasing number of Children’s Books with African characters in them. The humans Oi interacts with are all African.
Life Is What It's Called - Will this book be translated into other languages?
Lorna Likiza - Yes, this is definitely in the plans. German should be the first translation then French can follow and hopefully, Swahili too which is my first language. It’s crucial that Kenyan kids not only get an opportunity to read in English but Swahili as well.
Life Is What It's Called - What are your next writing projects?
Lorna Likiza - I just finished writing the next book in The Oi Series because this will be a series of 3 books with Oi Gets Lost being the first. I regularly contribute to Culture Africa which is a Society and Culture Magazine that focuses on Africa and I do write Adult Fiction and Nonfiction. With the latter two, it’s mostly spontaneous but I do have hopes to publish books for adults as well in the near future. I love and appreciate the fact that I am able to do so thanks to this writing gift that God gave me.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a copy of Oi Gets Lost!
Ten (10) winners receive:
- A copy of Oi Gets Lost
Oi Gets Lost: Book Giveaway
This post is in partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Bright Lights Books.
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