The Elders at the Door — Maryanne Bester

Early one morning three tired, dirty, hungry elders â€" Blessing, Wisdom and Love â€" knock on the door of a family home. The family wishes to invite them in but they can only choose one visitor to enter their home. Which of the three do they pick? This fable is told across the continent and belongs to all of Africa and its people. Although the setting and characters are quintessentially African â€" from the rhythms of their speech to the patterns on their clothes â€" the message is universal. This is a book for every child and family. Well written and beautifully illustrated, this book will have children wanting to read it over and over again. This story originally appeared in the Sunday Times Storytime: 10 South African Stories for Children in 2014.