Children's books in order

Q: "How many books are in the Children's series?"

"There are four books in the Children's series, published between 1966 and 1977."

Q: "What is the first book in the Children's series?"

"The first book in the Children's series is Chike and the River, published in 1966."

Q: "What is Chike and the River about?"

"Chike and the River follows a young Igbo boy named Chike who moves from his village to the city of Onitsha and becomes fascinated by the Niger River. Desperate to cross it by ferry, he gets caught up in an adventure that teaches him about the wider world. It was published in 1966 and remains one of the most widely read children's books in Nigerian schools."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Chike and the River	1966	Chinua Achebe	Buy
2	How the Leopard Got His Claws	1973	Chinua Achebe	Buy
3	The Drum	1977	Chinua Achebe	Buy
4	The Flute	1977	Chinua Achebe	Buy

Chinua Achebe wrote four children’s books between 1966 and 1977. Chike and the River (1966) is the most widely read, telling the story of a village boy who moves to the bustling city of Onitsha and longs to cross the Niger River. It has been a classroom staple in Nigeria for decades. How the Leopard Got His Claws (1973), co-written with John Iroaganachi, is an allegorical tale about how a gentle leopard is betrayed by the other animals and forced to become a hunter.

The Drum and The Flute, both published in 1977, are shorter picture books drawn from traditional Igbo folktales. All four books reflect Achebe’s interest in passing down stories to younger generations and keeping oral traditions alive in written form. They are simpler in style than his adult fiction, but they carry the same attention to community, fairness, and the consequences of how people treat one another.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Children's series?

There are four books in the Children’s series, published between 1966 and 1977.

What is the first book in the Children's series?

The first book in the Children’s series is Chike and the River, published in 1966.

What is Chike and the River about?

Chike and the River follows a young Igbo boy named Chike who moves from his village to the city of Onitsha and becomes fascinated by the Niger River. Desperate to cross it by ferry, he gets caught up in an adventure that teaches him about the wider world. It was published in 1966 and remains one of the most widely read children’s books in Nigerian schools.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order