8 Year Old Bontle Ndhlovu Publishes Her First Book

Dreaming Big Helps Bold Young Author Publish Her First Book

“If you can dream, you can do it.” This quote, attributed to Walt Disney, has inspired many people to pursue their passion, no matter how daunting or impossible it seemed.

For Bontle Ndhlovu, following her dreams paid off – with the support of her family, the 8-year-old published her first book in 2021. Titled THE OCEANIC OXY RESCUE MISSION, the book tells the story of a family’s ocean adventure.

According to the young author, she was inspired to write her own story after watching a television show. “I saw an episode of Octonauts in which sea animals were rescued and loved it so much. It inspired me.” At only seven years old, Bontle was unable to write the story herself, so she asked her mom to type it for her.

Once typed, Bontle’s mom, Refilwe, sent it to her illustrator colleague, Maxine Naidoo to work her magic. Through her illustrations of The Oceanic Oxy Rescue Mission, Maxine brought to life, a perfect depiction of Bontle’s imagination.

“When I first saw the illustrations, I was so excited because it was exactly as I had imagined it!”  I am glad we worked with Maxine, she had creative freedom but understood that the characters had to look like my family,” explains Bontle.

THE OCEANIC OXY RESCUE MISSION tells the story of Nyla and her family who are attacked by three sharks while enjoying a relaxing boat ride. The family is then rescued by Oxy and the Dolphins. “It’s a fun book about adventure,” says Bontle, who enjoys reading adventure stories herself. “I think children should read it because it’s cool and full of imagination. There are also some fun educational activities at the end of the book.”

Bontle has loved stories from a young age. “My mom started reading me books when I was little, and I think that’s where my love for stories comes from. I’ve always loved telling stories.”

Refilwe explains that when visiting bookstores, Bontle would often ask if her books could one day be on the shelves. “I used to tell her that anything is possible and that if she wrote her own stories, it could get published and sold in stores. I think that inspired her.”

She adds: “When Bontle came to me with her story, I wanted to help her realise her dream, so I typed it for her and reached out to Maxine, and we got to work. We received the printed copies a few days before Bontle’s eighth birthday. It was a long process, but the joy on her face when she saw her first book made everything worthwhile.” For Bontle, it was an inspiring experience. “Writing and publishing my book taught me that anything is possible.”

In addition to loving stories and languages (English and Sepedi), she is an avid reader, swimmer, singer, and dancer. She is also a toy enthusiast, enjoys playing with her friends and loves animals.

While publishing her first book was a dream come true, Bontle was also selected as a local role model by H&M in their global Role Models Campaign, an initiative aimed at empowering young voices, in 2021.

As for what she plans to do after school, she is keeping her options open. “I want to be a firefighter or surgeon because I want to save lives. Or the first scientist to create something magical. I also want to be a teacher because I want to help children,” she says. Luckily, as she is only in Grade 3, there is no pressure to decide just yet. She is, however, already working on more stories in the Adventures with Bontle-series.

The young storyteller with the big dreams has a special message for children and adults alike: “Kids with big dreams should not be scared to chase them. If you work hard, you can do whatever you want. Adults must also follow their dreams and must never give up.”

THE OCEANIC OXY RESCUE MISSION (R90) by Bontle Ndhlovu can be ordered from www.refilwern.com or https://www.ethnikids.africa/.

About Bontle Ndhlovu

Bontle Ndhlovu is an eight-year-old author from Pretoria, South Africa.

She published her first book, The Oceanic Oxy Rescue Mission, in 2021. She was also selected as a local role model by H&M in their global Role Models Campaign, an initiative aimed at empowering young voices, that same year.

Bontle has loved stories from a young age; a love that was fostered by her mother reading her stories from birth. This, along with the support and encouragement of her family to pursue her dreams, inspired her to write her first book.

An only child, Bontle lives with her parents in Pretoria. In addition to loving stories and languages (English and Sepedi), she is an avid reader, swimmer, singer, and dancer. She is also a toy enthusiast, enjoys playing with her friends and loves animals.

The young storyteller is already working on the next book in the Adventures with Bontle-series.

Kids with big dreams should not be scared to chase them. If you work hard, you can do whatever you want. Adults must also follow their dreams and must never give up.”


Groot Drome Motiveer Dapper Jong Skrywer Om Haar Erste Boek To Publiseer

As jy dit kan droom, kan jy dit doen.” Hierdie aanhaling, deur Walt Disney, het al baie mense geïnspireer om hulle drome na te jaag, ongeag van hoe onmoontlik dit op daardie stadium gelyk het.

Bontle Ndhlovu het besluit om ’n kans op haar droom te waag en, met die ondersteuning van haar gesin, het hierdie agtjarige dit reggekry om haar eerste boek te publiseer. THE OCEANIC OXY RESCUE MISSION is ’n boek wat die storie vertel van ’n gesin se see-avonture.

Volgens die jong skrywer, het ’n televisieprogram haar geïnspireer om ’n boek te skryf. “Ek het ’n episode van Octonauts gesien waarin seediere gered is en ek was mal daaroor. Dit was my inspirasie.” Omdat sy slegs sewe jaar oud was, moes Bontle haar ma vra om die storie vir haar te tik.

Toe die storie op papier vasgevang is, het haar ma – Refilwe – dit vir die illustreerder, Maxine Naidoo, gestuur om te illustreer. “Maxine het wondere verrig om Bontle se woorde in pragtige prentjies te omskep,” sê Refilwe.

Toe ek die illustrasies vir die eerste keer sien, was ek so opgewonde omdat dit presies was wat ek in gedagte gehad het! Ek is so bly ons het saam met Maxine gewerk. Sy het kreatiewe vryheid gehad, maar het verstaan dat die karakters soos my familie moes lyk,” verduidelik Bontle.

THE OCEANIC OXY RESCUE MISSION vertel die storie van Nyla en haar gesin wat tydens ’n bootrit deur drie haaie aangeval word. Hulle word gered deur Oxy en die Dolfyne. “Dit is ’n prettige boek oor avontuur,” sê Bontle, wat self baie van sulke tipe stories hou. “Ek dink mense moet dit lees, want dis oulik. Daar is ook lekker aktiwiteite aan die einde van die boek.”

Bontle was van kleins af lief vir stories. “My ma lees al vir my vandat ek klein is en dit het my lief gemaak vir boeke. Ek was nog altyd mal daaroor om my eie stories op te maak en te vertel.”

Refilwe verduidelik dat wanneer hulle boekwinkel toe gegaan het, Bontle gereeld gewens het dat haar boek eendag op die rak sou wees. “Ek het vir haar gesê dat enigiets moontlik is en dat as sy ’n boek skryf, dit gepubliseer en in winkels verkoop kan word. Ek dink dit het haar gemotiveer.”

Sy voeg by: “Toe Bontle na my toe kom om haar te help met haar storie, wou ek graag haar drome waar maak en het dit vir haar getik en vir Maxine gevra om die illustrasies te doen. Ons het die gedrukte eksemplare ’n paar dae voor Bontle se agtste verjaardag ontvang. Dit was ’n lang proses, maar om die vreugde op haar gesig te sien toe sy dit ontvang, het alles die moeite werd gemaak.” Vir Bontle was dit ’n ongelooflike ervaring. “Dit het my geleer dat enigiets moontlik is,” sê sy.

Buiten vir haar voorliefde vir stories en tale (Engels en Sepedi), is sy ook ’n kranige leser, swemmer, sanger en danser. Sy is mal oor speelgoed, geniet dit om met haar maats te speel en is baie lief vir diere.

Die vrystelling van eerste boek is nie net ’n droom wat waar geword het nie, maar sy is ook in dieselfde jaar deur H&M aangewys as ’n plaaslike rolmodel in hulle Rolmodel-veldtog, ’n inisiatief wat daarop fokus in jong stemme te bemagtig.

As jy haar vra wat sy wil word as sy groot is, erken sy dat sy nog haar opsies oorweeg. “Ek wil ’n brandweerman of dokter wees, want ek wil lewens red. Maar ek wil ook die eerste wetenskaplike wees om iets magies te ontdek. Ek wil ook graag ’n onderwyser word om kinders te help,” deel sy. Gelukkig is sy nou eers in graad drie en hoef sy nie nou al te besluit nie. Sy het egter reeds begin skryf aan die volgende boek in die Adventures with Bontle-reeks.

Hierdie jong storieverteller het groot drome en haar boodskap vir almal is: “Kinders wat groot droom, moenie bang wees om hulle drome na te jaag nie. As jy hard werk, kan jy enigiets bereik. Volwassenes moet ook aanhou droom en nooit opgee nie.”

THE OCEANIC OXY RESCUE MISSION (R90) deur Bontle Ndhlovu kan bestel word op www.refilwern.com of https://www.ethnikids.africa/.

Oor Bontle Ndhlovu

Bontle Ndhlovu is ’n agtjarige skrywer van Pretoria, Suid-Afrika.

Haar eerste boek, The Oceanic Oxy Rescue Mission, is in 2021 gepubliseer. Sy is ook in dieselfde jaar deur H&M aangewys as ’n plaaslike rolmodel in hulle Rolmodel-veldtog, ’n inisiatief wat daarop fokus in jong stemme te bemagtig.

Bontle is al van kleins af lief vir stories, ’n passie wat aangevuur is deur haar ma wat al van geboorte af vir haar lees. Dit, saam met die ondersteuning van haar gesin om haar drome na te jaag, het haar geïnspireer om haar eerste boek te skryf.

Bontle is ’n enigste kind wat saam met haar ouers in Pretoria woon. Buiten vir haar voorliefde vir stories en tale (Engels en Sepedi), is sy ook ’n kranige leser, swemmer, sanger en danser. Sy mal oor speelgoed, geniet dit om met haar maats te speel en is baie lief vir diere.

Hierdie jong storieverteller is reeds besig om aan die volgende boek in die Adventures with Bontle-reeks te werk.

Kinders wat groot droom, moenie bang wees om hulle drome na te jaag nie. As jy hard werk, kan jy enigiets bereik. Volwassenes moet ook aanhou droom en nooit opgee nie.”

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By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb