ABOUT US
And who is Herbie?
Who is Herbie?
Herbie Pillay
The Books From Herbie Team
We are a group of friends who want to make a change.
We all come from an acting background and all share a passion for storytelling. Some of us grew up with the privilege of being able to see ourselves represented in the vast majority of the stories we loved, some of us did not. That includes some of the first stories we encountered as children, in fact only four percent of children’s books published in 2018 had a protagonist who was not white. This is not okay.
Speaking to friends and colleagues who work in primary schools we learned that whilst the intent to diversify the stories they tell is there, a lot of time, the resources are not.
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That’s where Books from Herbie comes in. Our hope is that more children will be able to see themselves as part of the narrative. The more money we raise, the more books we’ll be able to supply, so any amount you can donate will be greatly appreciated!
(By Maya Pillay - one of our founders).
So, first and foremost to me, Herby* was my dad. He was a political activist and spent most of his life working against racism. Much of this work was done as a South African freedom fighter, working against the Apartheid regime. After being imprisoned in South Africa for his political work, he was exiled to the UK where he continued this mission, taking on the role of regional Secretary General for the ANC and their envoy to the World Peace Council. There were many adventures that we might tell you one day. Revolution was always on his lips and it’s a trait he’s instilled in my sister Anna, my brother Jonny and myself.
Dad was a huge believer in the power of education for change. He taught in South Africa and after retiring from his career as a psychologist, went on to study literature. He was never without a book and a highlighter. As a young child he read to me and as an older woman he read alongside me, stopping to discuss any aspect that took us as we went.
Having lost my dad recently and becoming increasingly aware of the lack of diversity amongst children’s literature, we chose to name our mission after him. Feeling it fitting in continuing his work. For the man who told us we could move mountains.
Amandla Awethu - Power to the People - A rallying cry in the days of resistance against apartheid.
*Herby to his family - Herbie publicly. No one knows why. Don’t ask.