The New Road

Jul 17, 2026

Upload by Hazel

"The New Road" is a children's storybook illustrated by Nicodemus Silingo and written by Fiske Serah Nyirongo, with design by Murray Hunter and editing by Margot Bertelsmann. The narrative follows two best friends, Chapansi and Luano, who enjoy collecting inswa, which are flying termites common in several African languages. Their favorite pastime involves playing on a road, even though their mother might disapprove due to the stones being hard on their feet. The story takes a turn when large vehicles, referred to by Mama as "Caterpillars," arrive and cover the road with black material, which Mama calls "tar." This event disrupts the children's activities, as they can no longer find stones on the road to play their game, "chiyato," with. The book vividly captures the simple joys of childhood play and the impact of development on a familiar environment, contrasting the children's innocence with the imposing presence of modern machinery. The title itself, "The New Road," signifies a transition and change, mirroring the disruption to the children's established routines and their familiar world. The story subtly explores themes of change, adaptation, and the loss of simple pleasures due to progress, told through the eyes of young protagonists.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time32 min

The New Road

FAQs

Who are the main characters in 'The New Road'?

The main characters are Chapansi and her best friend Luano.

What do Chapansi and Luano enjoy collecting and playing with?

They enjoy collecting inswa, which are flying termites, and playing on the road with stones.

What significant change occurs in the story?

Large cars arrive and cover the road with black material, called tar, which prevents the children from playing with stones.

Jul 17, 2026

Upload by Hazel