Just Right For Kids: Light in the Dark

Books, though, have done their bit to fill that void and the memoir by the host of the American television show, The Daily Show, had been a good addition to the genre. Beginning with his childhood, Noah had revisited pivotal events of his life that had been impacted by the racial segregation put into effect for nearly five decades in the country. When the book released, it gave voice to the trauma of a generation of people who had lived through those dark times, but it did so with grace and humour.

It follows then that the witty and insightful book would be adapted for young readers to give them a glimpse into one of the darkest chapters of history. In this adapted version (appropriate for 8+ years), Noah narrates stories from his rather eventful childhood in South Africa. These include accidentally burning down a White man’s house with a magnifying glass and being thrown out of a moving car by his mother — to save his life no less.

As a biracial child — Noah was born to a Swiss father and a fiercely strong, religious Black mother — Noah’s life was an act of rebellion right from the beginning as inter-racial marriages were illegal in South Africa. As a youngster growing up in a ghettoised Black neighbourhood, Noah spent most of his time indoors and by himself. He draws a touching portrait of those lonely days, and, in between these stories, he also explains various aspects of Apartheid. These include the White supremacist government’s confusion over which ghetto to put the Chinese in before assigning them the same ones as the Black citizens. The Japanese, on the other hand, were treated on par with the White men because their technology and cars were much coveted.

There isn’t much difference in the content of both the editions, but this version has been adapted keeping in mind its targeted readership. This means that the explicit details of the atrocities of the time have been sacrificed to make it more suitable for its target audience.

Children can handle the truth, Noah had said during the launch of his memoir in New York. And, indeed, they can. The book serves as an important introduction to understand life, society, politics, and fault lines in South Africa from up close. Noah is searingly honest and unfailingly funny — some of the qualities that make his shows so popular. Indeed, people who have seen his videos, can almost hear him speak. It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime is an engaging read, hard to put down and very high on our list of recommendations.