Ellen Banda-Aaku facts for kids

Ellen Banda-Aaku is a talented author, born in the UK in 1965, who grew up in Zambia, Africa. She writes novels and many books for children. She also creates radio dramas and films. Her short stories have appeared in different collections of writings.

About Ellen Banda-Aaku

Ellen Banda-Aaku was born in Woking, Surrey, in 1965. She was the middle child in her family. She spent her childhood growing up in Zambia.

She went to the University of Zambia and earned a degree in public administration. Later, she studied at Middlesex University and the University of Cape Town. There, she earned master's degrees in financial management and creative writing.

Ellen's Writing Journey

Ellen Banda-Aaku's first book for children was called Wandi's Little Voice. It won the Macmillan Writer's Prize for Africa in 2004. Judges said her writing style was special. It showed the truth about how people relate to each other.

In 2007, she won the Commonwealth Short Story Competition. This was for her story "Sozi's Box." Her first novel, Patchwork, won the Penguin Prize for African Writing in 2010. It was also a finalist for the 2012 Commonwealth Book Prize.

Ellen has also helped other writers. In 2006, she was a judge for the Macmillan Writer's Prize for Africa. In 2012, she received the Zambia Arts Council Chairpersons Ngoma Award. This award recognized her great work in literature. She has also taught creative writing workshops. These workshops have been held in countries like Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia.

Her short stories have been published in many collections. These collections are found in Australia, South Africa, the UK, and the US. One famous collection is New Daughters of Africa from 2019.

In July 2020, Ellen was chosen to lead the judges. This was for the Kalemba Short Story Prize 2020. She also wrote a children's book with famous author James Patterson. This book is called The Elephant Girl and came out in July 2022.

Awards and Recognitions

• 2004: Won the Macmillan Writers Prize for Africa – Most Promising New Writer Award.
• 2007: Won the Commonwealth Short Story Competition.
• 2010: Won the Penguin Prize for African Writing.
• 2012: Received the Zambia Arts Council Chairpersons Ngoma Award.
• 2012: Was nominated for the Commonwealth Book Prize.

Ellen's Published Works

Short Stories for Readers

• "Sozi's Box" (won the 2007 Commonwealth Short Story Competition). Found in Cousins Across the Seas, 2008. ISBN: 978-1-921085-73-4
• "Lost", in Jambula Tree and other stories, 2008. ISBN: 978-1-904456-73-5
• "Made of Mukwa", in The Bed Book of Short Stories. ISBN: 978-1-920397-31-9
• "Ngomwa", in African Women Writing Resistance: Contemporary Voices. ISBN: 978-0-299-23664-9
• "87 Tangmere Court", in New Daughters of Africa, 2019.

Novels for Young Adults

• Patchwork, Penguin Publishers, South Africa, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-14-352753-4.
• Madam 1st Lady, 2016. ISBN: 9789982701167,

Books for Children

• Wandi’s Little Voice, Macmillan Educational Publishers, UK, 2004. ISBN: 978-1-4050-6040-0
• Yours Faithfully Yogi, East African Educational Publishers, Kenya, 2008. ISBN: 978-9966-25-556-3
• Twelve Months, Oxford University Press, Kenya, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-19-573609-0
• Lula & Lebo, Head and Shoulders, Puo Publishing, South Africa. ISBN: 978-0-9814386-7-2
• E is for e-waste, Worldreader, online.
• Sula and Ja, Farafina Tuuti (Kachifo Limited) and Worldreader.