Coconut
Coconut is a story that deals with growing up as a black child in a white world. It is the story of black youth who grow up in white neighbourhoods, go to private schools and have white friends. As is the case with any child, all that these children want is to grow, to be loved; but most importantly, to fit in. Fitting in, however, comes at the cost of one’s blackness – too white for black, and too black for white.
Request more informationOriginal Language
ENGLISH (SA) | Jacana Media
Translation Rights
CATALAN | Sembra Llibres
FRENCH | Actes Sud
SPANISH | Alpha Decay
SWEDISH | Tranan
Film Rights
FILM RIGHTS SOLD. All other audiovisual rights available.
Prizes
Winner of The European Union Literary Award for Debut Fiction
Reviews
"Narrated from a teenager’s perspective, Kopano Matlwa’s Coconut is an audacious, lyrical and compassionate tale. It explores the grey, in-between, intimate experiences and dilemmas of a young girl who, like the society around her, is undergoing changes that call old boundaries, comforts and certitudes into question." European Union Literary Award Jury
