The Hyena’s Tail is the second in a delightful new series of illustrated children’s stories, set in the African bush. Called “Tales from the Waterhole“, they are stories told by an old terrapin, who overheard them while sitting at the edge of the waterhole.

Written by Max Hoppe and illustrated by Jeannine Dickie.

Harry and Henry, the hungry hyenas, discover that just because an animal looks small and helpless, it is not always easy prey! Manny the Mongoose and Gilbert the Ground Squirrel come up with a crafty plan, to make sure Manny doesn’t become their next meal!

Featuring a checklist to help identify African animals you might encounter.

The compact format makes this book easy to post as a gift.

Exploring more of Southern Africa, in a less than reliable 4×4 called Koos…

This is book 2 in the Travels With Koos Series, and continues the somewhat erratic travels of Max and Sue Hoppe and their dodgy car, Koos, seeing intriguing things and meeting fascinating people along the way.

This book offers another gentle armchair tour, which generally avoids the main roads. It is sure to appeal to those with a love of travel, exploration, wildlife, and particularly an appreciation of all that makes this part of the world unique and special.

It is part travel-journal, detailing routes, adventures, & escapades (always made unpredictable by Koos’ erratic behaviour) & part coffee-table photography. It is also part travel-guide, with useful maps & info, although it is intended more as a means of sharing their impressions of the places they pass through, on random, haphazard journeys, than as a definitive guide to the places covered.

It is a very practical as a gift, cost effective for a high quality photo book, and perfect for anyone from overseas who loves Southern Africa.

In More Travels troubles with Koos, we’ll continue our adventures:

• Exploring breath-taking Baviaanskloof and Willowmore
• Spending a weekend on historic and gorgeous Huntly Glen Farm near Bedford
• Stay in a safari tent and explore a 4×4 trail in Camdeboo National Park at Graaff-Reinet
• Get up close and personal with rhino, cheetah and other wild-life at the Kragga Kamma Game Park on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth
• Undertake an epic road trip, through the small towns of the Northern Cape, up to Augrabies National Park, falling in love with ancient and giant landscapes
• Camp in the Kgalagadi National Park, exploring around Mata-Mata and Nossob
• Return to Port Elizabeth on a winding route which takes in Britstown, Richmond and Nieu Bethesda

Die twede boek in die Padlangs met Koos reeks. Hierdie boek bied die leser ‘n rustige leunstoel-toer deur die gebiede se agterpaaie te kies en die hoofroetes te vermy. Natuurliefhebbers en diegene wat graag reis, nuwe plekke ontdek en lief is vir die unieke skoonheid van hierdie deel van die wêreld sal van die boek hou. Dit is gedeeltelik ‘n reis-joernaal, ‘n roete-gids, ‘n vertelling van avonture en eskapades (veroorsaak deur Koos se onvoorspelbaarheid) en ook ‘n fotografie koffietafelboek.

Die skrywer deel hoofsaaklik indrukke en belewenisse van die plekke waardeur hulle impulsief en sonder vooraf beplanning die gebied verken het, maar die boek dien ook terselfdertyd as ‘n informele toer-gids. Die boek is ‘n uitstekende keuse as geskenk. Dit it is foto-publikasie van hoogstaande gehalte teen ‘n baie bekostigbare prys, en ‘n kolskoot-keuse vir diegene plaaslik of van oorsee wat vir Suid Afrika lief is.

Also available in English, as Travels/Troubles With Koos

Die boek bied die leser ‘n rustige leunstoel-toer deur die gebiede se agterpaaie te kies en die hoofroetes te vermy. Natuurliefhebbers en diegene wat graag reis, nuwe plekke ontdek en lief is vir die unieke skoonheid van hierdie deel van die wêreld sal van die boek hou.

Dit is gedeeltelik ‘n reis-joernaal, ‘n roete-gids, ‘n vertelling van avonture en eskapades (veroorsaak deur Koos se onvoorspelbaarheid) en ook ‘n fotografie koffietafelboek. Die skrywer deel hoofsaaklik indrukke en belewenisse van die plekke waardeur hulle impulsief en sonder vooraf beplanning die gebied verken het, maar die boek dien ook terselfdertyd as ‘n informele toer-gids.

Die boek is ‘n uitstekende keuse as geskenk. Dit it is foto-publikasie van hoogstaande gehalte teen ‘n baie bekostigbare prys, en ‘n kolskoot-keuse vir diegene plaaslik of van oorsee wat vir Suid Afrika lief is.

Also available in English, as Travels/Troubles With Koos

Santa’s New Helpers is the first in a delightful series of children’s books, called “Tales from the Waterhole”, written by Max Hoppe and illustrated by Theresa Hardman.

It tells what happens when Santa is stuck in the African bush, with exhausted reindeer and lots of gifts still to deliver! – Warthogs step in to save the day.

There are useful pages in the back, with photos of African animals, and place where kids can tick off when they see them in real life.

First in a delightful series of illustrated children’s stories, set in the African bush. Called “Amabali Asuka Emthonjeni”, they are stories overheard by an old terrapin, while sitting at the edge of the waterhole.

USanta uwenza njani lo msebenzi wokuhambisa iizipho kwilizwe lonke bebaninzi kangaka abantwana ekufuneka ebahambele?

Ngelixesha ufumanisa ukuba uzakudinga uncedo, kwaye ibangummangaliso kuye lento.

Ngamaxesha athile, ayibobukhulu nokomelela okanye ubuhle obuye buncede, kodwa ukulungela nokuzimisela ukwenza umohluko.

Uyakuphawula, lukhona uluhlu olukuncedisa ukuba wazi izilwanyana zaseAfrica onokudibana.

The book is also available in Afrikaans and English, so it is a valuable tool for helping children learn more official languages.

Hoe kry Kersvader dit reg om geskenke orals in die wêreld af te lewer, met so baie kinders by wie hy moet uitkom?

Hy het gesien dat hy hierdie keer iemand gaan nodig hê om te help. Dit was ‘n groot verrassing om te sien wie hom uiteindelik gehelp het.

Dis dikwels nie die sterkes, die mooistes of die grootstes wat mens help nie, maar wel die wat gewillig en vasberade is om ‘n verskil te maak.

Ook in Engels en isiXhosa.

A tongue-in-cheek look at some songs windmills might be singing when they think we aren’t listening.

The Climax Collection 2: The Secret Lives Of Windmills follows on the success of the first book in the series. Like its predecessor, it’s hard to categorise, as it combines elements of coffee-table photography, a bit of music history, and even a gentle armchair tour around some of South Africa’s back roads, because the photos have captions, showing where the windmills were found.

Quality photos of that well-loved South African icon, the windmill, combined with sing-along song titles, give it an amusing and unexpected twist. All this makes it the perfect gift for anyone who loves windmills, and is especially ideal for the man who is hard to shop for. The compact format makes this book easy to pop into a suitcase, or post overseas. It will be a hit with all those visitors who would like a reminder of our unique country, and with ex-pats, who look forward to anything that reminds them of home.

Arising from our book Travels Abroad, is the Postcards from Abroad Series. Travels Abroad is essentially a chatty travel journal, crammed full of colour photos. But there were other lovely black-and-white photos from those trips, which didn’t fit into the format of that book. This gave rise to four companion books, including this one, Postcards From Turkey: A visual celebration, in black-and-white, of this ancient land of layered civilisations.

When Max and Sue Hoppe visited Bulgaria in 2009 and 2011, they were delighted to discover that the closest airport, to the village where their family lived, was Istanbul, just a three-hour drive away. Turkey had been high on their bucket lists for many years. They used these opportunities to do some exploring and immediately fell in love with this fascinating, friendly, exotic and cosmopolitan country.

Through these “postcards” you’ll:

• wander through ancient Sultanahmet, the old heart of Istanbul
• overlook the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus and the Golden Horn, bustling waterways
• wonder at the lovely Haggia Sofia and the Blue Mosque
• take a tram to historic Taksim and Galata, with its Medieval tower offering 360 degree views
• discover the hidden gem of the Basilica Cistern
• enjoy a variety of street food
• take an overnight bus to incredible Pammukkale, a hillside covered in white travertine
• Wander through the ancient Greek city, Hierapolis of Phrygia
• Swim in a hot-spring littered with ancient carved pillars
• Travel to Cappadocia, to explore incredible rock formations
• Stay in a hotel room which is an old cave, carved out of rock
• Explore underground cities and churches
• And the cherry on top, take a hot air balloon ride over ‘love valley.’

All this just scratches the surface of the treasures Turkey has to offer.

Arising from Travels Abroad, is the Postcards from Abroad Series. Travels Abroad is essentially a chatty travel journal, crammed full of colour photos. But there were other lovely black-and-white photos from those trips, which didn’t fit into the format of that book. This gave rise to four companion books, including this one, Postcards From Bulgaria: A visual celebration, in black-and-white, of this land of ancient civilisations and fresh beginnings.

In July 2009, Max and Sue Hoppe went to Bulgaria, and Sue returned there in April 2011.

Bulgaria is one of those places that, when people hear you are going there, invariably prompts them to ask in mystified tones, “Why Bulgaria?” Max and Sue have bucket lists which would take several lifetimes and lottery wins to fulfil, but this former communist block country hadn’t even made it onto the bottom of their lists. They wouldn’t have chosen to go there, if it wasn’t for seeing their kids and grand-daughters, who were living there at the time. It proved to be a pleasant surprise, a charming country full of ancient history and delightful contradictions.

In these “postcards” you’ll:

• experience something of village life, which feels like stepping back in time.
• go on a road trip to the Balkans
• explore Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria, a fascinating mix of ancient,
• communist era austerity and modern growth.
• see street art, old monuments and modern graffiti.
• visit ancient fortresses and small towns, an ancient seaport and a medieval craft village
• walk through deciduous forests and along winding riverbanks.
• meet a variety of delightful village characters, and their animals.

By the time these beautiful black-and-white images have revealed the true Bulgaria, you will be longing to visit.

Enjoy the journey!