Marguerite
Poland

Marguerite Poland is a South African writer. She writes books for both children and adults. Her 1979 book The Mantis And The Moon helped to establish a market for indigenous children’s books in English in South Africa. She has written 11 children’s books. The Mantis and the Moon and Woodash Stars both received the Percy FitzPatrick Award, the first two books to receive this award. Poland’s novels for adults have won several prestigious awards. A Sin Of Omission was awarded with the 2021 Sunday Times Literary Award. Fluent in Xhosa and isiZulu, Poland’s work is often inspired by African oral traditions. On 28 April 2016, the Order of Ikhamanga – Silver (OIS) was conferred on Marguerite Poland‚ for “her excellent contribution to the field of indigenous languages, literature and anthropology”.