The Gift of Gold has all the ingredients of a classic fairy tale; a curse, a missing lucky gold pebble, an inquisitive little girl and, of course, a happy ending. The characters are South African; a traditional tribe praying for rain, a talking chameleon, and a misunderstood tokoloshe. Mathews' illustrations are gorgeous, ominous, evocative and beautiful in turn. And Kowen's tale is simply and powerfully written. The lesson is one we should all adhere to; "You should never take back a gift. A gift is a token of love. How can you take back your love?"

Illustrated by: Gillian Mathew