Alien swaps world domination for milk tart in new Afrikaans kids’ book

2026-03-03 - 06:03

If you’ve ever watched the Alien movies, Mars Attacks or even conspiracy theory tall-tales about the lizard-alikes and Greys, you’d think that all ET’s are murderous savages. Except, in Cecilia Steyn’s kids book Die Gewildste Alien In Die Ruimte, the galactic traveller comes to earth for, well, milk tart. That is the delicious premise of Die Gewildste Alien in die Ruimte, the third and final book in a trilogy by Afrikaans children’s title by Cecilia Steyn. And if any child has Afrikaans at school, this is a book to relish. It’s published with dynamic text, so some words literally jump out of the page. The language is easy to understand and read, and the narrative is seriously cute. Johann Strauss illustrates the book. The series started with something far less intergalactic though, said Steyn. “My sister-in-law’s little boy painted shoelaces on a seashell and told me it’s the fastest shoes on earth,” she said. “So, I thought, how cool would it be if a boy actually owned the fastest shoes on earth?” From that image came Wian and his supersonic superhero takkies. What was meant to be one book turned into a series. Author Cecilia Steyn. Picture Supplied Supersonic takkies The alien bit arrived later, courtesy of a dream. “I had a very strange dream about an alien invasion,” she said. “But I thought, what if the alien doesn’t come to take over the world? What if he just wants to taste milk tart?” Steyn has authored more than 20 books since putting pen to paper a dozen years ago. She was working as a pharmacy admin assistant prior to that. Her first book was published in 2016. By 2017 she had left the pharmacy and committed to writing full time. Her bibliography stretches from romance for adult women to teenage love stories and children’s fiction. Switching between books for grown ups and books for kids, Steyn said, requires a mental gear change. “You almost must regress yourself,” she said. “Otherwise, you can’t do it.”. It is creatively demanding and not simply about vocabulary. It is about tone, rhythm and remembering how children see the world. Also Read: I took my kids to a spa in Pretoria and they didn’t want to go home Importantly, Die Gewildste Alien in die Ruimte avoids the heavy-handed moralising that often dogs children’s literature. “I hate putting lessons in my books,” Steyn said. “But I always encourage friendship, working together and acceptance. Making everybody feel like they are important and they count.” Its predecessor, Die Dodelikste Donuts In Die Heelal or the deadliest donuts in the universe, won an ATKV Kinderboek award, where children themselves vote for their favourites. “That’s what makes it fantastic,” she said. “The actual readers choose the books.” Steyn’s books are not preachy but encourage friendship. Illustration Johann Strauss Not preachy books, but they encourage friendship The visual language of the series is as important as the words. Steyn has never met. Strauss, the illustrator. Communication even happened through the publisher. “I don’t even know what Johann looks like,” she said. “I always think of him as the elusive illustrator.” But he brings the book to life with bold, engaging, and expressive imagery. Steyn lives in Kei’s Beach in the Eastern Cape, about 40 clicks from East London. “It’s very small, about 400 or 500 people,” she said. “You always feel like you’ve got your own private beach.” She moved there with her husband a few years ago in search of a measure of freedom. She became a grandmother a year ago and wants to spend time with her grandchild so, for now, Die Gewildste Alien In Die Ruimte will be her last work for a while, she said. NOW READ: When motherhood rewrites the script at work