A childhood love of reading that began at Drakenstein Library has come full circle for Paarl-born former teacher and published children’s author Wendy Hammond, who recently donated two of her books to the library.

Now a resident of Kenilworth for the past 30 years, Hammond revisited the place that helped shape her passion for knowledge and writing, describing the experience as deeply nostalgic.

“As a child, I would often walk 5km to access the library sanctuary,” says Hammond. “It instilled in me a deep love for acquiring knowledge and for intentional, yet sensitive articulation.”

Hammond (58) became a member of Drakenstein Library in Paarl East while attending New Orleans Primary School, after the library held an enrolment campaign at the school. She initially gravitated towards English fiction, carrying books in a special library bag, before gradually developing an interest in non-fiction.

The books she borrowed helped her explore subjects beyond the classroom and influenced how she approached her schoolwork.

“My interest in reading and exploring more of the world helped me understand the subject matter in class while I was in primary school,” she recalls.

Her enthusiasm for learning sometimes got the better of her during lessons, particularly when she felt her classmates were taking too long to grasp what their teachers were explaining.

“I became very impatient when other learners did not understand what the Grade 6 or Grade 7 teachers asked and often blurted out the answers which in turn upset the teachers,” she said.

A Paarl childhood

The eldest of five children, Hammond grew up in Paarl, where her father worked as a carpenter and her mother held temporary employment while primarily being a homemaker. She matriculated at Klein Nederburg Secondary School in 1986, under what she described as challenging circumstances.

She went on to study at Athlone College of Education, obtaining a Diploma in Education, before furthering her studies through the University of South Africa (Unisa) in Special Needs Education, specialising in Learning Difficulties and Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).

Hammond began her teaching career in mainstream education before moving into special-needs education. Her career spanned more than two decades and included schools such as Saron Secondary, Camps Bay Primary and Tafelberg Special Needs.

Her experience in the classroom shaped her understanding of the different needs and abilities of young people, while working with children and teenagers also influenced her writing.

“Working with children between the ages of 4 and 18 has blessed me tremendously,” explains Hammond.

Writing for children

Hammond writes realistic fiction, using stories to explore issues relevant to young readers. Her first children’s book, Help! My Mouth’s on Fire!, is aimed at children aged 4 to 7 and focuses on safety around the home. It was also published in Afrikaans as Help! My Mond Brand Verskriklik! and in Xhosa as Nceda! Umlomo Wam Uy atsha!

Her latest publication, Goodbye Plum Pulp, Hello Pros-per-i-ty, is a chapter book for tweens that explores cousin relationships, self-preservation, egoism, artificial intelligence game invention, problem-solving and growing money.

“My genre is realistic fiction. It affords me the opportunity to reflect on history, morals and trends to create meaningful storytelling that addresses societal needs,” she said.

Hammond also writes poetry and founded Think And Create, a small business that develops educational resources.

Drawing on her specialisation in learning difficulties, she emphasises the importance of making reading part of children’s lives from an early age.

“It grants an immediate safe space from the world’s noise and attachments. Our minds are by far the best processors. It inherently yearns for knowledge and depriving it can lead to frustration and depression. Reading allows the brain to slow down and internalise several emotional states, which helps readers navigate the world significantly better,” says Hammond.

She also highlights the role of eye movement and tracking text across a page in early childhood, while believing that reading helps children engage with information and develop their understanding of the world.

Her years in education have reinforced her view that every child should have the opportunity to develop their abilities and express themselves.

“All human beings have potential and are gifted diversely with specific talents or skills to develop. Children should be cherished and have a voice,” states Hammond.

For Hammond, sharing stories with young readers remains a meaningful part of her work.

“Tweens’ faces still light up when authors read to them,” she added.

Hammond’s donation of two titles to Drakenstein Library brings her journey as a reader, teacher and author back to the institution where her love of books first took root. The visit offered her an opportunity to give back to a library that helped shape her curiosity and lifelong pursuit of knowledge. She is grateful for the warm welcome she received from Drakenstein Library Senior Librarian, Thalia Davids, and Librarian, Louisa Mbabane.

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