My Mother’s Laughter: Selected Poems

Chris van Wyk (1957-2014) grew up and lived most of his life in Riverlea, a small township west of Johannesburg surrounded by mine dumps. He was fascinated by literature from a very young age, and as a teenager began publishing his poems in local newspapers. In 1979 Ad Donker published his book of poems It Is Time To Go Home, which was to be the only collection of his poems published in his lifetime.
Van Wyk wrote over 20 books, including children’s books, fiction and political biographies. He also edited the literary magazine Staffrider from 1981 to 1986. He always found time to give talks and readings, and impart to young people his love of storytelling. His 2004 childhood memoir Shirley, Goodness & Mercy, full of lively humour, became a widely read bestseller.

Books published
Poetry
It Is Time To Go Home (Ad Donker, 1979)
My Mother’s Laughter: Selected Poems (Deep South, 2020)

Memoir
Shirley, Goodness & Mercy (Picador Africa, 2004)
Eggs to lay, chickens to hatch (Picador Africa, 2010)

Other Non-fiction
With Luli Callinicos: They Fought for Freedom: Oliver Tambo (Maskew Miller Longman, 1994)
Orlando Pirates (Sached Books, 1997)
Now Listen Here: The Life and Times of Bill Jardine (Real African Publishers, 2003)

Fiction
A Message in the Wind (Maskew Miller Longman, 1986)
Peppy ’n Them (Macmillan Boleswa, 1991)
The Year of the Tapeworm (Ravan Press, 1996)

Illustrated children's books 
Petroleum and the Orphaned Ostrich (Ravan Press, 1988)
The Aliens (Maskew Miller Longman, 1997)
The Girl who wanted to be an Actress (Maskew Miller Longman, 1997)
The Hardest Question in the World (Maskew Miller Longman, 1997)
Ouma Ruby’s Secret (Pan Macmillan, 2006)
Mr Hare meets Mr Mandela (Jacana, 2016)
Abridged by Chris van Wyk: Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom (Pan Macmillan, 2009)

Other books
Five books of fiction for adult literacy (various publishers) and 37 short biographies in series titled Freedom Fighters (Awareness publishing).