Meanwhile, in Nairobi ...

While Kenya distributes books by camel to rural children, the capital, Nairobi, plays host to the annual Pan-African Children's Book Fair.

The seventh annual fair was held last June when, according to the local Nation newspaper, "a galaxy of authors from within and outside Kenya, a bevy of book publishers from across Africa and Europe, droves of enthusiastic schoolchildren, teachers and parents, politicians of clout, entrepreneurs of repute, and the public met and mingled ...."

Because of the fair and a "fast-growing and sophisticated publishing industry," says the newspaper, Kenya was chosen as last year's focus country for the Zimbabwe International Book Fair in Harare in August.