Award-winning media personality, actress and trailblazing Africa’s first working model with albinism Refilwe Modiselle enters the literary world with her debut children’s book, Zizi’s World: Through Her Vanilla Eyes. The book tells the heartfelt story of a young girl with albinism who navigates new surroundings while learning to embrace her uniqueness with pride.

Zizi’s World: Through Her Vanilla Eyes is a beautifully illustrated and emotionally resonant story for children aged 4–12. The story is centred around Zizi, a bright, confident girl with albinism, and thanks to her loving parents, she has always felt proud of who she is. When her family moves to the big city and Zizi starts primary school, she notices that there are so many different people in the world, and very few, if any, look like her. For the first time, she feels unsure of herself after some of her classmates are unkind. With her parents’ support, Zizi learns to embrace and find strength in her uniqueness. The book not only reflects a journey of living with albinism, but also of discovering the beauty of standing out in a world that often doesn’t know how to accept differences. Children deserve stories where they are seen, affirmed, and celebrated –Zizi’s World: Through Her Vanilla Eyes is precisely that.

A Much-Needed Story for South African Families and Classrooms

At its core, Zizi’s World is about belonging, resilience, and self-love. It illuminates the everyday challenges children with albinism face while equipping all children with tools to build empathy, celebrate differences, and stand up for each other.

Refilwe Modiselle | Supplied

Why This Book Matters in Today’s World

• Gently tackles common misconceptions and myths about albinism, especially

within African communities.

• Rooted in authentic South African settings and culture, allowing young readers

to see themselves reflected in literature.

• Encourages children to celebrate diversity and embrace those different from

them—an essential message in today’s increasingly global and multicultural

society.

• With themes of kindness, respect, unity, and standing up for others, this book

aligns perfectly with classroom and parenting goals around raising emotionally

intelligent, compassionate children.

• Identity and social awareness in multicultural classrooms