About Murray & Me

Stories worth keeping.

Some books are read once. Others become part of the family — requested at bedtime, quoted years later and kept long after little hands have grown.

Those are the stories we love. Alongside the children's books we publish, you'll find a carefully chosen collection of books, journals and gifts from South African creators.

We still believe in the little bit of magic that happens when someone opens a book.

Ons storie

Twee vroue, een gedeelde begin

Murray & Me het in 2015 begin toe Milan Murray en Charmaine Nolte hulle verskillende sterkpunte saamgebring het: ’n liefde vir stories, ’n geloof in mooi boeke en die moed om iets van nuuts af te bou.

Saam het hulle ses kinderboeke uitgegee wat kinders geniet en grootmense graag saam met hulle lees. Dit bly die hart van die boekrak vandag.

Milan Murray

Die stories

Milan het die oorspronklike stories geskryf en met haar liefde vir Afrikaans lewe aan die karakters gegee. Haar verbeelding en taalgevoel het die stem van die Idioom Reeks help vorm.

Charmaine Nolte

Die boekrak vandag

Charmaine was van die eerste druklopie af die hand agter produksie, bestellings en die pad van boek tot leser. Vandag versorg sy Murray & Me se volgende hoofstuk — met dieselfde liefde vir die oorspronklike boeke en plek vir nog Suid-Afrikaanse skeppers.

Elke boek het ook ’n kunstenaar se hande nodig gehad — ontmoet hulle hier.

Where it all started

The original Murray & Me books

Four from the six we wrote, illustrated and published ourselves — the Afrikaans idiom series families still ask for.

Pieter Kokkewieter en die Hart op sy Mou — Pieter Kokkewieter

Hetta Elizabetta en die Wêreld op haar Skouders — Hetta Elizabetta

Kop in die Wolke in Kromkieriefontein — Kop in die Wolke

Die Husse en die Klein Jakkalsies — Die Husse

An illustrated spread from the Idioom Reeks, full of colour and invented worlds — Inside the books — Marisa du Toit's worlds, page by page.

Ten years of stories

Our journey

2015
Milan and Charmaine start Murray & Me together and launch the Idioom Reeks with Pieter Kokkewieter.
The Idioom Reeks grows
Hetta Elizabetta, Kop in die Wolke and Die Husse join the shelf — each one bringing an Afrikaans idiom to life through Marisa du Toit's illustrations.
2018
Kop in die Wolke in Kromkieriefontein launches as a book and animated film — and wins Best Screenplay at the kykNET Silwerskermfees.
2019
Poenankies launches in Cape Town and at Aardklop: thirteen stories by well-known South African artists, from YOMA to Arno Carstens.
2021
A new chapter: Murray & Me opens its shelves to other South African creators.
Today
Charmaine cares for the Murray & Me bookshop and its next chapter, welcoming more South African creators to the shelves.

Charmaine and Milan holding Poenankies at a Murray & Me launch — Launch day — the reason all of this exists.

From page to screen

Kromkieriefontein — the little film that could

In 2018 Kop in die Wolke in Kromkieriefontein — written by Milan, illustrated by Marisa — leapt from page to screen as an animated short film for the kykNET Silwerskermfees, where it won the award for Best Screenplay. The film later found a wider audience on Showmax.

The official kykNET trailer for Kromkieriefontein — 2 minutes on YouTube, and worth every second.

Get the book →

These books sold out fast. If you're still interested in buying, let us know and we can place you on a backorder list should we print again.

Milan's other worlds

Milan het nog nooit een storie in net een huis kon hou nie. Op die skerm ken ons haar van Isidingo, Die Byl, M-Net se The Wild en kykNET se Ontbytsake — en agter elke rol lê dieselfde oortuiging: 'n storie, op die regte oomblik, kan 'n kind se wêreld verander. Dit het haar gebring by The My Story Tribe — die joernale, die podcast In Between Things en die #YouCanSitWithUs-veldtog vir inklusiwiteit.

Vandag vloei haar werk deur vyf wêrelde — elk 'n ander manier om mense by hulle eie storie te bring:

Meeting of Minds

Gesprekke wat langer as die laaste sin bly hang.

Writing

Boeke, skrifte en prenteboeke — die Idioom Reeks begin hier.

Acting & Voice

Jare op die verhoog en die skerm, een karakter op 'n slag.

Speaking

Praatjies wat mense los met moed en rigting.

Producing

Achter die skerms: produksies wat woorde laat lewe.

Visit milanmurray.co.za →Buy the My Story Art Journal →

Our promise

The gift of books

Pick a story for someone on your list — we pack it beautifully and post it anywhere in South Africa, with a handwritten note if you'd like one.

Gift offer: buy any three books and choose a free storybook — Pieter Kokkewieter or Pete Twiddlefeet — until 10 December 2026.

Shop book gifts →See the gift shelf →

A warm stack of picture books with tea and dried flowers — ready to be given

Good to know

Shipping & returns

Orders are packed within 1–2 working days and couriered countrywide.
Delivery typically takes 2–5 working days depending on your area.
Every order is gift-wrapped and includes a handwritten note on request.
Damaged or incorrect items are replaced — email us within 7 days of delivery and we'll sort it out.

Say hello

Let's talk

Questions about a title, a bulk school order or a gift? We answer every message.

me@murrayandme.co.za