Writer and mental health advocate Joseph Daniel Sukali has called for renewed efforts to promote reading among young people, saying exposure to books should begin at home.
Sukali said the growing influence of smartphones, social media and short-form videos is creating strong competition for people’s attention and making it important for families and communities to encourage reading.
“Children need to grow up seeing people read. They need access to books and they need to experience reading as something beyond schoolwork,” Sukali said.
He also said young people should have access to books that speak to their experiences and address questions affecting their lives.
Sukali made the remarks ahead of the release of his fourth solo book, Growing Up Pains, scheduled for 27 December 2026.
The book explores how experiences during childhood and adolescence can shape people’s lives in adulthood, covering issues such as family, puberty, love, faith, identity, failure, loneliness, ambition and purpose.
Speaking to Malawi24,Sukali said the book also seeks to encourage readers to reflect on their personal journeys and recognise that some behaviours and beliefs carried into adulthood may be rooted in experiences from earlier stages of life.
Sukali said his interest in writing stems from his desire to understand human behaviour, relationships and personal experiences.
“I think I started writing because I had a lot of things I was trying to understand,” he said.
Growing Up Pains follows his previous books Dealing With a Heartbreak, Harnessing Inner Tranquility and A Dance in the Mud. He also co-authored Whispers of Beating Hearts.
According to Sukali Pre-orders for the book are currently open, with the 20 percent discount running until November.
Meanwhile Sukali, has urged aspiring writers to read widely before developing their own writing.
“You cannot be a writer without being a reader. It all starts with reading widely,” he said.
