like a father to Mark. He introduced him to tennis, gave him his first tennis racquet and mentored/coached him until he got the scholarship to the USA. He introduced Mark to different people who were prominent in the tennis circle. Abe Thomas loved Marvel comic books and collected them. Controversy Kaffir Boy has been banned in a number of schools, one of these being Cedar Crest High School, where the ban made headlines. The bans are due to a controversial scene involving child prostitution of young boys, which some have referred to as "pornography," sparking another headline defending the scene. While Mathabane wrote an article for The Washington Post stating that he would prefer it to be banned completely to being revised or censored, Mathabane has since authorized a revised version for use in such schools. The unrevised book is still used as high school reading material regardless of the controversial scenes. Reception and awards The book Kaffir Boy has won the prestigious Christopher Award for inspiring hope. The book reached number one on the Washington Post Bestseller's List and number three on the New York Times Bestseller's List. It has also been chosen by the American Library Association for inclusion on the list of "Outstanding Books for the College-Bound and Life-Long Learners." References 1986 non-fiction books Books about apartheid Sports autobiographies Tennis books South African non-fiction books