About

Enticing young learners to read books is what we do best! Hooked on Books has been igniting a love of reading in children across our country for the past 25 years, having toured Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Kwa-Zulu Natal, the Western Cape and even as far abroad as Botswana and Swaziland!

Our name is synonymous with making reading fun and enjoyable for young learners. We visit close to 700 schools nationwide and reach over 100,000 learners/pupils between the ages 2 - 13 years annually. We bring the best selection of children's literature to your schools.

Our Books are not chosen at random or based just on reviews. The Hooked on Books team spends months every year going through a multitude of books to sift out the best and most acceptable. We adhere to a battery of stringent criteria in our endeavor to select healthy, wholesome and fun literature that educators and parents can approve of.

New shows are devised every year to create a fresh and irresistible lure into our literary program.

Lots of thought and creativity goes into bring the books to life. Creative costuming, careful scripting, innovative direction and a talented team of professional actors make up our recipe for success.

Our teams of actors through an intense audition process and work tirelessly throughout the year, racing to schools each day to bring you our wonderful, action packed educational book show. 

Fun fact:  Shaeleen, Thomas, Laura & Dineo have all performed as young actors in Hooked on Books many MANY many years ago!

Meet Our Team

Shaeleen Tobin

Company Director

At the helm of the company you’ll find the award winning comedy actress Shaeleen Tobin, our Company Director, who has been a successful actress for the past 25 years.

Her career has taken her on a journey through TV, film and stage, but her first love is theatre.

She is particularly well known for her roles as Patience in the TV series “The Coconuts” and more recently Yvette in “The Bedford Wives.” Shaeleen is passionate about reading and children.

Hooked on Books brings all of these loves together.

Thomas Barlow

Creative Director, Script Writer & CT Booking Agent

Blowing in from Cape Town we have our zany Director & Booking Agent Thomas Barlow. He has been involved with Hooked on Books for the past 16 years.

Having studied drama he’s always had an eye for the crazy, an ear for the sublime and a flair for theatrics. This combined with all his passion make him a fire cracker of a team member.

Those who are fortunate to work with him never forget him.

Thomas Barlow

Creative Director, Script Writer & CT Booking Agent

Blowing in from Cape Town we have our zany Director & Booking Agent Thomas Barlow.

He has been involved with Hooked on Books for the past …well… many years.

He’s always had an eye for the crazy, an ear for the sublime – which combined with all his passion make him a fire cracker of a team member.

Laura Setzkorn

Creator of The Wiggly & Woggly Brand

Creative Director, Script writer & booking agent for Wiggly & Woggly Pre-Primary shows.

Heading up our exciting Pre-Primary school program is our multi-talented Musical theatre performer & entrepreneur Laura Setzkorn. For the past 14 years Laura has been running her own Promotional Events & Entertainment business.

Seven years ago she joined the Hooked on Books team as her love and passion for children’s theatre compelled her to create the wonderful world of Wiggly and Woggly-our loveable bookworms. Laura’s eyes for detail, passion for directing and working with young actors bring the Wiggle and Woggly shows to life.

Dineo Komane

Director for Durban Primary school shows.

Dineos love of performing started from a young age and she went on to study drama at the Tshwane University of Technology. Before she knew it she was performing on stages around the country.

She then joined Hooked on books as a young actress. This is when her love for children’s theatre was born and in 2015 she was appointed as the director for Hooked on Books Durban Primary school shows.

She has been directing for Hooked on Books ever since.

Dineo Komane

Dineos love of performing started from a young age and she went on to study drama at the Tshwane University of Technology. Before she knew it she was performing on stages around the country.

She then joined Hooked on books as a young actress. This is when her love for children’s theatre was born and in 2015 she was appointed as the director for Hooked on Books Durban Primary school shows.

She has been directing for Hooked on Books ever since.

Wendy Cooke Tonneson

Costume Designer

Bringing the vision of the creative directors of Hooked on Books to life is a job that not many are brave enough to handle, but Wendy does it with flair and pizazz!

Wendy’s background in art and design and her self-taught sewing skills, make her the perfect creator for all our costumes and props.

She has been with the Hooked on Books family for many years.

Desmond Tobin

Booking Agent KZN

Hooked on Books Primary school & Wiggle & Woggly- Durban

Desmond has spent some 40 years in the education arena, so on retirement in 2003, was delighted to land the plum job of coordinator for Hooked on Books Durban. He has always been passionate about reading and believes that every child should grow up surrounded by books.

Fueled by his passion we are always fully booked in Durban each year. In his free time you will catch Desmond in a cozy corner devouring the pages of his book.

Desmond Tobin

Booking Agent KZN

Hooked on Books Primary school & Wiggly & Woggly- Durban

Desmond has spent some 40 years in the education arena, so on retirement in 2003, was delighted to land the plum job of coordinator for Hooked on Books Durban. He has always been passionate about reading and believes that every child should grow up surrounded by books.

Fueled by his passion we are always fully booked in Durban each year. In his free time you will catch Desmond in a cozy corner devouring the pages of his book.