Abstract
This article discusses social issues faced by children which can be solved through children's literature. Apart from children's literature being seen only as a resource for reading, it can also be utilised in solving other societal ills faced by children. These ills include, bullying, abuse, family structure and physical impairment. Social challenges are unpacked, detailing how they affect children. Low literacy levels are an issue for many children in South Africa. There are external conditions of learning which may be explained as features outside the learner that influence learning possibilities and are involved in the learning process. These external features are what this article analyze as it has been observed that some of them inhibit the environment for learning, thereby obstructing learning or the required standard of literacy in general.