Note: I received this book free for my unbiased review. The problem is, I’m not biased. My review is unaffected by the free book. However, I’m biased towards kids’ books. The constant sex, violence, & profanity found in so many adult secular books, or the insipid, predictable romances of most Christian fiction makes finding a good read, at least for me, difficult. So, with that disclaimer finished, my review follows.

Please also note that there is also a first book of the series, “A chameleon, a boy, and a quest”. Perhaps a good analogy for these books might be African Chronicles of Narnia, as they contain many of the symbolic & whimsical elements found in the Narnia series. This is definitively a book for older children, as one of the scenes, where the schoolchildren are locked in their dorm, which was subsequently set ablaze, is disturbing, even for some adults, although the end result was ultimately not as one might expect. It’s an action-packed book where Christian truths are taught without hitting readers over the head or shoving them down their throats. The book also provides a platform for families to discuss conditions that exist in various parts of the world, as well as actions that can be taken to ameliorate them. African words are sprinkled throughout, & I would’ve liked to see those defined at the bottom of the page instead of in the back of the book, as looking them up broke up the reading experience a little, but that’s a small criticism.

Lastly, please note that “the author donates half of her royalties to a fund that enables real children to emerge with resilience from childhoods threatened by poverty, rebel warfare, human trafficking, malnutrition, loss, and fear.”

“Your purchase of this book “enables orphans to receive an education, babies of HIV-positive mothers to receive food, children who have never held a book to receive a library, and much more. These small acts of justice and mercy have the power to bring hope and enable communities to write new endings to their own stories.

For more information, or to make a donation to the Rwendigo Fund, which supports the work described above, please visit serge.org/hope. ”

Despite the free book, I’ll definitively be visiting the site to do that, & I hope folks will purchase the book in order to donate as well. Thank you, Ms. Myhre, for a heartwarming read & your generosity toward the least of these who can’t defend themselves. Ultimately, the good read & the donation make the purchase a win-win for everyone. Buy it–you’ll like it.