- second in series, this book is fictional with true elements based in the heart of Africa
- 11-year-old girl learns to stand up to bullies at her new boarding school, be a quick thinker in dangerous situations, and sacrifice her comforts for the safety of others
- convo: violent rebels attack the school and kidnap one girl, egalitarianism touched on a few brief times, mentions people leaving chickens for the spirits, a brief “follow your heart” message given to main girl, death of a friend
- includes excellent glossary in back
Type: chapter book
Ages: 9-14
Author: J.A. Myhre
Kiisa, our 11-year-old heroine, sets out on a journey to help her friend who was taken by the rebels. This journey through the rainforest is dangerous and difficult, so although a few animal friends help her stay on track, she has some injuries and setbacks.
The end of the book holds a sweet reunion and a scene inside a church. The pastor leads a prayer of thanksgiving for the girls who were once lost but now found, but there is no mention of God. (However, “the Creator” is mentioned in the Epilogue.)
I raised the minimum age suggestion from the first book (see that review here), because the intensity level with the rebels/kidnappers was definitely a notch higher. However, a mature 8-year-old could probably handle it.
Relatedly, the author mentions the real event this book is a loose representative of. If your child reads the Acknowledgments, he or she will read that rebels locked young people in their dorms and set the buildings on fire, killing 80 and abducting 100. Just a heads up.
Overall, it’s quite the unique “magical realism” (as the author calls it) story. There is a sophisticated elegance to Myhre’s writing that I particularly love–and yet, she’s able to keep the reading level at upper elementary/middle grade. That’s talent. I hope to read book 3 soon and will link to it from this post when I do!