Tag Archives: Adventure

The Secret of the Purple Lake

AGES 8 - 12, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Title: The Secret of the Purple Lake

Author: Yaba Badoe

Publisher: Cassava Republic Press, 2017

Number of pages: 122

Type of Book: Short stories, fiction, adventure, myths and legend.

Genre: Middle Grade

Age: 8 – 12

Buy it here: The Bookworm Café; https://cassavarepublic.biz/product/the-secret-of-the-purple-lake/ ; https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Purple-Lake-Yaba-Badoe/dp/1911115316   

Price: N1800, N1500; $3.99

MY SUMMARY

The Secret of the Purple Lake is a collection of five interwoven, wildly adventurous stories set in the roaring seas and disappearing castles of Africa and Europe (think Ghana, Spain) and featuring characters with mythical origins and magical powers. It begins with the story of Ajuba, a young girl in Ghana who must undertake a perilous journey under the sea to recover her dead father’s bones and bring them home.

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: This was a very exciting read for me for many reasons. First of all, I am a fan of stories with magic and adventure. Two, I had never read a short story collection quite like it. The craft element I found really appealing was the weaving together of several stories and this was not done in the form of parallel stories but using stories that happened through the span of two centuries. The major highlight was trying to discover how the stories were linked. Other highlights included the story of the fish-man, a scary creature with the body of a man and the head of a fish, Imoro the magic elephant, the walrus prince and of course, the Eagle-Queen. The characters are immediately likeable or totally despicable. I also absolutely loved the use of lyrical language.

‘Flying within the clouds is like dancing on vapour and gliding above them feels like kissing the Sun.’”

DOWN:  When I picked it up, I assumed it was a middle grade adventure (that is, one story and not a collection of stories) so when I started reading the first story, I felt cheated many times because I felt the writer was in a hurry and therefore wasted the opportunity to clearly describe things to me in a way that would make me connect more to her story. By the time I got to the end of the first story I was a bit puzzled, I felt like I had just read the outline of a middle grade adventure rather than a full-fledged short story.

RATING

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

HAVE FUN WITH THIS BOOK

  1. Watch the author read from the book here:

CHALLENGE: The Secret of the Purple Lake

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

  1. Write three interwoven stories.  (500 words each)

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com.

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 8 – 12 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.

Answers must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 27th 2021.

Next Book of the Week:

JUBA AND THE FIREBALL by Yejide Kilanko

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Hello Universe

AGES 8 - 12, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Title: Hello Universe 

Author: Erin Entrada Kelly

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Number of pages: 320

Type of Book: Fiction, adventure, drama, contemporary

Genre: Middle Grade

Age: 8 – 12

Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Universe-Erin-Entrada-Kelly/dp/0062414151

Price: $10.49

MY SUMMARY

This heartwarming tale follows the lives of 4 very different kids with distinct loveable traits, Virgil (the shy one), Valencia (the courageous, deaf one), Kaori (the self-acclaimed psychic) and Chet (the bully). Virgil, the protagonist, is a shy, often bullied, middle grader with one fervent wish, to find the courage to talk to the girl of his dreams, Valencia. To achieve this goal, he enlists the help of another middle grader, Kaori. When Virgil sets off for his meeting with Kaori, he comes across Chet, his nemesis, and as a result, finds himself trapped in an abandoned well, deep in the woods. Faced with the horrible fate on never getting out of the well, he must reach inside himself to find the strength to overcome his fears …

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: As you may have already guessed, I am not a fan of contemporary fiction but this was a delight to read. It has little bits of adventure, humour, tragedy, light romance, great pacing and suspense! I decided to read it because sometime last month, everyone in the #kidslit community was talking about it. I love it because it didn’t disappoint at all. In fact, it surpassed expectations. It was so good that I totally forgot to read as a writer until I was half way through.

I loved the use of multiple perspectives! First, the story was told from the point of view of four different characters, then 3 out of those characters had their stories told in third person while one, Valencia’s, was told in first person using the present tense. It was executed to perfection and each character’s voice was distinctive.

I absolutely loved learning about Filipino culture and folktales. I also really enjoyed the fact that the characters were strikingly diverse; there’s a Japanese-American, a Filipino-American and one with a hearing defect. In Hello Universe, Erin Entrada Kelly celebrates friendship and overcoming one’s fears. Having Virgil, Valencia and Kaori find themselves in the end was nothing short of beautiful. I love happy endings! The last line was absolutely heartwarming. I almost cried! I highly recommend this one.

Note that this book won a NEWBERY!

DOWN: It had a sagging beginning problem! The first few chapters were quite slow! It also did lean heavily towards fate and the powers of the universe and Ouija boards and the like. Not my cup of tea.  

RATING

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

HAVE FUN WITH THIS BOOK

  1. Read an excerpt here: https://preview.aer.io/Hello_Universe-MjQwMDQ=?social=0&retail=0&emailcap=0

CHALLENGE: Hello Universe 

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

  1. Read the excerpt using the link above, then write your own ending. (500 words)

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com.

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 8 – 12 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.

Answers must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 13th 2021.

Next Book of the Week:

THE SECRET OF THE PURPLE LAKE by Yaba Badoe

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

photo credit: Amazon

Holes

13+, AGES 8 - 12, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Title: Holes

Author: Louis Sachar

Publisher:  Bloomsbury Publishing

Number of pages: 233 

Type of Book: Middle Grade, Fairytale, Folktale, Adventure, Mystery. 

Age: 10+

Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Holes-Louis-Sachar/dp/0440414806/ref=pd_sbs_1?pd_rd_w=T5aro&pf_rd_p=965b754e-4670-4322-863d-d4929773ec49&pf_rd_r=KGQV70T7HK8VM5JYXH37&pd_rd_r=17b1b8b7-2dcc-45ab-8e21-fe1cfd2bfdb0&pd_rd_wg=HdnfV&pd_rd_i=0440414806&psc=1 and @thebookwormcafeng on Instagram.

Price: $ 8.49 or N3000

MY SUMMARY

Stanley Yelnats and all his family members have bad luck, it is so bad that Stanley ends up in a juvenile detention centre in the middle of the desert for a crime he didn’t commit. At Camp Green, he must dig holes every day under the hot sun: back-breaking and totally boring stuff until he finds a tube of lipstick in one of his holes and then he goes after a runaway. Then, the adventure begins. The author goes back and forth between three stories: Stanley’s story, a fairytale and a folktale, spinning a thrilling, humorous and powerful story about friendship, crime and punishment.

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: I enjoyed this book as a reader and a writer! The reader in me LOVED the parallel stories; one contemporary, one fairy tale and one folk tale, each with its own fair share of excitement, adventure and suspense. The deadly yellow-spotted lizard, “Kissing Kate” the outlaw, the search for the treasure, and the warden (this woman slapped someone with a snake’s venom) were some of the highlights of the book. This book is a must read for children and adults alike!!

For Ugo, the writer, the highlight was the parallel structure and how all three stories tied up neatly in the end. Just wondering how they were connected and trying to figure it out added to the mystery of the book. Sachar is a wonderful writer with the power to thrill with words. The blend of fairy tale, fantasy, adventure, mystery, humour, folktale and realism in on package is mind-blowing. It is a great mentor text for parallel narratives.   

DOWN: Nada …

RATING

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

HAVE FUN WITH THIS BOOK

  1. Read an excerpt here: https://www.npr.org/books/titles/204896601/holes 

CHALLENGE: Holes

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

  1. Write a 1,000-word story with 2 parallel stories.

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com.

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 10 – 12 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.

Answers must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, February 7th 2021.

Next Book of the Week:

MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH by Trinka Hakes Noble

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

The Adventures of Obi and Titi: Queen Idia’s Mask

AGES 8 - 12, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Title: The Adventures of Obi and Titi: Queen Idia’s Mask

Author: O. T Begho

Publisher:  Evolution Media

Number of pages: 120

Type of Book: Fiction, adventure, African

Genre: Chapter Book

Age: 8 – 12

Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Obi-Titi-Queen-Idias/dp/0955496640

Price: $9.99

MY SUMMARY

This book is the fourth in a chapter book series about Ancient Africa. In this book, Obi and Titi must warn Queen Kehinde that she is in imminent danger but their plans are continuously thwarted by assassins. With the help of a masked rider who turns out to be a young girl named Idia (named after Queen Idia) and her mask which helps her see a few minutes into the future, Obi and the Titi must overcome the tyrant Ezomo and a giant man-eating spider to get to the Queen.

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: I struggled to find the highlights of this book because I was a bit offended by the disservice to Queen Idia. It was well-written and easy to read. It had some humourous bits and it does give a bit of insight into life in Ancient Yoruba land. It has all the makings of a good adventure series and would have been much better if it had left the African part out of it, rather than giving ambiguous information. It features a mini vocabulary list and another list of African facts.

DOWN: I struggled to get to the end of this book because I don’t know how to abandon a book halfway. I had bought this with the hope of adding to my research library on Queen Idia but I was sorely disappointed. First of all, Queen Idia was mentioned in about 8 out of 120 pages and the mask was a piece of wood with magical powers. I also feel like the facts were mixed up. Young readers will not be able to tell which bits of the story were fiction and which were nonfiction and the academic in me found that really stressful. There was a lot of telling and not enough showing but I guess I was particularly annoyed because I have a great deal of respect for Queen Idia and what the pendant mask represents and this book just basically trampled all over her. Matters came to a head when I found grammatical errors.

RATING

⭐️ ⭐️

HAVE FUN WITH THIS BOOK

  1. Read an excerpt here: https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Obi-Titi-Queen-Idias/dp/0955496640 (use the Look Inside function)

CHALLENGE: The Adventures of Obi and Titi: Queen Idia’s Mask

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

  1. Write a 500-word essay on Queen Idia and the pendant mask.

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com.

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 8 – 12 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.

Answers must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 29th 2020.

Next Book of the Week:

THE GREATEST ANIMAL IN THE JUNGLE by Sope Martins

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Beasts Made of Night

13+, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Title: Beasts Made of Night

Author: Tochi Onyebuchi

Publisher:  Razorbill

Number of pages: 295

Type of Book: Fiction, adventure, fantasy

Genre: Young Adult

Age: 13+

Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Beasts-Made-Night-Tochi-Onyebuchi/dp/0448493918/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Price: $9.99

MY SUMMARY

Taj is the most talented aki in Kos, the best sin-eater in a town where sins are murderous beasts – inisisa – that make sinners sick until they’re drawn out from their bodies by mages and eaten by akis, where sin beasts leave tattoos on the bodies of the aki and drive them to madness before they get to adulthood, where the aki are treated as outcasts in spite of the fact that people depend on them to live, where even the royals depend on the aki they despise to maintain the premium placed on purity. When Taj eats the King’s sin, he becomes involved in a sinister plot that changes his life and threatens to destroy all he holds dear.

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: This book is a masterpiece. It packs a mean punch with adventure, magic, humour, tragedy, light romance, great pacing, world building and imagery, the use of sensory language, the use of Igbo 😀 , a pseudo Nigerian setting, all in one story. It is YA fantasy at its best. Compared to most books in the same genre, it is short and sweet. I got it because it came highly recommended as mentor text for a novel I’m working on. I love it because it didn’t disappoint at all. In fact, it surpassed expectations.

Tochi is gifted with writing amazing scenes. This gift is pronounced in the action scenes in the book. He uses sensory language and amazing pacing to create scenes which suck you in and make you feel like they’re unfolding right before your eyes. I cannot rave fully about this book without giving spoilers. Spoiler alert: The arashi’s appearance was nothing short of MAGNIFICENT! I had goosebumps! I put the book down, shouted, picked it up and continued reading. 😀

Then the ending, oh my God, the ending!!! It ended with a cliff hanger. He got me!

Finally, the absolute best part of all of this: There’s more to come! Crown of Thunder, the sequel is available online.  

Here’s a paragraph where we’re introduced to our very first sin-beast:

I don’t even hear the doors close behind me, because the sin-beast rears up and roars in my face. I stare up at a massive lion, one of the biggest I’ve seen. The inisisa is formed of shadows so dark that it seems to suck all the light out of the room, even taking the glow from the daga in my hand. Its claws, inky tendrils of black, click against the floor tiles as it settles back on its enormous haunches. Sin made into living, breathing flesh by dark magic.

DOWN: It had a bit of the sagging middle syndrome. There was a brief lull in the story somewhere in the middle (or should I say the beginning of the middle😀 where I found myself struggling to avoid skipping whole paragraphs. I eventually understood why that section was necessary but it was much slower than the other sections of the book.

RATING

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

HAVE FUN WITH THIS BOOK

  1. Read an excerpt here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/545186/beasts-made-of-night-by-tochi-onyebuchi/9780448493916/excerpt

CHALLENGE: Beasts Made of Night 

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

  1. Read the excerpt using the link above, then read the excerpt of Children of Blood and Bone in this post and compare the literary devices used by both writers.

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com.

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 13+ age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.

Answers must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 22nd 2020.

Next Book of the Week:

THE ADVENTURES OF OBI AND TITI: QUEEN IDIA’S MASK by O. T Begho

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Press Here

AGES 0 - 4, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FEBRUARY IS ‘COLOUR‘ MONTH

Title: Press Here

Author: Hervé Tullet

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Number of pages: 56

Type of Book: Activity; Interactive; Educational

Age: 0 – 4

Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Press-Here-Herve-Tullet/dp/0811879542/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RAZS2H4WXVAAHT34M159 ; http://www.tamsinkbooks.com.ng/product/press-here/

Price:  $9.09

MY SUMMARY

This book takes young readers on a magical, colourful journey beginning with two words, ‘Press here’. It starts with a yellow dot which magically multiples with each, ‘press’ (really a rub) of the reader’s tiny fingers. The book enthralls the 1 – 4-year-old reader with commands to ‘press’ it, shake it, rub it, blow it, tilt it and watch the coloured dots change colour, multiply, fly and dance all over the pages. Guaranteed to keep your toddler entertained for ages.

Warning: You may read it over and over and over and over again in one sitting! Be prepared.

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: It features the primary colours and colours are our theme for our 0 – 4 age group for the month of February! It helps kids build fine motor skills and introduces them to the concept of ‘action’ and ‘reaction’. Author, Hervé Tullet, is an artist so he knows how to literally and figuratively ‘play’ with colours! This is why this award-winning New York Times Bestseller is such a favourite with little children. Other titles by the same author, ‘Mix it Up’, ‘Let’s play’. I recommend for all 0 – 4-year-olds. It’s a sturdy book too so it will survive those little fingers.

DOWN: None

RATING

5 Stars

HAVE FUN WITH THIS BOOK

  1. Make your own Press Here mini book (plus other activities) here: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/landing-pages/presshere/images/PressHereActivitySheets.pdf
  2. Watch the book trailer here: https://www.amazon.com/Press-Here-Herve-Tullet/dp/0811879542/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RAZS2H4WXVAAHT34M159

CHALLENGE: Press Here 

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

  1. Draw and colour 5 shapes using 5 different colours (2 – 4 year olds)

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 2 – 4 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book. Answers must be submitted before 12:00am on Tuesday February 7th 2017.

Next Book of the Week:

PRINCESS ARABELLA MIXES COLOURS by Mylo Freeman

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

 

photo credit: amazon.com

 

Magic Tree House #5: Night of the Ninjas

AGES 4 - 8, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2987_5-nightoftheninjas 51uwmvvjdxl-_sx334_bo1204203200_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Magic Tree House #5: Night of the Ninjas

Author: Mary Pope Osborne

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Number of pages: 69

Type of Book: Fiction; Adventure

Age: 5 – 8

Buy it here: http://readingcorner.ng/P2987-5.-Night-of-the-Ninjas-C752.asp;  https://www.amazon.com/Night-Ninjas-Magic-Tree-House/dp/0679863710

Price: N1,550; $2.97

MY SUMMARY

The magic tree house series is an adventure series for boys and girls aged 5 – 8. Readers join Jack and Annie on many adventures through time to learn historical facts on subjects ranging from prehistoric animals to ancient kingdoms, heroes, warriors, myths and the like. In this adventure, Jack and Annie go to Japan. They meet real-life ninjas, visit the cave of a ninja master where they learn several ninja secrets and hide from a scary samurai. They must find a clue to help them in their search for Morgan Le Fey, the owner of the magic tree house. Read the book to discover the wonders of life as a ninja and whether Jack and Annie where able to find Morgan.

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: Readers will learn interesting facts about ninjas in olden-day Japan making this book a valuable reference tool for kids. This book, like others in the series, also has some pointers on how to do research in libraries, museums and using books and the internet! I recommend this book for boys and girls between the age of 5 and 9, especially beginning and reluctant readers and kids with a love for adventure. For some extra fun, read the non-fiction companion to this book. It features all sorts of fun facts about ninjas and samurai.

DOWN: None.

RATING

5 Stars

TRIVIA

  1. This series has sold more than 100 million books worldwide! 

HAVE FUN WITH THIS BOOK

  1. Visit Jack and Annie and become a member of the Magic Tree House Adventure Club here: http://www.magictreehouse.com
  2. Buy the non-fiction companion here: https://www.amazon.com/Ninjas-Samurai-Nonfiction-Companion-Tracker/dp/038538632X
  3. Listen to the first chapter of this book here:

 

CHALLENGE: Magic Tree House #5: Night of the Ninjas

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

Read the story above and answer the questions below:

  1. List two items used by ninjas (5 – 6 year olds)
  1. Write a 200-word essay on Japanese Ninjas (7 – 8 year olds)

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 5 – 8 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.

Answers must be submitted before 12:00am on Wednesday, December 21st 2016.

Next Book of the Week:

NO DON’T TOUCH ME THERE by Nomthi Odukoya

 

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

 

photocredit: reading corner.ng and amazon.com

The Mystery of Shelf 12L pt 5

AGES 8 - 12, LITERARY RAMBLES, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Continued from here

Ada’s eyes came open slowly, widening with every second until her eyebrows almost touched her forehead.

The waterfall stood before her in all its glory.

Seven rivers of rushing foamy water gushing towards the cliff and plunging many meters into the pool below with a thunderous roar. The first four and the last drops had gleaming white water while the fifth and sixth had water adorned with shining yellow streaks as if they had been kissed by the sun.

They could barely see the pool as the water pounded the rocks at the bottom creating moving clouds of water which seemed to fight against themselves before tumbling into a river which flowed a channel into the forest. A thick fog rose the foot of the waterfall almost all the way to the top making it impossible to see the bottom of the waterfall and the pool.

Ada took a step closer to the cliff and she felt the cold spray from the mist and the cold wind that seemed to push her aback, keeping her away from the cliff..

“It’s wonderful!!!!” she shouted trying to be heard over the deafening roar of the water

Zigi smiled and held up his camera.

Ada quickly threw her arms in the air and wore her brightest smile. This picture was especially for Iphie and the girls.

Zigi took her and dragged her away from the waterfall.

“We have a thousand and one things to see and do and almost no time left. We have to go!!?”

Fun facts about Agbokim

It’s located 3.5 hours by road from calabar

Swim in the bowl in the dry season and you may catch some fish.

The cave palace, mostly closed during the rainy season as a result of the water, houses the spiritual prince and princess of the area.

to be continued …

see you same time next week …

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

The Mystery of Shelf 12 L Pt 4

AGES 8 - 12, LITERARY RAMBLES, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chapter 2

Agbokim Falls

Continued from here

 

This time, the tumble down the tunnel wasn’t so bad. She was still slammed into the walls of the tunnel over and over again but the wind wrapped around her body like a soft cushion, shielding it from the hard walls of the tunnel. Ada squeezed her eyes shut and screamed all the way down. Suddenly, the tunnel threw her up with a giant belch and she landed on her bum smack in the middle of a forest. She opened her eyes slowly. There were giant trees all around her. Some tall and skinny, some tall and fat enough to be a house, some with lush green leaves, some without. All of them seemed to be trying to touch the sky and for the longest time, they all seemed to be dancing as they swam before her eyes. Shaking away the feeling of dizziness, she got up slowly, dusted her clothes and turned around to explore when whoosh! Something heavy rammed into her from behind and she fell flat on her face. Zigi’s square glasses landed next to her right cheek.

“Phew! Sometimes the tunnel ride is even more fun than the sight!”

He felt on the ground, right next to her eye for his glasses, picked them up, put them on and rose. “Here …” he offered her his hand “Get up, we don’t have a lot of time”

Ada spat a blade of wet grass out, ignored his hand and stood. “At least say sorry”.

“For what?” He perched his glasses on his nose.

“You knocked me down! You could have hurt me badly”

“No, the wind knocked me down and I fell on you. So blame the wind”

“Oomph!” Ada stormed off.

 “Careful, there are man-eating vines ahead and scary steps!” he shouted at her back. She kept walking. “There are two bottomless pits too! You can fall to your death!”

Ada stopped instantly. He ran up to her, grabbed her hand and started walking. “Sorry. Can you hear the birds?”

Ada listened and then she heard the distinct harmonious chirping of birds. It sounded like they were whistling one song in unison.

“There are many types of birds here. Bird watchers come here a lot.”

He dragged her through the lush green forest to a narrow path going downhill with wet slippery steps covered with a bed of green leaves and bracketed on both sides by hundreds of green and brown hairy vines.

Ada stopped.

“Come” he tugged at her hand. “We have to hurry. There’s a lot to see and we have to get back to school soon. Hold on to the vines”

He led her carefully but quickly down the path. They had walked for about ten minutes when suddenly the sound of thunder claps filled the air.

Ada stopped and pulled her hands out of his. “What’s that?!”

“Come on! It’s the waterfall, we’re almost there” he grabbed her hand again and continued walking.

But the thunderous sound seemed to be coming closer and closer.

Ada stopped. “I want to go back! I don’t like that sound! It’s scary. I want to go back”

“I thought you wanted to see a waterfall! Some of them are really loud!! This one is one of the loud ones. It’s the sound of the falling water! Don’t worry, it’s just water, Come!”

“No! She turned around and started walking back up the hill.

“I promise. It’s not scary! It just really loud but it’s not scary. And you’ll take a picture to show Iphie and her friends!”

Ada stopped.

“Ada, just imagine the look on Iphie’s face when she sees your picture. But you can’t take the picture if you go back now and without a picture, no one will believe you!”

She turned around.

“Good! We’re almost there” He grabbed her hand and ran so she wouldn’t change her mind.

The sound of the water was almost ear-piercing now. Ada swallowed and started trembling. Maybe I should just go back.

As if Zigi heard her, he stopped. “We’re here. Close your eyes.”

Ada stopped and squeezed her eyes shut immediately. Then she blocked her ears with her hands too. Zigi grabbed her elbow. They took twenty steps and stopped.

“Now, open your eyes”

 

 

to be continued …

see you same time next week …

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Peter Pan

AGES 8 - 12, BOOK REVIEW, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

51785kreul-_sx386_bo1204203200_

Title: Peter Pan

Author: J. M. Barrie

Publisher: Bendon Classics/Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Number of pages: 176/208

Type of Book: Classic, Fiction

Age: 8+

Buy it here: ; https://www.amazon.com/Peter-Pan-Scribner-Illustrated-Classic/dp/0689830785/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1481017791&sr=1-5&keywords=peter+pan&refinements=p_n_feature_five_browse-bin%3A2579001011 free download here (unabridged version for older readers): https://cdn.preterhuman.net/texts/literature/books_in_PDF/1904%20Peter%20Pan.pdf

Price: $6:94

MY SUMMARY

This abridged version shows the most important bits and quotes from the original story of Peter Pan, a little boy who refused to grow up. Peter Pan leads the three Darling children, Wendy, Michael and John on the adventure of a life time. They fly off through the bedroom window in their London home to the magical land of Neverland where they meet pirates, mermaids, fairies, Indians and other creatures. Read the book to enjoy the sights and sounds of Neverland and to meet the Darling children and their new friends, Peter Pan, the lost boys, Tinkerbell and Tiger Lily.

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: A perfect adventure story for boys and girls! The major highlight was Tinkerbell. I laughed at her mischief and jealousy and rudeness but most importantly, every time she misbehaved, she was called out on it, showing children that bad behaviour should not be accepted. Other highlights were the tick-tocking crocodile, human shadows made of cloth, nightlights that yawn and sleep.

This book is for children who believe in a bit of magic! (Not the Nigerian juju, kind, but the kind that makes them feel like the world is a beautiful happy place, that nothing terrible can happen to them, that everyone gets a happily ever after and that they are invincible!)

And really, every child needs a bit of magic!

DOWN: As with most classics, the unabridged version might be a bit too much for children.

RATING

5 Stars 

TRIVIA

  1. Who was the Nana, the nanny? A dog living with the Darlings and charged with taking care of the Darling children.
  2. The beautiful and brave warrior princess of the Indians? Tiger Lily.
  3. Who were the lost boys? They were a group of six boys who became citizens of Neverland because they had fallen out of their baby carriages and were not claimed by their parents.
  4. Captain Hook had a funny relationship with this gigantic animal? The tick-tocking crocodile. It ate Captain Hook’s arm, thought it tasted really good and followed him around to try to eat the rest of him.
  5. How did the beings on the island get the time? They stayed close to the tick-tocking crocodile till the clock struck the hour!

Learn more about Peter Pan here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Pan

CHALLENGE: Peter Pan

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

  1. Write a story within a story. (600 words) (8 – 9 year olds)

OR

  1. Draw a picture of the pirates using only these details:

“A more mean looking gang never existed. Here is Cecco with his great strong arms. Now comes Bill Jukes who wears one hundred tattoos. Cookson, Gentleman Starkey and Skylights come next, singing and growling into the darkness. The Irish boatswain Smee and the laughing Alf Mason are sharing a pipe and looking behind every tree for the lost boys. Let us not forget Noodler whose hands were fixed on backward and who is as mean as any of the band. In the middle of them the blackest and largest of the group, is James Hook. He was seated in a chariot drawn by his men. Instead of a right hand he had the iron hook. In person, he was ghostly white, and an evil air hung about him like a mist. His hair was dressed in long thick curls, which at a distance looked like black snakes that wriggled around his handsome face. His eyes were a dancing blue and had a certain sadness – except when he was plunging his hook into; and then, two red spots appeared in his eyes that lit them up horribly.”

Culled from the Peter Pan by J.M Barrie, adapted by Wendi Lowery, pg. 71.

  1. Write an 800-word story titled ‘The Adventures of Eki in the Benin Forest’ (10-12 year olds)

OR

  1. Draw a picture of the pirates using only these details:

“A more mean looking gang never existed. Here is Cecco with his great strong arms. Now comes Bill Jukes who wears one hundred tattoos. Cookson, Gentleman Starkey and Skylights come next, singing and growling into the darkness. The Irish boatswain Smee and the laughing Alf Mason are sharing a pipe and looking behind every tree for the lost boys. Let us not forget Noodler whose hands were fixed on backward and who is as mean as any of the band. In the middle of them the blackest and largest of the group, is James Hook. He was seated in a chariot drawn by his men. Instead of a right hand he had the iron hook. In person, he was ghostly white, and an evil air hung about him like a mist. His hair was dressed in long thick curls, which at a distance looked like black snakes that wriggled around his handsome face. His eyes were a dancing blue and had a certain sadness – except when he was plunging his hook into; and then, two red spots appeared in his eyes that lit them up horribly.”

Culled from the Peter Pan by J.M Barrie, adapted by Wendi Lowery, pg. 71.

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 8-12 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.

Answers must be submitted before 12:00am on Sunday, December 11th 2016.

Next Book of the Week:

MIDDLE SCHOOL: ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN by James Patterson

 

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

 

photo credit: Amazon.com