A Forest, a Flood, and an Unlikely Star: The Rwendigo Tales Book Three

Love love love this series!

Another Rwendigo tale for children set in Africa. The main character, Kusiima, is struggling to care for his grandmother and his severely ill infant sister by selling bundles of charcoal for Mr. Mugabe. Thanks to a donkey named Nsoli, or star, Kusiima is led to make a big difference in the lives of others and in his own. Terrific story with great illustrations, as well as a glossary in the back for defining words in the book from Swahili or Luwendigo dialect.

It's been a few years since I've read the first two of the Rwendigo Tales, but I loved the touches of magical realism in an otherwise realistic fiction story. I've come across so few chapter books for children (even the tween and teen groups) that have such a positive outlook without being "gritty" or overly dark. And it seems especially true of books set in Africa. I thoroughly enjoyed this, though perhaps not as well as the first two in the series. The author deftly weaves a story touching on tough topics like Aids, rebel groups, i deforestation, gorilla poaching, poverty, and abandonment, yet the story is not dark or depressing, but determinedly hopeful with a satisfying, though somewhat rushed, conclusion.

Third in a series, these books have been a fantastic introduction to many aspects of life in Africa, as seen through the eyes of children. Hard things are talked about (orphans, rejection, poverty, poaching, rebel groups, etc) but there is always a thread of hope that make these books ultimately uplifting. We have read these out loud as a family, with children ranging from 4-11, and have had some great conversations as a result. I highly recommend them to anyone looking to introduce their children to some of the various scenarios and cultural aspects of life in Africa!

"All of my struggles and all that you've suffered because of me . . . . well, they are a part of our story. . . But they aren't the end of the story." Living with his grandmother, after the death of his mother and the abandonment of his father, Kusiima is growing up into a young man. Working everyday selling charcoal in his small town, he earnestly desires to make sure that his small sister gets the medical attention that she needs. When an opportunity to earn extra income appears, Kusiima readily accepts; a decision that will change the course of his life forever. Another engaging "Rwendigo Tale"! Parents - if you are using this series as a read-aloud, please note that the content in this book does include more mature themes; brutal poachers and vague descriptions of the birthing process, both humans and animals.

My daughter just turned 8 a few months ago. She had such fun reading this book with me. The story was clearly developed in the prior books but it was still a lot of fun to read this book and with my daughter. I loved the morals that were in this story too. It was fun to see my daughter get involved in the story-line and see the bravery and courage in the characters. I thought it was neat how the one animal that is perceived as intelligent doesn't speak but uses other means to communicate, like Harpo Marx! All in all, this was a great story that I completely enjoyed, my daughter loved, and I look forward to reading the two previous books (even though this could be read as a stand a lone).

This is J.A. Myhre’s third book in The Rwendigo Tales series. In it we travel along with Kusiima, the story’s main character, through an inner quest to find more about his late mother. Leaving behind Kusiima and Ngozi, Kusiima’s baby sister, we read that they live with their grandmother in a East Africa. This young adult novel is action-packed and rich in story telling. Kusiima must make the biggest choice of his life when faced with death, brokenness, and ultimately, restoration. My favorite chapter is when Kusiima battles through the forest with two unlikely friends. His endurance and love for the animal kingdom is uplifting. It is sure to engage any teenager with a love for animals. I could relate to Kusiima’s trials of growing up without a father and living with his grandma. I admired his will and his spirit. When faced with a daunting task, he is up for it with grace and humility. I highly recommend this book and am eager to read the first two books in this series. It makes a beautiful gift for teens, including adults. I am very fond of the illustrations by Acacia Masso. They are black and white sketches that add to the breadth of the text.

This book was very inspiring, great writing and compelling to read with a beautiful story an adventure of a young 13 year old boy with his family that was struggling for facing for life living. The book also will bring us to traveling and exploring along with his journey to protect a forest in African from the out side world. It’s hard to put this book down when you start to read in every page of the story was very exciting and challenges for all us to following all the passion and the decision that all the character had make and facing together in their life. I highly recommend to everyone must to read this book.

What is it like to grow up in the jungles of Africa? That's what J.A. Myhre sought to depict for her children through her Rwendigo Tales. Originally written as Christmas presents, but now, a gift shared with a wider audience, Myhre shows rather than tells her readers what it is like to grow up in the jungles of Africa. Her experience as a doctor who has served with Serge in East Africa for over two decades uniquely qualifies her to present the distinct challenges of those living in the African jungles. A Forest, a Flood, and an Unlikely Star is the third book in her series, aimed at youth, which takes us on a journey with thirteen-year-old Kusiima and his family. Each book is set in the same general region and follows different characters, so they do not have to be read in a specific order. In her Introduction, Myhre informs us that: "Events in this book have their roots in the real lives of real people who love each other and raise their families in places increasingly affected by the same injustices the boy in this story struggles with: loss of those he loves, disease [AIDS], poverty, deforestation, poaching, and rebel movements" (pg. v). I thoroughly enjoyed A Forest, a Flood, and an Unlikely Star over a rainy Sunday afternoon and evening despite the fact that it is a somewhat "heavy" book gently introducing young people to the brokenness and complexity of this world. Although it doesn't expressly tell how the Gospel makes a difference in Kusiima's life or how the Gospel gives hope to those facing sin and suffering, it lends itself well to that discussion. Myhre's writing is engaging, wholesome, and age-appropriate while avoiding over-simplicity in vocabulary, plot, and conflict and is a thought-provoking introduction to life in the jungles of Africa.

I've enjoyed the other two books in this series, but I think this one has been my favorite. I've completely fell in love with these books. They're just beautiful stories, full of courage, and worthy of a spot on our shelves. This one had a bit of a different style than the other two, in that the animals never talk. One of them comes off intelligent, but never reveals things through words like they do in the other books. While I did connect with this book even more than the other two, I'm curious about the change. Each book in this series was written as Christmas presents for the author's children for four years. (There's one more book to come.) From the time I read the first book, I've found this especially appealing to the books. It just makes them sweeter and more special. In this particular book, we meet Kusiima. He lives with his grandmother and little sister, Ngonzi. Ngonzi is very sick, but Kusiima and his grandmother aren't sure how to help her, with such a limited income. Aside from working at his job, and worrying about his sister, he soon becomes mixed up with illegal activities. In the end, he has many choices to make. While this book can be read perfectly fine alone, I do think it would be better to read it after the other two, just to understand the "Creator and Messengers" portion of the story. This part is briefly explained in the epilogue. There are some parts, one in particular, that are disturbing. I'd probably wait a bit on reading this(or handing it over) to highly sensitive children. It doesn't hide the harsh realities of those living in Africa, like death, marriage to stay out of extreme poverty, AIDS, poaching, hunger, and so much more. (The author does say in her note that this book was written for older children and teens.) Overall, this is a lovely series and I highly recommend them, especially if you want your children to "travel" to Africa for a little while.