A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue (The Rwendigo Tales #2) by J.A. Myhre -- Review

​About the Book

Eleven-year-old Kiisa had no idea why her parents would send her away to boarding school. She wondered why they couldn’t all stay together in their beautiful African valley home. But no matter what she said they were firm: she must go, and she must go to this school.

As she said a tearful goodbye to her father, he whispered, “For such a time as this. . . . Remember that phrase, and try to open your trunk soon. You’ll find something unexpected inside.” When Kiisa opened the trunk, she was astonished to find a small heap of black and white feathers that quickly unfolded into a little bird, a wagtail to be exact. Her surprise only deepened when the bird started to speak, ”My name is Njili. I am one of the Messengers, though a small one. I have been sent to assist you with the Rescue.” Kiisa had no idea what she meant, but she would soon find out.

Join Kiisa on the adventure of a lifetime—a dangerous rescue mission that includes rebels, stolen girls, illegal logging, a hungry cobra, and more messengers who help in unexpected ways. Kiisa sets out to rescue others, but finds herself rescued from fear and bitterness as she learns that bravery is nothing more (or less) than being in the right place at the right time and taking action despite her fears.

This page-turning story, the second in The Rwendigo Tales (A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest is the first book), is an adventure that children, young adults, and even full-grown adults will not be able to put down. A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue creatively and convincingly explores universal themes like family, forgiveness, bullying, and courage by blending magical realism and compelling storytelling. Written by a long-time medical missionary to Africa and featuring realistic pen and ink illustrations, it draws first-world readers into another (equally real) world—where young girls are captured by rebel soldiers, terrorism is a way of life, and environmental resources are exploited without a second thought. As Myhre’s characters deal with these real-life issues in the news, readers of all ages will gain a deeper interest in global human concerns.
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Designed for eight-to fourteen-year-old youth.

GOODREADS | AMAZON--KINDLE & PRINT

About the Author

J.A. Myhre serves as a doctor with Serge in East Africa where she has worked for over two decades.  She is passionate about health care for the poor, training local doctors and nurses, promoting childhood nutrition and development, and being the hands of Jesus in the hardest places.  She is married to her best friend and colleague Scott, and together they have raised four children for whom many of her stories were written as Christmas presents.

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​Praise for A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue:

“Much of the beauty of fiction is its unique ability to transport us to places we have never been so we can enjoy experiences through the eyes, hands, and minds of fictional characters. J. A. Myhre’s novels invite boys and girls to embark on distinctly African adventures that are as exciting as they are instructive. I think your children—and perhaps also their parents—will love them.”
-Tim Challies, Author; blogger at challies.com

“Dr. Jennifer Myhre’s stories are birthed from the African outpost where her husband and family have shared their lives, skills, and hearts for the cause of the Christ. Each account, written so that her own family would embrace and rejoice in the power of the gospel, is told in engaging narrative fiction but also rings true with deep knowledge of the African experience and biblical hope for all nations.”
-Bryan Chapell, Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church, Peoria, IL
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“Kids love adventure stories. A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue will have them begging you to read the next chapter, and each one seemed to hold a surprise—a great family bedtime story.”
-Marty Machowski, Family Pastor; author of The Ology, The Gospel Story Bible, Long Story Short, and other gospel-rich resources for families

Review

When I first found out about A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue, I was super excited.  J.A. Myhre’s A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest was such a fun book and I was thrilled about the sequal.  Myhre’s story of a young African girl comes to life from page one.  This exciting and fun fantasy, adventure story is one that children will absolutely enjoy.  Not only is it a enjoyable read, it shares some of Africa with those that have never been there.  I would recommend this story to children that enjoy fantasy and adventure stories.
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Series: The Rwendigo Tales
Genre: chidlren’s, fantasy, Africa, Christian
Publisher: New Growth Press
Publication date: September 13, 2016
Number of pages: 128
Category: Elementary School + (3rd-7th specifically)
Content Rating: G
Book Rating: 5 stars

Other books in the series:
1-A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest
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A print review copy of this novel was provided by Cross Focused Reviews.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.