Rwendigo Tales

A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest is the first book in the fictional series, The Rwendigo Tales. This adventure story is designed for eight-to fourteen-year-old youth and is written for children and teens who love reading and learning about faraway and different parts of the world, while relating to characters and issues that seem much closer to home. Ten-year-old Mu, orphaned as a toddler, has lived his entire life in the heart of Africa. For as long as he can remember, he has served in the household of a great-uncle where he is unloved and ignored. In his drudgery-filled life, Mu has little hope of happiness and little hope that anything will ever change. But one day everything does change. On his way to draw water one morning, Mu is astonished when a chameleon greets him by name and announces that they will embark on a quest together. And what a quest it turns out to be! Mu faces danger and finds unexpected allies as they journey through an ever changing landscape. Through his adventure, Mu learns many things about himself. Along with Mu, you will walk through Africa, encountering good and evil. Read carefully and you just may find out who you are too.

A Bird, A Girl, and a Rescue is the second book in the fictional series, The Rwendigo Tales. Designed for eight- to fourteen-year-old youth, this adventure novel is written for children and teens who love reading and learning about faraway and different parts of the world, while relating to characters and issues that seem much closer to home. Eleven-year-old Kiisa has no idea why her parents would send her away to boarding school. She wonders why they can't all stay together in their beautiful African valley home. But no matter what she says, they are firm: she must go, and she must go to this school. As she says a tearful goodbye to her father, he whispers, "For such a time as this. . . . Remember that phrase, and try to open your trunk soon. You'll find something unexpected inside." When Kiisa opens the trunk, she is astonished to find a small heap of black-and-white feathers that quickly unfold into a little bird, a wagtail to be exact. Her surprise only deepens when the bird starts 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 has no idea what she means, but she will 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 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 such as 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 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.

A Forest, A Flood, and an Unlikely Star is the third book in the fictional series, The Rwendigo Tales. Designed for eight- to fourteen-year-old youth, this adventure story is written for children and teens who love reading and learning about faraway and different parts of the world, while relating to characters and issues that seem much closer to home. Just thirteen-years-old, Kusiima has no time for school, sports, or hanging out with the other boys in his African village. With no father or mother to take care of him, he works long hours to support his grandmother and sickly baby sister. Then one day, Kusiima's life suddenly changes when he travels into a nearby protected forest. In the forest, Kusiima is presented with many choices, all with uncertain outcomes. Should he go along with illegal logging? Help to save an endangered baby gorilla? Follow a donkey to who knows where? With each choice, Kusiima has to make yet another decision about what is right in front of him. As he does, he meets a mysterious doctor who holds the key to his past and his future. In the end, Kusiima is faced with the hardest choice of all. Can he forgive a great wrong and heal a broken relationship? Readers of all ages won't want to put down this exciting book that addresses current realities like AIDS, malnutrition, and environmental destruction, all set in a richly detailed African adventure story. Following along as Kusiima makes his decisions, readers will find themselves considering their own choices and growing in empathy for others. This action-packed tale of a boy, his sister, and an orphaned gorilla is also a clear call to give up bitterness and forgive deep hurts, restoring broken lives and relationships.

A Fever, a Flight, and a Fight for the World is a compelling African adventure story that will enthrall eight- to fourteen-year-old youth who love adventure and learning about faraway places. In the exciting fourth and final book in The Rwendigo Tales series, readers will be inspired by ordinary people who make the extraordinary choice to stand against great evil. Written by J. A. Myhre, a doctor living and working in East Africa, this adventure story teaches readers of all ages important truths about justice, overcoming evil, and the courage to make a difference. In A Fever, a Flight, and a Fight for the World, A doctor volunteering in a village plagued by a mysterious virus wakes up on a deserted island injured, sick, and near death-with no memory of how he got there. As Dr. Mujuni slowly regains his memory, he pieces together the horrific reality of what happened to the community and learns just how far the government-backed officials will go to silence all knowledge of the epidemic. A young girl named Nyakato-the only other survivor-nurses him back to health, Dr. Mujuni must devise a plan to make their way back to the mainland, but what they discover on their journey is even more dangerous than they could ever imagine. Through a series of perils and hazards, Mujuni and Nyakato must fight for more than their own lives, learning the true cost of overcoming evil and greed. Through their adventures, readers will find hope in the midst of great loss, triumph and courage in the midst of death and injustice, and love in the midst of darkness.