A Forest a Flood and an Unlikely Star

I just finished reading A Forest a Flood and an Unlikely Star to my children. It was amazing! The third in a series of books, Dr. Myhre captivates you with a tale that is very foreign to the American reader. You are swept away to some made up land that does not sound so made up. She stretches the reader with her use of the English language and African. She also stretches the reader with the moral dilemmas between good and evil and forgiveness and hate. Some of the plotlines are predictable but all were enjoyable.

As far as content to be aware of, she mentions the struggles of AIDS and polygamy but is not graphic. There is no foul language in the book. The violence seems mild to me, death is part of the story. Some men are mentioned as drunk, and there is no sex mentioned in the book as far as I remember. I felt comfortable reading this to my kids who range from 13 to 2.

As I read, I was captivated and moved to tears hoping some of the moral messages would be passed down to my kids.

This is the description on Amazon.

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 Forest, a Flood, and an Unlikely Star is the third book in the Rwendigo Tale Series and follows Book One, A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest, and Book Two, A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue. 

To see other reviews check out Practicing the Power by Sam Storms or
Praying the Bible by Donald Whitney