Thursday , March 28 2024
The adventures of Dhahabu, an adorable squirrel with a beautiful smile - and an important message.

Book Review: Safari through the Land of Landu by Angela Karanja

All children love adventure, no matter what part of the world they are from. Angela Karanja’s book Safari through the Land of Landu will enchant a child into seeking his or her own adventures through play. I love this book because the main character Dhahabu meets up with some of her friends with whom she must travel through an underground tunnel.

The author introduces the reader to all of Dhahabu’s friends: owls, rabbits, frogs, hippopotamuses, turtles, meerkats, and monkeys.

The animals raft across a pond and at each new location they meet up with new friends. Written in fun rhyme, Safari through the Land of Landu features the characters traveling together singing fun jingles to keep things cheerful. Finally they arrive at their final destination, only to discover that there is no food. Manku the monkey saves the day by climbing up a banana, pear, and an apple tree and throwing fruit at his friends. Everyone ends up having a great time.

This is a great book that teaches children about helping one another in time of need. It also highlights that each one of us is unique and when we support each other we can accomplish great things.

The hidden message in Safari through the Land of Landu that resonates well with me is that, while we all do not look exactly the same, each one of us is very important. As a school teacher, I often observe how some kids make fun of other children because of how they look physically. This book can be used in the classroom to teach children about accepting each other not for outward appearance — but for who they are inside.

The illustrations complement the story and bring it to life visually.

About Nicole Weaver

Nicole Weaver is an award-winning author. Her first trilingual book Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle was published in 2009. Her love for languages and other cultures resulted in publishing the award-winning book, My Sister Is My Best Friend which was published in 2011 by Guardian Angel Publishing. My Sister Is My Best Friend has won the following awards: 2012 Creative Child Awards Program consisting of moms and educators has awarded this book the 2012 PREFERRED CHOICE AWARD Kids Picture Storybooks category. 2012 Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval 2012 Children's Literary Classics Gold Award Readers' Favorite 5 Star Review Her newest book , My Brother Is My Best Friend was also published by Guardian Angel Publishing, January 2014.

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