An engaging fantasy set in Indonesia’s Flores Island. Young Aisha is a cursed child. The Kelimutu Volcano erupted when she was born and destroyed her hometown of Muni on the island of Flores. Prophecy claims it will happen again when she turns ten, just one month away.
Aisha and younger sister, Liya, bravely try and save their town. This includes a dangerous journey up the slopes of Kelimutu and gathering evidence from the towns residents and a temporary tent camp.
The thrilling ending has Aisha attempting the impossible by stopping the flow of lava before it is too late. Will she be able to find the magic that others in her family already have to put a happy end to her fears?
Ten stunningly beautiful full page illustrations are interspersed among the 34 chapters. The ending sets up an enticing continuation of the story set in the 1950s. Perfect as a read-aloud, THE SECRET OF THE KELIMUTU VOLCANO-The Rise of the Golden Garuda, is the first book in the series. It’s a welcome tale about family and finding your calling.
BOOK BIRTHDAY: March 5, 2024 PAGE COUNT: 184
FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT THE SECRETS OF THE KELIMUTU VOLCANO by Hamsa Buvaraghan, Riya & Eesha Sanjay
- The connection between the three generations of grandmother, mom, and daughters, all powerful healers, were my favorite parts of the story.
- The beautiful island in Indonesian provided a unique setting for a MG book. Adding in the fantasy element made it an even more enjoyable read.
- The third person narration and short chapters will appeal to new middle grade readers.
- Aisha’s jealousy of her younger sister’s magical ability was a great inner-conflict added to the story line.
- What a perfect and memorable connection for Hamsa and her daughters to write this book together. A loving family for sure.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND CO-AUTHORS
Hamsa Buvaraghan is an Indo-Canadian residing in Bay Area, California, with her husband and two daughters, Riya and Eesha. The idea for her book spawned from her experiences with Indonesian children when she volunteered with a nonprofit called Indonesia Street Children Organization. She writes multicultural fantasy novels that explore themes of racial diversity, courage, family, and friendship. Hamsa is a technology leader at Google and also writes business technology books. She holds a Master of Business Administration with honors in global management and a Bachelor of Engineering in computer science.
Connect with Hamsa at hamsabuvaraghan.com.
Riya Sanjay is a sixth grader residing in Bay Area, California. Her interests include creative writing, piano (level 7), karate, and basketball. In her free time, she tinkers with STEM projects.
Eesha Sanjay is a junior high school student residing in Bay Area, California, currently studying for her IB Diploma.
She holds a black belt in martial arts. Her other interests include music (piano, level 10), creative writing, and theatre. She is interested in pursuing biomedical engineering and pre- medicine.
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Added to my TBR! I love the setting, and I love the fact that is co-written by a mother and two young daughters! One of my greatest fears as a child was lava – not a problem where I grew up (Ireland!) but I had a lot of nightmares about it, which means a volcano about to erupt is another reason for wanting to read this story! Thanks for the recommendation!
This sounds interesting – not just for the story, but the family collaboration in writing a story about family.
Do you have readers for as many culturally connected fantasies as there are being published. They were popular here for a while, but so few of my students want a five book series. Most of the new ones gather dust, especially the sequels. There are so many good ones, and I want to buy them, but just can’t justify it!
Not so much. As much as I try to get students interested they always go back to their favorites.
Very cool that the family collaborated in writing the book. Happy MMGM
I’m sure fantasy lovers will like this one. Not my cup of tea, but I appreciate the review.
This is really cool. I don’t think I’ve ever read a MG book set in Indonesia before. I’m adding it to my reading list. Thanks for sharing your review. 🙂