Comment

Oct 22, 2017TEENREVIEWCREW rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Two kids named Muckoki and Jata live in a Kenyan village in Africa. One day political violence overshadows the country, and influences their family to runn away from this violence. As they are retreating, their home gets destroyed and their dad passes away. They move out of the country into a new crowded refugee camp. Through out this story the mom gets sick, and there is no heath clinic around. People tell Muckoki (the older child and son) that the best medicine is food. Muchkoki devotes his time to hunt for food to help his mom, but later in the book the mother dies because of malaria. Muchoki and Jata (the younger child and daughter) are forced to separate to a different orphanage because they have no mother or father, they will be very far away from each other and would have a slim chance to see each other again. Then the two siblings make the wise decision to escape the camp and walk across Africa to find their grandparents who they haven't ever met. It is an amazing story and it teaches you about not giving up and how to be persistent. I felt the book was great, it exemplifies how lucky people in Canada are and teaches you to be happy for what you have. @rusty_reads of the Teen Review Board at the Hamilton Public Library Muchoki, a 13-year-old boy, is burdened with the responsibility of his younger sister Jata and the tragedy that occurred to his parents. Being brave, he takes the decision to move forward. Losing his parents, young Muchoki and Jata make a journey a child their age would not dare take. But the path has already been chosen and looking behind is an option neither can afford. Step by step, they travel to a place they wish to live, but only later on do they realize that they might not be accepted or welcomed. Eric Walters, a well-known Canadian author, depicts their journey so beautifully through his formal English literature, as used in this book. This book is recommended to tweens, teens, and even young adults, as the journey of Muchoki is one that’ll interest all. 8/10 Stars. - @Bibliomaniac of the Teen Review Board of the Hamilton Public Library ‘Walking Home’ takes place in Kenya, Africa. Muchoki, a 13 year old boy, was living in a small village until an outburst of political violence caused the village to be destroyed and his father was killed. He, his sister and his mother flee into a refugee camp, and it follows him and his family trying to, ‘walk home’, and find somewhere to have as a home. This is a book that I would not normally read, myself being into action books, whereas this book being one of familial love and real-life struggles. It’s fiction, however, it is based off of occurrences that do happen in real life. It’s a very slow book, detailing put very simply, Muchoki and his sister walking. Just walking. As such, it’s a very slow and detail oriented plot, filled with mainly the characters instead of what’s happening. The characters, as such, are very well done, they develop themselves, and change as horrible circumstances are thrust upon them again and again during their journey to wherever they’re going. There’s only two characters that repeatedly show up within the book, but many of the side characters are important axels to the plot as well. Overall, a very slow book. One that I, honestly found boring, but I can recognise the good writing within it. I would recommend it to people who enjoy slow books about real world problems. 4/5. @Xeno of the Hamilton Public Library Teen Review Board