A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest

A Boy Named Mu, an African Journey, and You

Mu, a ten-year-old orphan, 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 a fascinating and ever-changing landscape.

A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest blends magical realism with a compelling story. The exciting story line combines an orphan’s journey to find a home with the plight of child soldiers and the dangers of the Ebola virus and, along the way, highlights universal themes of integrity, loyalty, faith, and love. Written by long-time medical missionary J. A. Myrhe, the artful story is laced with subtle gospel themes and handles cross-cultural issues with grace and sensitivity. Kids will encounter good and evil and learn the truth about hope, happiness, and what it means to be human in this page-turning first book in a new series.

My thoughts: I was pleasantly surprised with this book! I am not sure what I was expecting, but I was thrilled to discover this is a neat little story for young people that does a wonderful job of combining faith and fiction. Told through the eyes of a young orphan, I found this to be an interesting and engaging coming of age story that is imaginative and well written. While not particularly long, it held my attention through to the end (something that can be hard for me when it comes to books written at a middle school level). I thought the pacing was just right and the characters are well portrayed. I highly recommend this story!
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.