Children of the Benin Kingdom

Product Information

Polly Crosby tells ReadingZone about her novel, This Tale is Forbidden (Scholastic), a fractured fairy tale set in a dystopian world. I think the ending of the book was very interesting and happy because Ada found her brother half way in the book and at the end they met her dad. He deserved to be overthrown but instead of letting it happen, he tried to have kids murdered to stop it.

Books for Topics, children’s fiction reviews blog “A riveting historical adventure… as much about friendship and loyalty and the bonds of family as a quest for identity. Eze teaches Ada his knowledge and skill in the ways of the forest but she feels something is missing and wants to find out more about her ancestors. Spelling Seeds have been designed to complement Writing Roots by providing weekly, contextualised sequences of sessions for the teaching of spelling that include open-ended investigations and opportunities to practise and apply within meaningful and purposeful contexts, linked (where relevant) to other areas of the curriculum and a suggestion of how to extend the investigation into home learning. My favourite character is Papaeze because he can heal the sick like Jesus but the worst character is chief Ewe because he treats people very terribly. Ada lives near to the great rainforest; she lives on a small farm with Papa Eze the local herbalist.

What stood out for me most in this book was how Dinah (the author) made me feel like I was there when I was reading the book and also that the main character is a girl!

The Sky-king, who does not like Ada’s mother, wants to kill Ada because he does not want any of Ada’s mother’s children to live. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. She knows that a special amber coloured stone buried among the trees was put there specially for her and as her curiosity increases, she becomes more determined to find out where she came from.Ada has lived close to the great rainforest for her whole life, helping her beloved Papa Eze to heal fellow villagers when they fall sick. The book includes a factual section at the end, to help readers widen their knowledge of the Kingdom of Benin and West African culture and traditions. A riveting historical adventure This is a fast-paced story of a resourceful and feisty young girl determined to find out where she came from and where she fits into society. Relying on her close friendships, the guidance of her ancestors and her own self-belief, Ada sets off on an incredible journey which tests her strengths to their limit. It isn't a challenging read at all, but in conjunction with the notes at the end, is a fascinating introduction to a period of history about which little is known in the UK.

Through the sequence of learning, children will explore the story from various perspectives, comparing characters and writing letters and diary entries in role. There will also be plenty of opportunities to practise reading skills and take part in discussions around the events of the story.Having lived and worked in the educational sector of Benin City for several years, I appreciated discovering this wonderful, adventuresome story that can be enjoyed by boys and girls of all ages.