This book changed my life.- Someone who the author definitely didn’t pay to say that.This book is so good, it might be better than me.- Jesus.A love-sick Masai warrior, a princess turned scientist, and two cousins who have to save their families from illness, collide in a zany adventure with zebras, zombies, and Zambonis.(Okay, okay, there might not be Zambonis in East Africa, but you get the idea).Read the three interwoven stories that started the Snog Team Six adventure (and find out where Esmeralda the blind, East African, ninja assassin learned her fly moves).The Snog Team Six series is science fiction, fantasy, and humor mashed up in shameless—perfect—proportions. It’s a story of scrappy misfits caught up in a fight they didn’t pick but they will finish. Beyond the numerous comparisons to Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Harry Potter, it's adored by fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians; Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus series; Hank Green’s Carl Saga; TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea; Garth Nix’s Lefthanded Book Sellers; and Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. It’s irreverent, clever; full of humor and heart. You won’t be able to put it down.
Globetrotter and writer Ted Neill has worked on five continents as an educator, health professional, and journalist. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Recovery Today, and he has published a number of novels exploring issues related to science, religion, class, and social justice. He is the 2013 winner of the Martin Luther King Jr. Torch of Peace Award. His 2017 novel, The Selah Branch, attempts to confront issues of racism and the divided political environment of the US today and the 1950s. His debut novel, City on a Hill, examines the fault lines of religious conflict in the Middle East. His most novel, Reaper Moon, takes place against the backdrop of a global virus pandemic and how the aftermath unfolds along familiar social divides of race and politics. His most recent young adult novel is, Zombies, Frat Boys, Monster Flash Mobs & Other Terrifying Things I Saw at the Gates of Hell Cotillion, doesn’t need a blurb, the title says it all.
He is also author of two award winning memoirs, Two Years of Wonder which chronicles his time living and working at an orphanage for children with HIV/AIDS and Finding St. Lo a combined account of his grandfather Robert Fowler’s WWII experience as well as a decorated medic in his unit, Gordon Cross. Follow Ted on Facebook and Instagram @therealauthortedneill
I received an ARC copy of this book from Edelweiss
This book is actually three mostly separate stories, although eventually the first two feed into the third. The first two stories take up about 1/3 of the book together and are set up kind of like modern folktales. They introduce Jamhuri and Njambi and each one teaches a lesson or moral at the end. The last story features Anastasia and takes up the remaining 2/3 of the book. It is a zombie story set in Africa - although it's still definitely more magic than sci-fi - and eventually characters from the first two stories join her as she tries to find a way to reverse the zombie plague.
Overall I though this was a really fun and cute book. The first two stories were maybe a little bit simplistic but I liked the traditional feel to them and I think they would be good for young readers. The last story was really great though and I liked the spin that the author put on zombies because usually I am not a big fan of them. I also liked the author's note at the beginning where he talked about why he was inspired to write these stories and had notes on cultural appropriation. I would definitely recommend this as a fun middle grade book with a different setting than you would normally see.
Jamhuri, Njambi, & Fighting Zombies, is a great read for young and old. It is a made up of three stories; two upfront and then a third story that brings it all together. In the first story we learn about Jamhuri who is determined to win the affections of the beautiful Latia Solei. Latia lives high in a tree and try as he might, Jamhuri can't figure out how to get to her. He is stubborn and proud, not wanting anyone's help, and keeps trying to get to her, for he believes she should be his. Eventually reaching the top, Latia comes out from her house, but it isn't the warm greeting Jamhuri was expecting, in fact Latia "puts him in his place." It is the words of Latia, that make a huge impact on Jamhuri and change him forever.
In the second story we follow along with as 4 sisters try to reach the top of a huge mountain to collect the "Water of Life" in order to save their father from a fatal illness. But the three older sisters give up quickly when they face obstacles and return home to collect their reward for trying. Najambi, the youngest though, never gives up. Instead her pure and kind spirit helps her gain access to the mountain and help along the way.
The third story finds the country over run by zombies and on high alert. Anastasia's parents are making a trip to the market and she must stay home and watch her brother Paulo. But Anastasia is more interested in playing video games with her friends and her brother is attacked by a zombie. Anastasia's cousin Najambi, who we learned about in the second story, suggests that Anastasia go to find help from Dr. Latia Solei (1st story). Latia tells Anastasia of her theory in regards to the zombies and how Anastasia might be the only one who can save the people, and her brother Paulo, by entering the spirit world and leading the ghosts back from limbo.
I truly enjoyed Jamhuri Najambi, & Fighting Zombies and although it is meant for a younger audience, I found it quite entertaining. I think it is a great book for younger readers not only for the adventurous tales, but also for the lessons one can learn from the stories. That's not to say a more mature reader wouldn't enjoy these stories as well! When I first started reading I felt there might be some religious or Christian undertones, but in fact they aren't specifically religious, but rather good every day lessons. I highly recommend Jamhuri, Najambi, & Fighting Zombies to all! Happy Reading.
I think preteens would probably enjoy these stories a lot. The first two are a bit surreal and heavy handed with their main themes in much the same manner that most fairy tales and legends are presented. However, both elements are merely the nature of how such tales go and are perfectly fine as a result.
On the other hand, the fact that everyone in the first two stories is constantly playing with their cellphones is a confusing element, especially since the tales are otherwise told in the same manner as legends and myths from ancient times. The tales also bring up concepts such as women’s rights and modern technology.
This was a bit jarring when taken in context because fantasy novels are usually set in a specific time period, unless you’re dealing with time travelers or alternate universes, and I was never sure what to make of it. Magical realism is fine, but there needs to be an explanation for how it works in conjunction with the parameters of any given universe. With that in mind, the book would have made a great deal more sense if the last story came first.
The zombie story initially doesn’t seem to go well with the others because it’s very different in tone and genre. The first short stories are hopeful, surreal fantasy tales whereas the latter is set in a grim sci-fi world. (This makes it very ironic that two of the characters are having the same debate in the text.) Again, this problem could have been solved by rearranging the order of the stories.
The prologue section is repeated verbatim in the final story. I found myself wondering, hadn’t I already read this part? I had. As an adult, I found this confusing and younger children probably will as well. This could easily be avoided by eliminating one of the redundant sections.
I also thought that the author’s note on cultural appropriation should have been placed in the back of the book, if it was included at all. Readers, especially younger ones, will want to get into actual story as soon as possible and won’t want wade through a lengthy dialogue better suited towards adults.
On a side note: I wondered how well Njambi and her parents managed after her greedy sisters had taken all of their most valuable belongings.
What I Liked The world-building in this piece is amazing. Although Neill doesn't take much time to explicitly describe parts of each scene, he truly brings the African backdrop that this world is set in to the reader's mind. It is absolutely obvious how beautiful Sia's home is and how breathtaking the spirit world is. I think there are several authors who could learn from Neill's expertise here. In many anthologies, the short stories never connect. I was blown away by how well the first two stories connected in and with the third. Everything finally comes together. Although I don't know a lot about African culture, I understand that connectivity is very important to them. I like that the culture was represented in this way as well as in the scenery, animals, plants, and people described. This book would be a lot of fun to teach. Many textbooks have African literature that is very difficult for students to relate to. The characters in this piece would give them the connectivity and relevance that they require. Neill takes his time to introduce foreign flora and fauna which would give World Literature students a great place to dive in to foreign literature.
What I Didn't Like As Much This book definitely needs a pronunciation guide. I was sooooooooooo beyond grateful for the audiobook because it was the only way I knew that I was pronouncing so much wrong! I felt very culturally insensitive because of my mistakes. I always expect my students to pronounce names as intended, but this book did not make that easy for me to do. Several concepts were explained once and then later revisited. However, they were often revisited much later, so I'd already forgotten what that concept was. It would be helpful if there was a little bit of a refresher for these ideas. Overall, I really liked this book! The description is not kidding when it says this book is for young readers and those who are young at heart.
Ted Neill, in a rather lengthy introduction which I fear will be beyond the young teen readers the book is aimed at, explains from the outset that this book is written as a celebration of African traditions. His acknowledgement that as a straight, white, American male writing about African traditions he is in no way continuing a history of exploitation of people of colour, but rather that the characters and stories have sprung from his personal experiences is helpful.
The book begins with two stories that read like modernised versions of traditional tales complete with morals. Surprisingly, they manage to pull off a strange mingling of Wi-Fi, mobile phones, female equality, university education with talking animals, tribal meetings and beautiful daughters being hidden in a tree but it works! There is plenty of reflective wisdom, with some excellent comments such as, “Sometimes the worst parts of our stories are actually the beginning of something better”. They follow a route of goodness triumphing over selfishness, pride and greed presented in a refreshingly different way.
However, the third part of the book takes a more sinister turn based around zombies, philosophical discussion of order and chaos, self-sacrifice and the mixing science and magic as the author cleverly weaves together the previous tales and characters.
The book is excellent, I enjoyed the gripping narrative immersed in a culture we rarely find in modern, western literature. It is an intelligent read, has some strong female characters along with enjoyably challenging vocabulary that should be read by adults and teens alike.
I found this novel to be a warm and delightful read. Jamhuri, Njambi & Fighting Zombies shows how a lot can be accomplished if you treat people and animals (such as the lively flamingos and monkeys in the book) with respect and courtesy. One of the lead characters, Jamhuri, learns an important lesson about the power of letting go of his prideful tendencies as the book progresses. But this lesson isn’t imparted in a patronising manner. The novel features a lot of humour and while the story is often told in a charming, fairy tale-esque manner, there are also modern references to technology that today’s young readers are likely to enjoy. I thought that it was considerate that the author (a white male) included a section at the beginning of the book about cultural appropriation, clearly influenced by his time spent in Africa. Many young readers will struggle to understand this opening chapter. But this isn’t necessarily a problem; it could serve as an opportunity for adults to discuss issues around race in a manner that caters to the maturity of the child in their life.
Connected tales of magic and redemption, but a bit too much mysticism😕 December 20, 2018 Format: Kindle Edition 😟This is actually a group of three stories and the first two eventually link into the longer third story about a zombie invasion. I am not really sure about which age reader this collection is geared toward. The first two stories are told like African fables with some modern touches like the ubiquitous cell phone thrown in. I liked those tales and could see preteens liking them as well.
The main story, however, is so chock full of mysticism and strange imagery, I can't see the same age reading it. There's extensive philosophizing and an unconscious journey through a dreamscape that I did not enjoy at all and could not wait until it was over, and I doubt most children would be keen about it either. Neither did I appreciate the prelude. The text of it is repeated in the zombie story so I did not see any purpose to introducing the book with it.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Jamhuri, Njambi & Fighting Zombies was such an entertaining read from start to finish! This epic middle grade book mixes fantasy and mythology in order to create solid narrative. Though the story is set up into three large sections, all the stories are tied together by similar themes and reoccurring characters.
Set amongst the African backdrop each story features a main character who has to go on a journey of self-growth while going on an adventure. I loved the descriptive writing of the various landscapes featured and detailed descriptions of the mythical creatures gave the story depth. I think my favorite story within the whole book was the first one because it reminded me of folk legends I had read as a child.
I think this is not only a good read for younger audience, but adults as well. Highly recommended for reader who love high-fantasy stories.
Jamhuri, Njambi, and Fighting Zombies was a fantastic young readers book! As an adult I loved it and am going to buy for my niece! This book is thought provoking- full of important lessons and realities of life mixed with folktale. Wonderfully written , the book starts with the tale of Jamhuri the proud and conceited, then to Njambi the littlest, and Anastasia fighting zombies, realizing what matters most. The story comes full circle and I loved it! Sometimes what seems to be is not- human nature is infinitely more complex that just being good or bad- they coexist creating a balance of sorts. Love love love this book!
I'll be honest the last time I read African American or African themed fiction books was Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman and The Eye, the Ear and the Arm. This book made up of three different stories was a treasure. I'm really glad that I found it. A little scary at times and with a great introduction to make certain that the reader would know exactly where the author was coming from while writing these stories, I couldn't put it down and was only disappointed with the short length. The stories have very different feels. But that doesn't deter from how well-written they are.
Jamhuri, Njambi & Fighting Zombies is a wonderful tale full of fantasy and imagination. It weaves together the characters stories showing how the zombies came to be and the strategies set in place to overcome them. It teaches the importance of family ties and how we can grow from our mistakes. I thought the author did a wonderful job of mixing modern life into this fantasy world while conveying insights about the African culture. The author said he wanted to create a whole new world of fantasy for the African children he worked closely with. I think he not only succeed in this mission, but came up with a wonderful book for young and old across the world.
This book is absolutely delightful. The balance between fable and modern conveniences in the first two stories was perfect. (A princess locked away in a treehouse that has WiFi? It sounds silly, but it absolutely works.) As for the third installment, you may think that you have read all that there is to read about zombie plagues, but this is a new spin. Neill is a great story teller, and each tale in this book is wonderfully entertaining. The reader must be warned, however, that once you start reading this it may be difficult to put down. You may very well find yourself annoyed when you have to stop reading and go do other things.
This is a whimsical novel full of ingrigue, fantasy, and lessons. Honestly people of all ages can read this book and enjoy it cover to cover. I certainly had a difficult time putting it down. The book was gripping, engaging, and delightful! This book among other things teach you to have a certain respect for all living things this is an inspiring story that is action packed and will keep you turning pages. I would definately recomend this book as a night time reading book that both adults and children will be sure to enjoy!
The author wrote these stories with the right heart. He wanted to feature underrepresented characters. Right out of the gate I was involved in the lives depicted in this book. The first two parts are brief stories where the last part is a lengthier work. Each story told depicts vivid characters and a vivid setting. I enjoyed each one. This is definitely an author I will read again. Also, I loved the cover (I know, don't judge a book by the cover).
This was a very well-written interesting story with extremely likable characters. The prologue alone made the book worth reading for me. The author is obviously a very thoughtful and empathetic writer and I found his explanation for writing characters like he did fascinating. It may be intended for younger readers but I found it held my attention and was a nice break from the type of books I usually read. I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading other work by Neill.
Interweaving modern with ancient, technology with culture, this young adult novel of three short stories is nothing short of extraordinary. Much like the stories of Scheherazade, each story is separate yet connected, relaying a timeless lesson seemingly pulled from ancient tomes and reimagined for the modern world. The setting in Africa makes it all the more adventurous and splendid and Jamhuri, Njambi and Sia's stories are well worth the read.
I am so happy I got to read this book. It was a page turner filled with 3 blended adventures. I absolutely could not put this book down! It was so very well written and is a must read for anyone looking for something that will keep them entertained and satisfied.
A delightful and enjoyable book that can be appreciated by younger and older reader. It's well written, full of lovely and well written characters . Highly recommended! Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC
I loved this book from the minute I started it! A blending of three tale tales that end up in one adventure, all set in Africa, for middle grade readers. I can't recommend it highly enough!
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
1 Star - Hated It 2 Stars - Didn't Enjoy It 3 Stars - It Was Okay 4 Stars - Really Enjoyed It 5 Stars - Loved It