Reviewed by Eliana Linz
· Date Reviewed: Jul 2023
· Book Reviewed: “A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest” by J.A. Myhre
Number of Pages: 160
I’ve read a few other books in the CRBC library, but I had never thought about this one before. My mom recommended it, and I thought it might be interesting. It certainly was that! Since I love animals, this book was thrilling! I loved how Myhre made the story come alive with her creative descriptions and funny characters. A warning: it’s really sad. It has a great ending, though, and I would encourage others to read it (unless they adore dogs.)
A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest is a fiction book, but it has gospel messages cleverly woven into the plot. What Mindy Belz, editor of the World Magazine, said about this book describes it all:
“When Tita the chameleon climbs on to the shoulder of young Mu, he not only sets the African boy on a heart-stopping adventure, but us too. It’s a journey rich in the beauty and wonder of Africa, but it’s also - importantly - a lesson on redemption and sacrifice.”
I think it’s also interesting that the African book is written by a missionary to Africa. Myhre, a doctor in East Africa, has spent over two decades serving the poor Africans and helping them recover from sickness and injuries. Myhre has first-hand experience with Africa, and that makes the book even more realistic.
I didn’t know that the book is part of a series, but now I’m excited because the CRBC library contains all four of the books! A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest is the first of the four Rwendigo Tales, and I’m looking forward to reading the second: A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue.
Although we’re very thankful to have a church library where everyone can borrow books, if you decide to read the book and you would like to have a copy of your own, I would recommend getting a copy from serge.org/resources. When you buy one of Myhre’s books, half of the money goes to help African people. You can enable orphans to go to school for the first time, pregnant mothers without anything to receive food for their children and themselves, and traumatized children to receive treatment and help.
A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest will keep you flipping page after page till the end of the story. As Tita the chameleon said in the book, “Do not fear. The quest has begun!”
And as soon as you open this book, the quest will have begun.
