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Jungle
Islands: My South Sea Adventure
Author: Maria Coffey with Debora Pearson
Publisher: Annick Press
Product: Book (88 pages)
Ages: 8 and up
Cost: $14.95 (CDN) |
Falling asleep in a South Pacific
island jungle to the sound of munching fruit bats, buzzing mosquitoes,
and a Madonna song sounds odd. It’s possible on the Solomon Islands,
where Maria Coffey and Dag Goering went for an exciting kayaking trip.
The Solomon Islands are near Australia in
the South Pacific Ocean. Using their folding kayak, the couple hop
from island to island enjoying the friendly people and lush jungle.
Not all the natives are friendly though. Sharks and crocodiles come
dangerously close, although, thankfully, headhunters no longer roam
the islands. Colourful maps and beautiful photographs make the trip
come alive, especially the cute fruit bat befriended by Maria and
Dag. |
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Reviewer:
Jocelyn Lee
Age: 9
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I thought the book was well designed—it
tells a lot about the Solomons and includes a map, web sites for
more information, and an index. I thought the topic was interesting
because few people have been to the Solomons and not much is known
about the topic.
I especially liked the part when Maria
and Dag encountered the sharks. I didn’t like it when Maria
and Dag visited Skull Island.
I had fun reading the book because I learned
a lot of things about the Solomons. I learned that shopping bags
are made from palm and/or banana leaves. Did you know traditional
houses in the Solomons are built entirely of vines, leaves, and
other plant and tree parts gathered from the jungle, then sewn or
tied by hand?
My overall impression was that the book
was very unpredictable; you never knew what was going to happen
next. I would give the book a score of 10 out of 10, and I would
suggest the book to anybody who likes adventures or likes to travel.
(Originally published in the Jan/Feb
2001 issue of YES Mag.) |
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