Customer Reviews

Ibhubesi: The Lion 

5 star:		(4)
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This coming of age book focuses on a young American boy who faces anger and pain at home and in the outside world. Set in South Africa during the days of apartheid, it's a gripping tale of a boy's journey to manhood. The book has excitement enough to engage a young reader, yet it tells a story that will make the reader think about love, justice and hope. I recommend it for any mature young reader, and as a discussion book for families to read together.

I started reading and I could not stop , I had to read the whole book. I felt like i knew all of these people and i had to see what happened next. and then I loved this so much i read it again.

Wow, what a fabulous journey! Ibhubesi is a tale of an adolescent diplomat's son, John, on the verge of manhood in South Africa while it is under apartheid rule. John learns about the evils of apartheid through the eyes of an educated servant and then through some shocking events he himself witnesses. This book is an exciting read and a wonderful social consciousness raiser. It is perfect for kids in middle school and above, and is really a must-read for adults as well. The characters are memorable, and some of the scenes, like the one with the dog, are gripping and absolutely unforgettable.

This is a story that will appeal to the young adult reader's social conscience while educating them about aparteid in South Africa and the civil rights movement. A coming of age story with a young man rising to every occaision presented to him with courage and grace. His success is very appealing to adolescent readers, while as a mother of adolescents I find it very refreshing that the courage of the young hero goes beyond the ability to resist the popular crowd, a frequent theme in young adult fiction. I look foreward to more from this inspiring author.