Children of the Benin Kingdom

Product Information

The book follows the story of Ada, who discovers her true identity and must travel into the heart of the rainforest to heal the divisions that are occurring within the kingdom.

The thing that most stood out for me was the fact that the main character was a girl and was not a tomboy. The historical Benin Kingdom is now an option for UK primary teachers at KS2, (ages 7 - 11) and as exciting, accurate historical fiction this is the perfect reader for teachers looking to diversify their history teaching. But when Papa Eze himself becomes ill, he knows he must tell Ada the truth about her real identity – something he has kept hidden to protect his daughter from danger.My least favourite character was Ujo pronounced oo-jor because he betrayed papa Eze and Ada to the Edo king (the sky king) Ogiso. 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.

From the language to the lifestyle, you are taken on a journey with Ada and exposed to the importance of ancestors, voices, and stories.Polly Crosby tells ReadingZone about her novel, This Tale is Forbidden (Scholastic), a fractured fairy tale set in a dystopian world.