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The Leopard Tree
Three orphans from Kenya embark on a desperate quest to meet the Secretary General of the United Nations in New York City and deliver a message they hope will help millions of homeless and hurting children in Africa. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz becomes their guidebook as they journey alone across the United States. The trio of brave travelers are orphans — one from Kenya with HIV, one blind amputee from Sudan, and one from Rwanda who hasn’t spoken for years after watching her family slaughtered—find themselves embroiled in a situation beyond their imaginations as they get close to meeting their goal. Rosa Carson, a courageous woman and photojournalist working all over the world, becomes their friend and helps them pursue their dreams of meeting the Secretary General of the United Nations. Their journey introduces them to a world they did not know existed and introduces Americans to the plight of 18 million orphans in East Africa living in poverty. This book was written with the hope of raising awareness of the millions of people in Africa who suffer the effects of malnutrition,malaria, HIV/AIDS, and the unspeakable atrocities associated with armed conflicts. You can help by doing whatever you’re able to a donation, learn what’s going on, offer a home, visit the continent. For more information about ways to help and real stories of the land and people, visit www.TheLeopardTree.com and be the change you want to see in the world. Lisa Brochu and Tim Merriman have spent the last four decades helping people connect with our global natural and cultural heritage. Through their books and speaking engagements, they hope to help others to know more and do more about the daily challenges in meeting basic needs that face tens of millions of people in developing nations. When they are not traveling the globe, Tim and Lisa live in Fort Collins, Colorado, on a small farm where they raise much of their own food. They can be contacted by email at lisa@theleopardtree.com and tim@theleopardtree.com. They have a blog at
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First published July 1, 2007
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About the author
Tim Merriman
12 books5 followersWriting has always been a strong interest for me but time and the maturity to write well has come later in life. Lisa Brochu and I work together, write as a team and were married in 2008. Since 2002, we have written four non-fiction books in the area of heritage interpretation and one work of fiction, The Leopard Tree.
In the 1970's I published several children's plays in Scott Foresman readers. I wrote my first novel then and queried diverse publishers, building my file of rejection letters. Somewhere around 24 or so I quit sending the queries. I really plunged deeper into my work then. I was an environmental educator at Southern Illinois University's Touch of Nature. Then I was a park ranger/interpreter at Giant City State Park in Makanda, Illinois. Next I was Director of a nature center in Pueblo, Colorado for a dozen years and then Science Director for Bat Conservation International and later served as Research Manager for Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky.I served as the Executive Director of National of Association for Interpretation in Fort Collins, Colorado, from 1995 to 2012.
Lisa and I now consult as Heartfelt Associates with parks, zoos, nature centers, aquariums, historic sites and communities on heritage interpretation. We have traveled 23 countries since 1995 in this work.
We personally donate to several E. African charities assisting communities with HIV, malaria and hunger. We also advocate for organizations protecting wildlife, especially elephants and mountain gorillas.
Having grown up in Vandalia, Illinois, I went to college nearby in Carbondale, Illinois, at Southern Illinois University earning a B.S. in zoology, teaching certificate, M.A. in botany and Ph.D. in speech/communitcations.
In the 1970's I published several children's plays in Scott Foresman readers. I wrote my first novel then and queried diverse publishers, building my file of rejection letters. Somewhere around 24 or so I quit sending the queries. I really plunged deeper into my work then. I was an environmental educator at Southern Illinois University's Touch of Nature. Then I was a park ranger/interpreter at Giant City State Park in Makanda, Illinois. Next I was Director of a nature center in Pueblo, Colorado for a dozen years and then Science Director for Bat Conservation International and later served as Research Manager for Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky.I served as the Executive Director of National of Association for Interpretation in Fort Collins, Colorado, from 1995 to 2012.
Lisa and I now consult as Heartfelt Associates with parks, zoos, nature centers, aquariums, historic sites and communities on heritage interpretation. We have traveled 23 countries since 1995 in this work.
We personally donate to several E. African charities assisting communities with HIV, malaria and hunger. We also advocate for organizations protecting wildlife, especially elephants and mountain gorillas.
Having grown up in Vandalia, Illinois, I went to college nearby in Carbondale, Illinois, at Southern Illinois University earning a B.S. in zoology, teaching certificate, M.A. in botany and Ph.D. in speech/communitcations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
September 7, 2014
I absolutely fell in love with the characters in this book. As I read it, I caught myself hoping they were real and the story was actually non-fiction. I've never read a book before, hoping it was a true story, but you can't help but want this uplifting story to be true.
September 19, 2013
Oh, I got tricked again by one of those “Free Today!” Kindle books. This book wasn’t awful, it just wasn’t very good. Let me start with what I liked: 1) I liked the intent of the authors. They wanted to create awareness and compassion for orphans in war-torn countries, and kudos to them for making this effort. We *should* all care about this and take real action instead of just paying lip-service to the idea of relieving suffering. 2) I liked the beginning of the book. I liked the characters and I liked where I thought they were going with the story. The children were truly endearing. 3) I liked how the authors brought The Wizard of Oz into the storyline. It was a really nice thread running through the book.
OK. Now for what I didn’t like: 1) I didn’t like the amateurish writing. Most of my other complaints fall under this big one, but I’m still going to take the larger offenses and pick ‘em apart one by one. 2) I didn’t like the weird, unlikely dialogue. 3) I didn’t like that I had to suspend my disbelief so many times. Anytime the plot needed forwarding, enter a totally unlikely and unbelievable plot device. SPOILER ALERT – Like anyone would be allowed through security and onto a plane without a ticket in this day and age? Geesh. 4) The emotional manipulation. This was totally crazy. They contrived situations where I could tell they wanted me to be affected, but it was so poorly written that it left me cold. Show me, don’t tell me. 5) The political agenda. Compassion for the less fortunate is not found only in one political party. They made it sound like the evil, selfish, rich Americans are keeping these children from having good, whole, healthy lives. As a wealthy nation we are absolutely responsible to help, but never once was it even mentioned that much suffering would be alleviated if there was less government corruption in those suffering nations. A friend of mine brings supplies to Kenya on a regular basis, and is always held up with bribe attempts. He’s trying to help, and corrupt people in government are trying to make money on the aid he’s bringing to help their own people. Just another piece of the pie that should have been mentioned. The issues are complex, and this story tries to oversimplify them.
I know this review is pretty scathing, and I feel badly about that because the issue is important. The issue is, however, important enough that it deserves a much better platform than it is given in this book.
OK. Now for what I didn’t like: 1) I didn’t like the amateurish writing. Most of my other complaints fall under this big one, but I’m still going to take the larger offenses and pick ‘em apart one by one. 2) I didn’t like the weird, unlikely dialogue. 3) I didn’t like that I had to suspend my disbelief so many times. Anytime the plot needed forwarding, enter a totally unlikely and unbelievable plot device. SPOILER ALERT – Like anyone would be allowed through security and onto a plane without a ticket in this day and age? Geesh. 4) The emotional manipulation. This was totally crazy. They contrived situations where I could tell they wanted me to be affected, but it was so poorly written that it left me cold. Show me, don’t tell me. 5) The political agenda. Compassion for the less fortunate is not found only in one political party. They made it sound like the evil, selfish, rich Americans are keeping these children from having good, whole, healthy lives. As a wealthy nation we are absolutely responsible to help, but never once was it even mentioned that much suffering would be alleviated if there was less government corruption in those suffering nations. A friend of mine brings supplies to Kenya on a regular basis, and is always held up with bribe attempts. He’s trying to help, and corrupt people in government are trying to make money on the aid he’s bringing to help their own people. Just another piece of the pie that should have been mentioned. The issues are complex, and this story tries to oversimplify them.
I know this review is pretty scathing, and I feel badly about that because the issue is important. The issue is, however, important enough that it deserves a much better platform than it is given in this book.
July 27, 2012
The writing lacked polish and was sometimes choppy and stilted, telling too much instead of showing it -- but the three young protagonists were endearing enough to almost make up for it, and their quest compelling enough to keep me reading (even if sometimes seemed like they were getting a little too much help too often to be believable). I particularly liked how The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was skillfully used to provide shape and an overall metaphor for the children's journey. I expect I'll forget a lot of the details of this book over time, but I'll probably remember the three children when everything else about the story has faded.
June 1, 2013
I liked the premise of this book but not the execution. beyond just being poorly written, all of the characters never developed beyond stereotypes and none were very engaging. the plot is also very predictable and cliche at times. I wanted to like it but couldn't see beyond its flaws.
September 8, 2016
A little too unrealistic, and not in the good way.
February 15, 2015
Three African children meet while living at the Nyumba wa watoto orphanage in Kenya, Africa and become fast friends. Their favorite spot is a tree they call “the leopard tree.” Daudi’s mother died of Aids when he was two; recently his grandmother has died and left him orphaned and abandoned without medication. Masozi is blind and lost a leg to a land mine due to civil war in Sudan, and Ramla from Rwanda witnessed the rape and killing of her family in her village. The trauma from that event has robbed her of her speech. Daudi reads the story of the Wizard of Oz to his friends, which inspires them to seek a wizard who can make life better for them and the children of Africa. Rosa Carson is a photojournalist who often visits Africa in an effort to create awareness of the poverty and medical needs of children in orphanages throughout Africa; she is drawn to and takes a special interest in these three children.
On one visit to the orphanage, Rosa agrees to take the three children on a day trip to Nairobi airport. When Daudi finds a passport on the floor, the adventures begin. The children stow away on a jet flying to San Francisco. From that point they travel by bus to Reno, a minivan to Kansas, and a goat trailer to Missouri. They walk along railroad tracks and stow away in a freight train until they arrive in Pennsylvania. Where are they going? Daudi has learned there is a UN conference in New York. He is determined to plead his case to the Secretary General Akama. All along this journey, the children must hide from the immigration authorities while they face all sorts of personal physical danger. To make matters worse, Daudi has been without any medication and his medical condition is deteriorating.
Rosa desperately wants to find these children to keep them safe and eventually adopt them as her family. She uses all her resources and contacts in an attempt to track them down. All the odds are against them succeeding; will these three unlikely spokespeople for Africa’s impoverished orphans succeed in the quest?
This book is a powerful presentation of the issues that face so many children everyday. Characters are deftly created with powerful personalities. Heartbreaking twists and turns in the plot abound. The authors paint portraits of the best and worst of human nature. I found it difficult to put the book down. Young adult and adult readers should not miss this book.
On one visit to the orphanage, Rosa agrees to take the three children on a day trip to Nairobi airport. When Daudi finds a passport on the floor, the adventures begin. The children stow away on a jet flying to San Francisco. From that point they travel by bus to Reno, a minivan to Kansas, and a goat trailer to Missouri. They walk along railroad tracks and stow away in a freight train until they arrive in Pennsylvania. Where are they going? Daudi has learned there is a UN conference in New York. He is determined to plead his case to the Secretary General Akama. All along this journey, the children must hide from the immigration authorities while they face all sorts of personal physical danger. To make matters worse, Daudi has been without any medication and his medical condition is deteriorating.
Rosa desperately wants to find these children to keep them safe and eventually adopt them as her family. She uses all her resources and contacts in an attempt to track them down. All the odds are against them succeeding; will these three unlikely spokespeople for Africa’s impoverished orphans succeed in the quest?
This book is a powerful presentation of the issues that face so many children everyday. Characters are deftly created with powerful personalities. Heartbreaking twists and turns in the plot abound. The authors paint portraits of the best and worst of human nature. I found it difficult to put the book down. Young adult and adult readers should not miss this book.
September 30, 2012
This is one of the most beautiful books I have read in a long long time. Please do yourself a favor and read it. You will come away feeling enriched.
This is the story of three young orphans who live in Kenya.
Daudi is almost 12 when the story begins. His Mamere (grandmother) has just died and he has no one else. He is HIV positive and Mamere had worked 16 hours a day and sold all she had to make sure he had the medication he needed. Now he has nothing left but his pillow, which Mamere had told him to always keep close, and the book she read to him over and over - The Wonder Wizard of Oz.
Masozi, a boy just a year or two older than Daudi, who is blind and lost a leg when he and his father went to the well in their village and a land mine blew up, killing his father and forever changing his life.
And Ramla a young girl of 8 or 9 whose family was tortured and murdered while she watched from a hiding place. She would not speak but was very close to Masozi, protected him and was his eyes.
These children embark on a journey of hope that will live in your heart forever. Don't miss this heartwarming story of courage and innocence.
This is the story of three young orphans who live in Kenya.
Daudi is almost 12 when the story begins. His Mamere (grandmother) has just died and he has no one else. He is HIV positive and Mamere had worked 16 hours a day and sold all she had to make sure he had the medication he needed. Now he has nothing left but his pillow, which Mamere had told him to always keep close, and the book she read to him over and over - The Wonder Wizard of Oz.
Masozi, a boy just a year or two older than Daudi, who is blind and lost a leg when he and his father went to the well in their village and a land mine blew up, killing his father and forever changing his life.
And Ramla a young girl of 8 or 9 whose family was tortured and murdered while she watched from a hiding place. She would not speak but was very close to Masozi, protected him and was his eyes.
These children embark on a journey of hope that will live in your heart forever. Don't miss this heartwarming story of courage and innocence.
July 11, 2015
A truly beautiful and unique book that openly retells The Wizard of Oz in the lives of 3 courageous Kenyan orphans. Will make you sob in several places. Obviously it was written to spread awareness of the devastasting conditions in Africa, and it serves its purpose superbly--combining a vital modern issue with a beautiful work with fiction. An amazing tribute to the power of storytelling and the ability of literature to bring diverse people to the same place. I was particularly impressed with the author's characterization of each child as unique, as a danger for a book of this type is making all the kids merely symbols of need and lacking in individual personality. But the tragedies of their lives are made even worse --and from the reader's point of view, more immediate and real--by the realness, the normalness, of their personalities.
A must read.
A must read.
September 7, 2012
I enjoyed this YA novel overall. It started off very strong and pulled me right in. I felt the writing could have been a little more polished, and the made-up characters based on real people got a little old (for example, Barry Prince for Larry King). But the message was honest and true and it was easy to fall in love with the three orphans. Some of the secondary characters were a little cliche, but it didn't detract that much.
I think it is a lovely story that gives a needed portrayal of the needs of people from third-world countries and can help open the eyes of all who read it.
I think it is a lovely story that gives a needed portrayal of the needs of people from third-world countries and can help open the eyes of all who read it.
September 4, 2012
This book is lovely. The children are special, as are the people they encounter along the way. The story--in that regard--reminds me of Into the Wild.
There are a few eye-roll-worthy elements of the story. For example, the character of Barry Prince and his show, Barry Prince Live, the character of Alma Winters, and the news channel of Global News Network ("GNN"). I'm not sure why the authors chose to base these elements on actual people and networks; they could very well have chosen names without making any allusions to the "real world."
There are a few eye-roll-worthy elements of the story. For example, the character of Barry Prince and his show, Barry Prince Live, the character of Alma Winters, and the news channel of Global News Network ("GNN"). I'm not sure why the authors chose to base these elements on actual people and networks; they could very well have chosen names without making any allusions to the "real world."
November 3, 2016
What an exceptional book - really well written. I simply did not want to stop reading.
May 5, 2020
Around the Year (ATY) Prompt #20: The 20th book on my Kindle To Read list.
Other reviewers have talked about how unrealistic the story is - for 3 African orphans to make their way to New York City by themselves to speak with the UN Secretary-General. It is as realistic as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - the touchstone for the three children. I mean, could a Kansas farm girl really travel across an unfamiliar country and meet with the most powerful man in the kingdom? The three children are the faces of three of the biggest programs facing orphans in Africa - HIV, land mine injuries, and the shock and horror from watching your family be tortured and murdered.
Other reviewers have talked about how unrealistic the story is - for 3 African orphans to make their way to New York City by themselves to speak with the UN Secretary-General. It is as realistic as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - the touchstone for the three children. I mean, could a Kansas farm girl really travel across an unfamiliar country and meet with the most powerful man in the kingdom? The three children are the faces of three of the biggest programs facing orphans in Africa - HIV, land mine injuries, and the shock and horror from watching your family be tortured and murdered.
January 21, 2019
I loved the premise of this book and the three kids were quite precious but when they got on the plane in Nairobi without any tickets or documents, it lost all it's credibility. I thought the parallels to the Wizard of Oz were a little weird, also. Dressing them up to look like the lion, scarecrow, tin man, and Dorothy in Cental Park, really? I wanted to give up on it many times but I guess I must admit to some curiosity about how the kids would make out. I read this book on my Kindle. I think it was a freebie. I did not realize it was written for children or YA. I think that makes it a little more acceptable. It certainly deals with important topics and if it opens the eyes of of our children and young adults, then all is well.
January 3, 2021
My rating is based on reading about a quarter of the book. I wanted to continue.
It is not because it wasn't a compelling story with likeable characters. It's just that its a definite YA book, with the level of writing most suitable for young adolescents. The adventures of three orphans who escape from Kenya to America were often just too implausible for my critical adult mind to accept. But for the right age group to whom this book is obviously directed, I would definitely recommend the story. I did like the characters, and there were twists and turns enough to keep it interesting. Also the theme of the book - hope and courage in the face of adversity and raising awareness about the plight of children in Africa is worthy of a read - for the appropriate reading level.
It is not because it wasn't a compelling story with likeable characters. It's just that its a definite YA book, with the level of writing most suitable for young adolescents. The adventures of three orphans who escape from Kenya to America were often just too implausible for my critical adult mind to accept. But for the right age group to whom this book is obviously directed, I would definitely recommend the story. I did like the characters, and there were twists and turns enough to keep it interesting. Also the theme of the book - hope and courage in the face of adversity and raising awareness about the plight of children in Africa is worthy of a read - for the appropriate reading level.
June 1, 2018
An enchanting but eye-opening read
A story about 3 very brave and adventuresome children, all of whom have suffered the ravages of war in Africa. They are on a mission from Kenya to find the Wizard of Oz at the United Nations in the Big Apple in hopes that he will make the world aware of the plight of all children in Africa.
A story about 3 very brave and adventuresome children, all of whom have suffered the ravages of war in Africa. They are on a mission from Kenya to find the Wizard of Oz at the United Nations in the Big Apple in hopes that he will make the world aware of the plight of all children in Africa.
September 2, 2020
Definitely recommend this book!
I've had this book in my library for a very long time, but just now took the time to read it. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that everyone read this book. It touched my heart & I finished it with tears streaming down my face. What an incredible story. There is nothing about this book that I disliked.
I've had this book in my library for a very long time, but just now took the time to read it. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that everyone read this book. It touched my heart & I finished it with tears streaming down my face. What an incredible story. There is nothing about this book that I disliked.
March 27, 2022
The Leopard Tree is a different kind of story about 3 African orphans who find their way to the US to advocate for the indiscretions brought on by nations, big business and politics. Their hardships are real and be prepared to read the end with a tissue box. I found this book to be a bit far fetched as to how these 3 adolescents got to the U.S., but overlooking that, the book was a page turner and very heartfelt.
February 4, 2023
such an emotional read.
I laughed and cried and laughed some more. These plucky little kids go on an adventure for the ages! Their journey takes them from Africa to the states on the hope of meeting a wizard to help the children of their country. Following their antics and the fact that all three of these children are always in great spirits made me love them all the more.
I laughed and cried and laughed some more. These plucky little kids go on an adventure for the ages! Their journey takes them from Africa to the states on the hope of meeting a wizard to help the children of their country. Following their antics and the fact that all three of these children are always in great spirits made me love them all the more.
November 11, 2017
I loved this book!
April 13, 2023
Didn't care for this one.
August 14, 2015
The Leopard Tree seems to juggle a dual identity of children’s book with social justice fiction. I couldn’t tell whether this book, mostly about children, is intended for children.
Let’s see: It’s a tale about a journey of three African children. The reader is invited to experience that journey from the eyes of the children. The journey is full of one fantastical event after another. Sounds like a children’s book.
On the other hand: The three children are orphans from Kenya, Sudan and Rwanda. Respectively, one is HIV positive, one is blind and missing a leg from a land mine, and one is traumatized from witnessing the brutal murder of her family. Their journey is a quest to New York City to speak with the UN Secretary General about the plight of those in Africa and the need to help them. Doesn’t sound like a children’s book.
In either case, I enjoyed the tale. And I very much engaged in the topic. And I somewhat appreciated the message.
It is a well-told story, although most aspects of the tale about the journey are quite hard to believe. That’s fine for that’s how tales sometimes are. However, It seems precarious to insert a hard to believe story into a real and modern context and with a strong humanitarian message. It can leave the reader confused. But maybe that’s because I’m an adult reader! Perhaps a child reader would not be at all confused.
And by the way, the integration of the Wizard of Oz into this story was a wonderful touch to be appreciated by children and adults alike.
The story centers on a compelling topic, and weaves different messages throughout. There is the message about the brutal reality facing children in Africa as result of HIV, wars, corruption, neglect. There is the message of inspirational people who try to do something to help in the face of that, such as the orphanage workers. There is the resilience of the children, who are fueled by hope and joy, and are mature beyond their years. And there is the disappointing fact that after all is said and done about the plight of such children, usually much more is said than done.
The overall message is one place where the book falls flat towards the end in my opinion. Never mind the somewhat distracting nirvana-like scenes in Central Park, and the added distraction of what I assume are the authors’ favorite celebrities or politicians (some veiled, only loosely, with aliases). In the end, the core message gets watered down by being way too general.
Instead of just focusing on sub-saharan Africa as through the entire book, which is already too broad and general to be a compelling, the message ends up generalized beyond sub-saharan Africa. Furthermore, instead of making the case for specific action that could really make a difference, readers seem to be asked to just do something to help. This is the challenge with embracing the whole world as a cause. It seemed to be an odd departure from the rest of the book that focused on three children.
A preferred conclusion would have been for the story to explore how can we effectively help individual children. And to offer specific ideas for good ways to help which don’t actually hurt.
Although I believe these changes could have made the book better, I’m glad I read The Leopard Tree. And after considering further, I believe I would recommend it to children and adults alike.
Let’s see: It’s a tale about a journey of three African children. The reader is invited to experience that journey from the eyes of the children. The journey is full of one fantastical event after another. Sounds like a children’s book.
On the other hand: The three children are orphans from Kenya, Sudan and Rwanda. Respectively, one is HIV positive, one is blind and missing a leg from a land mine, and one is traumatized from witnessing the brutal murder of her family. Their journey is a quest to New York City to speak with the UN Secretary General about the plight of those in Africa and the need to help them. Doesn’t sound like a children’s book.
In either case, I enjoyed the tale. And I very much engaged in the topic. And I somewhat appreciated the message.
It is a well-told story, although most aspects of the tale about the journey are quite hard to believe. That’s fine for that’s how tales sometimes are. However, It seems precarious to insert a hard to believe story into a real and modern context and with a strong humanitarian message. It can leave the reader confused. But maybe that’s because I’m an adult reader! Perhaps a child reader would not be at all confused.
And by the way, the integration of the Wizard of Oz into this story was a wonderful touch to be appreciated by children and adults alike.
The story centers on a compelling topic, and weaves different messages throughout. There is the message about the brutal reality facing children in Africa as result of HIV, wars, corruption, neglect. There is the message of inspirational people who try to do something to help in the face of that, such as the orphanage workers. There is the resilience of the children, who are fueled by hope and joy, and are mature beyond their years. And there is the disappointing fact that after all is said and done about the plight of such children, usually much more is said than done.
The overall message is one place where the book falls flat towards the end in my opinion. Never mind the somewhat distracting nirvana-like scenes in Central Park, and the added distraction of what I assume are the authors’ favorite celebrities or politicians (some veiled, only loosely, with aliases). In the end, the core message gets watered down by being way too general.
Instead of just focusing on sub-saharan Africa as through the entire book, which is already too broad and general to be a compelling, the message ends up generalized beyond sub-saharan Africa. Furthermore, instead of making the case for specific action that could really make a difference, readers seem to be asked to just do something to help. This is the challenge with embracing the whole world as a cause. It seemed to be an odd departure from the rest of the book that focused on three children.
A preferred conclusion would have been for the story to explore how can we effectively help individual children. And to offer specific ideas for good ways to help which don’t actually hurt.
Although I believe these changes could have made the book better, I’m glad I read The Leopard Tree. And after considering further, I believe I would recommend it to children and adults alike.
February 19, 2013
The authors have taken a big real world idea - children of war and a continent decimated by poverty and diesease - and broken it down into kid size chunks. The story: a ragamuffin trio of orphans who - no suprrise spoiler here - somewhat unbelieveably in the post 9/11 world - manage to get on a flight from Africa to San Francisco without a ticket or proper documents - make it through immigration and customs and then embark as three on a solo road trip across the USA (it's fiction and adolescent literature - let reality take a back seat for a bit and enjoy the ride) to try and make it to the United Nation's conference on Chldren of Poverty to which no children have been invited. One has AIDS and no medication, another is mute, and the other is blind and has one leg. They love the one piece of western literature they know - The Wizard of Oz - and use the book as a guide for their endeavors. The reader is required to let go and let the story unfold .. and it works. I see why children would stay engaged (perhaps readers between 9-14 years old). Borrowing contemporary figures the book includes a talk show host not named Oprah, a morning show that is not the Today show, a talk show host who is not Larry King, and a mayor who is not Michael Bloomberg - but they sure do mimic them. The authors who I met an an unrelated conference tell me that the book came out of the work that they themselves have done working on issues of child poverty and in Africa and they wanted to make a big and important topic relevant and understandable to the children who share the age with those affected. I think the author have done a good job of doing just that.
November 10, 2013
The Leopard Tree is the story of three Kenyan orphans who embark on a quest to meet with the Secretary General of the United Nations in New York. Each has a burden to bear - one is HIV positive, another a blind amputee and the third a young girl rendered speechless by post traumatic stress. Their inspiration for the trip is that time worn story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
The book was written to bring attention to the plight of African people suffering through poverty, ill health and war. There is no doubt that it succeeds in this mission. I do think the message would have been just as well received had it not been hammered home so frequently, particularly in the latter half of the book.
Enjoyment of the tale does require a suspension of disbelief. These three children successfully stow away on an international aeroplane flight and convince many adults to assist them in concealing themselves from authorities as they traverse the US.
The Leopard Tree won the Best Young Adult Fiction Award in 2008 in the Writer's Digest International Self-published Competition. It is written in a simplistic style that is well suited to the YA market but it will also appeal to an adult readership.
Despite the incredulity of the plot it is easy to become invested in the characters. Daudi, Masozi and Ramla are positive and inspirational.
The book was written to bring attention to the plight of African people suffering through poverty, ill health and war. There is no doubt that it succeeds in this mission. I do think the message would have been just as well received had it not been hammered home so frequently, particularly in the latter half of the book.
Enjoyment of the tale does require a suspension of disbelief. These three children successfully stow away on an international aeroplane flight and convince many adults to assist them in concealing themselves from authorities as they traverse the US.
The Leopard Tree won the Best Young Adult Fiction Award in 2008 in the Writer's Digest International Self-published Competition. It is written in a simplistic style that is well suited to the YA market but it will also appeal to an adult readership.
Despite the incredulity of the plot it is easy to become invested in the characters. Daudi, Masozi and Ramla are positive and inspirational.
February 9, 2017
I think when people are writing reviews with less than stellar reviews, they are forgetting that this is a children/young adult's book. The narration was choppy, the plot was more than a little contrived at points, and the politics behind this serious issue delve way beyond what the author cared to elaborate on. That being said, it's written for children to help them become more aware and empathetic to situations that they might not even know about. This is a great intro piece to get a child to begin thinking about the world.
May 31, 2015
Three kids met at an orphanage in Kenya, Africa. They each had physical and emotional ailments, but they cared for each other and stuck together in their goal to improve the world! They were an amazing team!
Rosa took the kids on a day trip that led to their desire to visit the United Nations in San Francisco. Guided by their positive attitudes for change and the Wizard of Oz book, the kids made their way to see the Wizard!
There are several aspects of what the kids did that are pretty far fetched, especially in today's world of airplane travel and TSA, but it is still an encouraging story and I enjoyed it immensely!
A few memorable phrases: Ghandi: "Be the change you want to see in the world"; Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens could change the world; indeed, its the only thing that ever has."
Rosa took the kids on a day trip that led to their desire to visit the United Nations in San Francisco. Guided by their positive attitudes for change and the Wizard of Oz book, the kids made their way to see the Wizard!
There are several aspects of what the kids did that are pretty far fetched, especially in today's world of airplane travel and TSA, but it is still an encouraging story and I enjoyed it immensely!
A few memorable phrases: Ghandi: "Be the change you want to see in the world"; Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens could change the world; indeed, its the only thing that ever has."
September 19, 2012
The story was good. It delivered a powerful message. The children's characters were well developed. I can't imagine a person reading this book and not wanting to help them, not wanting to find a way to change the world. The authors' use of "The Wizard of Oz" throughout the story was especially touching.
The writing was lacking in some places, though. It bordered on preachy a couple of times. And there were some events that felt a little too convenient. My suggestion--while reading it, work a little harder on suspending your disbelief. Because the message "The Leopard Tree" contains, makes it worthwhile.
All in all--I was moved to tears.
Call it a cop-out, if you will. I'm giving it five stars because what it lacked wasn't so distracting that it took away from what it did have.
The writing was lacking in some places, though. It bordered on preachy a couple of times. And there were some events that felt a little too convenient. My suggestion--while reading it, work a little harder on suspending your disbelief. Because the message "The Leopard Tree" contains, makes it worthwhile.
All in all--I was moved to tears.
Call it a cop-out, if you will. I'm giving it five stars because what it lacked wasn't so distracting that it took away from what it did have.
December 29, 2012
The message of this book is a good one, and the tale the authors wove does convey the need for awareness of the problems children in Africa face even if the story is a bit predictable at times. However, the writing is downright terrible, which may be half the fault of the editors. Several parts in the storyline are completely unrealistic, the children are given maturity not fitting twelve year olds (even ones who have been forced to grow up too soon through horrible circumstances) and there are inconsistencies galore. I wish I could rate this book higher because the awareness it was written to raise is a good cause. But I had a truly hard time getting past the cheesy lines and college essay meets charity-ask-letter writing.
September 4, 2012
An endearing story about 3 children from Africa, each of whom have suffered too much already, who make it to America in search of the "wizard". As they travel across the country, following the "yellow brick road", they meet many wonderful people and share their story. I liked how the authors wove in "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", the children's favorite story, throughout the book. However, it was a bit too preachy at times, as the reader is constantly reminded of the atrocities occuring in Africa. And it seemed as if help always arrived just in time for the children, which was a little too good to be true. But it's still a heart-warming tale.
September 3, 2012
It's a little maudlin and altruistic, but it's a tearjerker tale that grabs the reader. When I started reading, I thought I was reading a true tale, since the writing was like a magazine or newspaper narrative; but as it continued on, it became more lyrical and more of a storytelling. I figured out that it wasn't true, as I realized that the people the 3 children encountered during their travels were just too good to be true...maybe wishful thinking on the part of the authors that the world would become a place like this. The Wizard of Oz tale figures into the story, and just like that tale, this one finds there is no Wizard; but only the power that is in oneself.
February 7, 2013
This mildly entertaining book about three young disabled Africans on their journey to find help in the United States is creatively written around the childhood story The Wizard of Oz. It is easy to guess what will happen to the children and unlike reality,luck is on their side every inch of the way. There is sadness and the loss of life in the end which sends a clear message to the Western World. We must do more to help the less fortunate in the world.
I would recommend this book to third or fourth grade students as a lession in humanity. The reading level is about third grade and the pace of the story will keep them engaged.
I would recommend this book to third or fourth grade students as a lession in humanity. The reading level is about third grade and the pace of the story will keep them engaged.
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