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The Secret of the Purple Lake
The Secret of the Purple Lake is a collection of five interlinked stories that take us from Ghana to Orkney, and from Spain to Norway and Thailand. As a minor character from one story assumes a major role in the next, we meet a fascinating cast, including Imoro the magic elephant, the Walrus Prince, and the Wild Princesses of Rousay. The protagonist of the opening tale, The Fisherman's Daughter, has to retrieve her dead father's bones from the bottom of the sea, in order to bring harmony back to her seaside village. In fulfilling her task, she must evade the clutches of The Fish-man of the Purple Lake. The Fish-man, a monstrous creature with the body of a man and the head of a fish, was once a beautiful boy from the Sahel, and has his own story about how he became the Fish-man.
122 pages, Paperback
Published April 24, 2018
About the author
Yaba Badoe
9 books32 followersYaba Badoe is an award-winning Ghanaian-British documentary film-maker and writer. A graduate of King's College Cambridge, she was a civil servant in Ghana before becoming a general trainee with the BBC. She has taught in Spain and Jamaica and worked as a Visiting Scholar at the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana. Her short stories have been published in Critical Quarterly, African Love Stories, an anthology edited by Ama Ata Aidoo, and Daughters of Africa.
Yaba lives in Balham, London with her husband Colin Izod.
Yaba lives in Balham, London with her husband Colin Izod.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 8, 2021
A gorgeous little book that travels the seas and skies from West Africa to Northern Europe and back, featuring a magical cast of characters linked with their own mythologies of journeys and transformation, in five tales suited to kids aged 7-11.
When I purchased this book, I had missed that it was aimed at children. After glancing through it I asked my daughter (nearly 9) if she would like us to read it together. She enjoyed it from the start and very quickly was eager to read each tale and discover the links between them. We both developed an affection for certain characters (and a justified dislike of others!), and giggled at some of the situations they created. Occasionally frightening and very sad (parental deaths and separation, emotional abuse, attempted suicide) in the tradition of mythology and folklore. Despite the presence of hardship and loss, the characters ultimately make peace or find joy.
When I purchased this book, I had missed that it was aimed at children. After glancing through it I asked my daughter (nearly 9) if she would like us to read it together. She enjoyed it from the start and very quickly was eager to read each tale and discover the links between them. We both developed an affection for certain characters (and a justified dislike of others!), and giggled at some of the situations they created. Occasionally frightening and very sad (parental deaths and separation, emotional abuse, attempted suicide) in the tradition of mythology and folklore. Despite the presence of hardship and loss, the characters ultimately make peace or find joy.
April 3, 2022
‘Not every man likes to fight and pillage and make merry all night long. Some men are drawn to the finer things of life.’
It’s a short collection of 5 folklore children stories that are interlinked which takes the reader long ago, far away, in different locations and cultures. The combination of the locations is carried over into the relationship between humans and animals.The author beautifully builds one story from another story and the reader easily remembers the characters as they become protagonists of their own paths and destinies. The book is a pleasure to read, easy to follow the narratives and has black and white images that helps with the imagination of the plots. It is best suited for children.
It’s a short collection of 5 folklore children stories that are interlinked which takes the reader long ago, far away, in different locations and cultures. The combination of the locations is carried over into the relationship between humans and animals.The author beautifully builds one story from another story and the reader easily remembers the characters as they become protagonists of their own paths and destinies. The book is a pleasure to read, easy to follow the narratives and has black and white images that helps with the imagination of the plots. It is best suited for children.
July 15, 2026
**2.5 stars**
The Secret of the Purple Lake is a set of interconnected folktales. I didn’t realise when picking this up it was aimed at middle grade, but as it was only 132 pages I thought I’d give it a read.
I’m obviously not the intended audience and haven’t been that age for a very long time so can’t comment on if it’s suitable. Whilst it was easy to read (again probably because of the age it was being written for) I didn’t feel there was a strong morale to these stories, and have read far better folktales hence the 2.5 stars.
The Secret of the Purple Lake is a set of interconnected folktales. I didn’t realise when picking this up it was aimed at middle grade, but as it was only 132 pages I thought I’d give it a read.
I’m obviously not the intended audience and haven’t been that age for a very long time so can’t comment on if it’s suitable. Whilst it was easy to read (again probably because of the age it was being written for) I didn’t feel there was a strong morale to these stories, and have read far better folktales hence the 2.5 stars.
August 4, 2020
I enjoyed the interconnectedness of the stories is wonderful!
Favourite quotes :
“‘I like being a bird’, she decided, forging ahead beyond the land of the Gauls. ‘Flying within the clouds is like dancing on vapour and gliding above them feels like kissing the Sun.’”
“Some say that Cullen the Carouser, the King of Orkney wept bitter tears when he saw the wedding shawl on his favourite daughter. It’s hard to tell because by then he was an old man, and the eyes of the old often weep.”
Favourite quotes :
“‘I like being a bird’, she decided, forging ahead beyond the land of the Gauls. ‘Flying within the clouds is like dancing on vapour and gliding above them feels like kissing the Sun.’”
“Some say that Cullen the Carouser, the King of Orkney wept bitter tears when he saw the wedding shawl on his favourite daughter. It’s hard to tell because by then he was an old man, and the eyes of the old often weep.”
November 25, 2017
Thank you @CassavaRepublic, fantastic book.
Full review up soon.
Full review up soon.
February 11, 2024
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories,
July 10, 2018
I really enjoyed these magical children's stories, especially the way they were all interconnected. Full review to come.
December 15, 2018
I love a story within a story. It gives a warm feeling especially for readers who grew up with tales passed from our grandma's . With each story there's a lesson to be learnt . The stories connection flowed seamlessly. I recommend this as a bed time story for kids and adults alike
May 4, 2018
This book is from Cassava Republic out of Nigeria. They publish works for children and adults that showcase a broad variety of quality modern African literature.
In this book, Badoe shares five stories of quest, destiny, and magic that take the reader all over the world, from Ghana to the Orkneys to Spain, and more. Each story follows a person who needs to find his or her right place in the world and each story is connected. The main characters in one are the supporting characters of another – We all are connected through time and despite distances. It is definitely unique and fun to read these folktale-feeling stories but have them span time, space, and cultures.
The writing is easy to follow, the font is large with plenty of white space on the page, and there are periodic black and white illustrations, perfect for upper elementary age readers.
The telling of these stores has an old-fashioned feel, which may or may not appeal to today’s middle grade readers. The tales themselves are also harsh, with one young girl having to give up her future to retrieve her father’s bones, a boy turned into a monster to punish him for his pride and ambition, a mother exiled and daughters left untended, etc. Fans of Greek mythology and all its brutality will like these tales; readers who balk at hard consequences may not.
Recommended for children and teachers looking to have an opportunity to read works by current authors originating from Africa, readers who enjoy adventure and origin stories.
In this book, Badoe shares five stories of quest, destiny, and magic that take the reader all over the world, from Ghana to the Orkneys to Spain, and more. Each story follows a person who needs to find his or her right place in the world and each story is connected. The main characters in one are the supporting characters of another – We all are connected through time and despite distances. It is definitely unique and fun to read these folktale-feeling stories but have them span time, space, and cultures.
The writing is easy to follow, the font is large with plenty of white space on the page, and there are periodic black and white illustrations, perfect for upper elementary age readers.
The telling of these stores has an old-fashioned feel, which may or may not appeal to today’s middle grade readers. The tales themselves are also harsh, with one young girl having to give up her future to retrieve her father’s bones, a boy turned into a monster to punish him for his pride and ambition, a mother exiled and daughters left untended, etc. Fans of Greek mythology and all its brutality will like these tales; readers who balk at hard consequences may not.
Recommended for children and teachers looking to have an opportunity to read works by current authors originating from Africa, readers who enjoy adventure and origin stories.
August 17, 2019
Besides time, this book has a number of similarities with Tales of the Arabian Nights. The author is indeed good with storytelling and one can immediately tell with how skillfully she built each story into one another
It can easily pass for Kid Lit and can also be enjoyed by adults.
4 stars!
It can easily pass for Kid Lit and can also be enjoyed by adults.
4 stars!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews