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Jummy at the River School
Jummy has won a place at the River School, the finest girls’ boarding school in Nigeria.
Nothing can dampen her spirits, not even when she learns that her less fortunate best friend Caro won’t be joining her. By the Shine-Shine River, school is everything Jummy dreamt of, with friendly new girls, midnight feasts and sporting prizes. But when Caro suddenly arrives at the school to work, not to learn, Jummy must bring all her friends together to help ...
A joyful, glorious collision of classic boarding-school story with vibrant 1990s Nigeria, based on Sabine's own experience of boarding school in Nigeria.
Nothing can dampen her spirits, not even when she learns that her less fortunate best friend Caro won’t be joining her. By the Shine-Shine River, school is everything Jummy dreamt of, with friendly new girls, midnight feasts and sporting prizes. But when Caro suddenly arrives at the school to work, not to learn, Jummy must bring all her friends together to help ...
A joyful, glorious collision of classic boarding-school story with vibrant 1990s Nigeria, based on Sabine's own experience of boarding school in Nigeria.
Paperback
Published January 6, 2022
6 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Sabine Adeyinka
5 books5 followersSabine Adeyinka was born in England to a Nigerian dad and Jamaican mum. She grew up in Nigeria where she spent the most memorable time in boarding school from the age of eleven. As a young girl, she loved reading novels about boarding schools from around the world and longed to tell the stories of her own exciting experience. Sabine’s favourite pastime is writing stories about memories of the landscape, food and people of her childhood. She now lives in London with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 31, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and very nostalgic. Giving it anything less than 5 stars would have been sinister for the amount of joy this book brought me!
January 31, 2022
I employ you to read this novel laced with humour. It will instantly put you in a good mood. It is a plus for diversity readers. If you want your kids to see themselves in a novel and are going to the first year of secondary school, then choose this one. The fruits? I absolutely want to eat an agbalumo now.
What an excellent joyful read!
What an excellent joyful read!
March 10, 2023
A lovely story about coming together to overcome problems.
Jummy has just started at the prestigious River School, unfortunately her best friend Caro couldn't go, but then she turns up, but as a maid for a mean teacher and Jummy comes up with a plan to help her.
This was a great listen, I loved Jummy as a character and how she interacted with the other school pupils. It was fun, but also told of class differences and how people can treat others less fortunate.
Jummy has just started at the prestigious River School, unfortunately her best friend Caro couldn't go, but then she turns up, but as a maid for a mean teacher and Jummy comes up with a plan to help her.
This was a great listen, I loved Jummy as a character and how she interacted with the other school pupils. It was fun, but also told of class differences and how people can treat others less fortunate.
January 30, 2022
Nice wholesome book about young girls at boarding school and lots of adventure
December 5, 2022
Fun school story with a message
Jummy at the River School is a delightful story about Jumoke Afolabi (Jummy) who leaves primary school to attend the somewhat prestigious River Boarding School for Girls. Here Jummy is put in a dorm in her ‘house’ - Nile House - with mixed ages. She meets a cast of exuberant characters with whom she becomes a loyal friend. She also makes an enemy: the spoilt, rich, freeloading Bolaji. Bolaji and Jummy come head to head over Jummy’s childhood friend, Caro who, despite academic aptitude, cannot afford to attend the school. Jummy distinguishes herself from Bolaji by helping Caro, learning to work hard, and even participate in the school sports day. More than a fun school story, Jummy at the River School is a story about giving fair access to education.
Jummy at the River School is a delightful story about Jumoke Afolabi (Jummy) who leaves primary school to attend the somewhat prestigious River Boarding School for Girls. Here Jummy is put in a dorm in her ‘house’ - Nile House - with mixed ages. She meets a cast of exuberant characters with whom she becomes a loyal friend. She also makes an enemy: the spoilt, rich, freeloading Bolaji. Bolaji and Jummy come head to head over Jummy’s childhood friend, Caro who, despite academic aptitude, cannot afford to attend the school. Jummy distinguishes herself from Bolaji by helping Caro, learning to work hard, and even participate in the school sports day. More than a fun school story, Jummy at the River School is a story about giving fair access to education.
February 10, 2022
Nostalgic - that’s the way to describe my experience of this book. From the midnight feasts, dance and drama shows, songs to teachers, matrons and the school handy man. This book took me back to my boarding school experience in Nigeria.
Mischievous Jummy exchanges food for getting homework done even before she gets into boarding school.
We follow her into The River School and read about all her experiences, friendships and discovering her privilege.
Jummy realises that not everyone is able to get some one the things she takes for granted and is convicted to help in any way she can.
Jummy At The River School is a children’s book but I thoroughly enjoyed it even as an adult.
I would recommend this book to everyone from age 10 to 90. It is such a good read.
Mischievous Jummy exchanges food for getting homework done even before she gets into boarding school.
We follow her into The River School and read about all her experiences, friendships and discovering her privilege.
Jummy realises that not everyone is able to get some one the things she takes for granted and is convicted to help in any way she can.
Jummy At The River School is a children’s book but I thoroughly enjoyed it even as an adult.
I would recommend this book to everyone from age 10 to 90. It is such a good read.
January 30, 2022
Vivid and colourful, lots of fun, great characters. The River School sounds like a wonderful place to learn! I enjoyed the relationships Jimmy had with her friends, all of them supportive and hard working. The story to get Caro into the school was wonderful as well, talking about the importance of free education and how people with privilege should use it to support others who don't. The antagonist was a little stereotypical for a school drama, but interesting nonetheless. I loved the description of the culture and setting. The food in particular sounded amazing! :D
March 5, 2023
Listened to this on audio with the kids. It was a fun book about a girl’s adventurous first year at boarding school. I love that it was based on the author’s real experiences at a Nigerian boarding school in the 1990s. I highly recommend the audio version because the narrator’s Nigerian accent added a special touch - especially when she sang the songs.
August 27, 2023
I read this book through ebook and audiobook once I realized it was on Audible. It was a fun little story about girls in boarding school on Nigeria. I loved all the cultural elements as well as the lessons it teaches. Great book for kids.
June 28, 2023
I have had Jummy At The River School on my radar for a while; it's the first of a series of school stories detailing the adventures of Jummy at her new boarding school set by the beautiful Shine-Shine River. The River School is the best boarding school in Nigeria and when Jummy passes the entrance exams, she is thrilled to become a new girl there. Yet her best friend Caro, from a family of less privilege and wealth, does not have this option. Her family cannot afford the school fees and so she and Jummy must be separated.
I liked this very much and will look out for the next. It's a very charming and quietly told school story. There's a deliberate concern for friendships and relationships and generally Being A Good Egg which I liked a lot. It also deals quite gently with issues of privilege and classism which are perennially vital discussions to have, I think, in this genre, so I welcomed that and the delicacy of it, very much.
One of the things that I also really valued was Adyeinka's sense of space and quality of storytelling here: she is very, very good at telling you where the girls are in the world and what they're eating, tasting, experiencing. Whether it's the handfuls of puff-puff that the girls eat or the distant shine of the river, this is a school story that knows very firmly what it is and what it wants to share with the reader and I liked that very much.
In terms of reading, this read quite young so it might work well for somebody who is just coming to terms with longer middle-grade fiction, trying to gain a bit more confidence in their reading or for somebody who wants a nice bedtime read.
I also found myself thinking about other books that would work well with this (I always like it when a book starts to suggest ideas to you and tells you where about in the world it might work best!). I think there's potential, for example, in connecting Jummy to things like Alice-Miranda at School; Hi So Much and Pea's Book of Big Dreams. Think of rich, gentle storytelling that focuses on people and you won't go far wrong.
I liked this very much and will look out for the next. It's a very charming and quietly told school story. There's a deliberate concern for friendships and relationships and generally Being A Good Egg which I liked a lot. It also deals quite gently with issues of privilege and classism which are perennially vital discussions to have, I think, in this genre, so I welcomed that and the delicacy of it, very much.
One of the things that I also really valued was Adyeinka's sense of space and quality of storytelling here: she is very, very good at telling you where the girls are in the world and what they're eating, tasting, experiencing. Whether it's the handfuls of puff-puff that the girls eat or the distant shine of the river, this is a school story that knows very firmly what it is and what it wants to share with the reader and I liked that very much.
In terms of reading, this read quite young so it might work well for somebody who is just coming to terms with longer middle-grade fiction, trying to gain a bit more confidence in their reading or for somebody who wants a nice bedtime read.
I also found myself thinking about other books that would work well with this (I always like it when a book starts to suggest ideas to you and tells you where about in the world it might work best!). I think there's potential, for example, in connecting Jummy to things like Alice-Miranda at School; Hi So Much and Pea's Book of Big Dreams. Think of rich, gentle storytelling that focuses on people and you won't go far wrong.
August 12, 2025
Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec Jummy at the River Shcool ?
"J'avais repéré ce livre chez Miranda et puis il est resté dans ma wiwhlist pendant des mois et des mois et des mois, comme tant d'autres. Finalement, j'en ai parlé à l'occasion de mon challenge de l'été et cela m'a donné envie de l'en sortir enfin."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Jummy a réussi les examens d'entrée à la Shine River School et elle s'apprête à partir loin de son village pour découvrir un nouveau monde. Mais en plus d'une nouvelle vie et de nouveaux amis, elle va aussi apprendre ce que sont l'injustice et les inégalités..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"C'est un joli coup de coeur pour ce livre jeunesse que j'ai ressenti instantanément. J'ai adoré Jummy. Elle n'est pas parfaite mais elle fait de son mieux pour s'améliorer, pour agir, pour rendre fiers ses parents et ne pas laisser tomber ses amis. On s'attache très vite à elle et nous aussi, on ressent toutes ses émotions qui la chamboule face aux différences de traitement qu'elle va rencontrer. Il y a vraiment des scènes très émouvantes et puis c'est un roman rempli de joie, de soleil et de chansons. Même si l'Afrique, ici le Nigéria, n'est pas le continent qui m'attire le plus, changer d'horizon a été un pur plaisir, apprendre de nouvelles choses, connaître une nouvelle culture... Et puis le cadre de la 'boarding school', que J.K. Rowling a fait connaître dans le monde entier, avec ses règles, ses différentes maisons et ses compétions, j'adore, tout simplement."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"La fin était juste parfaite, même si c'était sans surprises. Je suis vraiment impatiente de retrouver Jummy et toutes ses amies pour de nouvelles aventures."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
"J'avais repéré ce livre chez Miranda et puis il est resté dans ma wiwhlist pendant des mois et des mois et des mois, comme tant d'autres. Finalement, j'en ai parlé à l'occasion de mon challenge de l'été et cela m'a donné envie de l'en sortir enfin."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Jummy a réussi les examens d'entrée à la Shine River School et elle s'apprête à partir loin de son village pour découvrir un nouveau monde. Mais en plus d'une nouvelle vie et de nouveaux amis, elle va aussi apprendre ce que sont l'injustice et les inégalités..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"C'est un joli coup de coeur pour ce livre jeunesse que j'ai ressenti instantanément. J'ai adoré Jummy. Elle n'est pas parfaite mais elle fait de son mieux pour s'améliorer, pour agir, pour rendre fiers ses parents et ne pas laisser tomber ses amis. On s'attache très vite à elle et nous aussi, on ressent toutes ses émotions qui la chamboule face aux différences de traitement qu'elle va rencontrer. Il y a vraiment des scènes très émouvantes et puis c'est un roman rempli de joie, de soleil et de chansons. Même si l'Afrique, ici le Nigéria, n'est pas le continent qui m'attire le plus, changer d'horizon a été un pur plaisir, apprendre de nouvelles choses, connaître une nouvelle culture... Et puis le cadre de la 'boarding school', que J.K. Rowling a fait connaître dans le monde entier, avec ses règles, ses différentes maisons et ses compétions, j'adore, tout simplement."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"La fin était juste parfaite, même si c'était sans surprises. Je suis vraiment impatiente de retrouver Jummy et toutes ses amies pour de nouvelles aventures."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
October 15, 2025
Really enjoyed this lively school story for young readers. It's great to have an "own voices" story about young people in Africa, and that isn't about a traumatic experience or societal problem. And it was just well written and enjoyable to read. Reminded me of a younger, more sunshine-y version of "When the Ground Is Hard".
The story takes place at a boarding school in 1990s Nigeria.The tone and writing style is perfect for young people, especially ages 10-12. There are good lessons of friendship, hard work, loyalty, kindness, and standing up for those less fortunate. The characters were engaging and the plot kept me moving through, as I was curious to know how it would end.
As for the ending itself (spoilers!!!) I would have preferred if everything didn't work out quite so neatly. It feels unrealistic that the snobby rich girl is told to leave AND Jummy wins the race for her team AND Caro gets to stay AND she gets to room with Jummy AND Nile house wins the tournament AND Jummy gets an award for being a kind friend, AND...
But I know that some children's novels are like this and I'm willing to forgive it.
The story takes place at a boarding school in 1990s Nigeria.The tone and writing style is perfect for young people, especially ages 10-12. There are good lessons of friendship, hard work, loyalty, kindness, and standing up for those less fortunate. The characters were engaging and the plot kept me moving through, as I was curious to know how it would end.
As for the ending itself (spoilers!!!) I would have preferred if everything didn't work out quite so neatly. It feels unrealistic that the snobby rich girl is told to leave AND Jummy wins the race for her team AND Caro gets to stay AND she gets to room with Jummy AND Nile house wins the tournament AND Jummy gets an award for being a kind friend, AND...
But I know that some children's novels are like this and I'm willing to forgive it.
August 30, 2025
If Mallory Towers was set in Nigeria, we'd get Jummy at the River School. My nine-year-old daughter read this for school and enjoyed it so much she told me to read it. It was such a fun read, full of boarding school antics: sneaking around, midnight feasts, and plenty of rivalry. Adeyinka addresses issues to do with privilege and poverty and how these affect education, all in a way that's appropriate for a middle-grade audience. I found the descriptions of food so enticing! Like Anna Hibiscus, which I also read recently, this was a reminder that human nature, and childhood in particular, is largely the same wherever you are in the world. An absorbing read that I'd recommend both for adults and for eight-to-twelve-year-olds.
February 8, 2025
2.5* (with an extra 0.5* for diversity)
I am a HUGE Enid Blyton fan, and was so excited to see a boarding school series featuring diverse characters. I bought all three books in one go, extra-sure I would love it. Unfortunately, I didn't. And the easiest way I can describe it is, there was no magic in the writing. It's like all the ingredients for a good dish are there, and in theory, it should be GREAT; but instead of a delicious steak, you're left with a bland soup. I'm disappointed :(
I am a HUGE Enid Blyton fan, and was so excited to see a boarding school series featuring diverse characters. I bought all three books in one go, extra-sure I would love it. Unfortunately, I didn't. And the easiest way I can describe it is, there was no magic in the writing. It's like all the ingredients for a good dish are there, and in theory, it should be GREAT; but instead of a delicious steak, you're left with a bland soup. I'm disappointed :(
May 24, 2022
content warnings: classism, animal attack, unsanitary conditions
pleasant enough.
I wish that there wasn't as many authority figures that I can't keep track of.
also, that a glossary could be provided to break language and cultural barriers.
plus, the kids seem to laugh at e v e r y t h i n g.
pleasant enough.
I wish that there wasn't as many authority figures that I can't keep track of.
also, that a glossary could be provided to break language and cultural barriers.
plus, the kids seem to laugh at e v e r y t h i n g.
Read
March 10, 2022I don't think I can rate this, as I don't think I'm the target audience, but this was truly a wonderful, joyous book! If I was younger, this would instantly become a firm favourite, but I'm glad it exists for other people to read
March 25, 2022
A very feel-good high school boarding school story. Brought back (the good) memories of my own boarding school days.
June 6, 2022
A beautiful story based on the ups and down of boarding school life. I thoroughly enjoyed it
August 6, 2022
A wholesome story that would be great for any young reader.
June 22, 2023
DNF maybe finish later.
April 27, 2024
Moving story about coming together for the needs of others and very interesting to learn about the culture and the girl’s personalities.
May 13, 2024
Only giving 2* because I DNFed
August 26, 2022
I totally enjoyed it.
June 5, 2022
This is the story of Jummy (short for Jumoke), who is about to start at the River School, located near the famous Shine Shine River. When she gets there, she is horrified when her best friend Caro arrives not as a pupil but as a maid for cruel Matron, and she immediately resolves to try and get her a place in the school with the help of her new friends. I love a boarding school setting and this one is great- I loved learning about what going to boarding school in Nigeria is like, and I really appreciated that this has conversations about class and wealth and taboo topics like periods, which just isn’t a thing you see in more old-fashioned stories of this type and it just made this seem much more modern. I absolutely loved Jummy and her fun loving nature, and with the exception of some unpleasant Limpopo (or Limpopo wannabe) girls, everyone she meets is so great and I loved literally all of them for who they are. Is this the start of a series? Because I would absolutely be here for more of the more diverse and socially just Malory Towers vibes, but it’s also a very satisfying standalone so I really can’t tell.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews