A Forest, a Flood, and an Unlikely Star

Just thirteen-years-old, Kusiima has no time for school, sports, or hanging out with the other boys in his African village. With no father or mother to take care of him, he works long hours to support his grandmother and sickly baby sister. Then one day, Kusiima's life suddenly changes when he travels into a nearby protected forest.

In the forest, Kusiima is presented with many choices, all with uncertain outcomes. Should he go along with illegal logging? Help to save an endangered baby gorilla? Follow a donkey to who knows where? With each choice, Kusiima has to make yet another decision about what is right in front of him. As he does, he meets a mysterious doctor who holds the key to his past and his future. In the end, Kusiima is faced with the hardest choice of all. Can he forgive a great wrong and heal a broken relationship?

Readers of all ages won't want to put down this exciting book that addresses current realities like AIDS, malnutrition, and environmental destruction, all set in a richly detailed African adventure story. Following along as Kusiima makes his decisions, readers will find themselves considering their own choices and growing in empathy for others.

This action-packed tale of a boy, his sister, and an orphaned gorilla is also a clear call to give up bitterness and forgive deep hurts, restoring broken lives and relationships. A Forest, a Flood, and an Unlikely Star is the third book in the Rwendigo Tale Series and follows Book One, A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest, and Book Two, A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue.

1. Opening Credits
2. Dedication
3. Dear Reader
4. Prologue
5. Chapter 1: “Is Money Raining from the Sky Now?”
6. Chapter 2: Once upon a Time
7. Chapter 3: Charcoal Is Better Than Diamonds
8. Chapter 4: The Best Thing to Happen in Three Generations
9. Chapter 5: A Drumbeat of Longing
10. Chapter 6: Grass Will Grow
11. Chapter 7: Get These Pills
12. Chapter 8: A Day out of Town
13. Chapter 9: Into the Forest
14. Chapter 10: When the World Exploded
15. Chapter 11: Choosing Sides
16. Chapter 12: “May I See Your Park Pass, Please?"
17. Chapter 13: She Has Other Problems
18. Chapter 14: “Where Did You Get That Goat?”
19. Chapter 15: A Smile and Whispers in the Dark
20. Chapter 16: Plain Old (Dangerous) Charcoal
21. Chapter 17: A Very Hairy Patient
22. Chapter 18: But Publicity Won’t Kill You
23. Chapter 19: The Line between Good and Evil
24. Chapter 20: May God Remember All You Have Done
25. Chapter 21: Going Under
26. Chapter 22: The Fresh Air of Seeing
27. Epilogue
28. Closing Credits