As the story unfolds the children face many dangers and much treachery on their journey but Ada’s courage and self-belief carry her forward and she discovers some surprising revelations in her quest to find her true family. But when Papa Eze himself becomes unwell he knows it's time to reveal to Ada her true heritage - a closely kept secret that has so far protected his daughter from her enemies. It would also be an excellent class read because the story is rich and gripping and is everything you need to capture the essence of story time.

From the language to the lifestyle, you are taken on a journey with Ada and exposed to the importance of ancestors, voices, and stories.The book enables you to live the history of a heritage that is not widely covered by the curriculum, but if it was used to support the teaching of ancient civilisations would help broaden and diversify the knowledge about West African culture and traditions that children have in Upper Key Stage 2. I think the present-day children of Benin City would especially be thrilled to see “their city” in such a wonderful book! A riveting historical adventure… as much about friendship and loyalty and the bonds of family as a quest for identity. An immersive adventure story for any child who enjoys being transported to another world, this short novel also fits well with the increasing interest in African fiction and children s stories that are inclusive, diverse and explore a greater range of cultures, stories and settings.

Bringing this historical context to life, the novel provides the context to explore and discuss the influence of this ancient kingdom.When reading this book, you become completely absorbed into the culture of the West African people . The book includes a factual section at the end, to help readers widen their knowledge of the ancient Kingdom of Benin and West African culture and traditions. This would be an excellent read for schools and there a helpful factual section at the back of the book placing the story in context and giving more accurate historical details. I think the ending of the book was very interesting and happy because Ada found her brother half way in the book and at the end they met her dad. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average.