Bite of the Kaba lagoon

Gr 1--3--In this third series installment, the magical Nkonyaa tree, source of all magic, has stopped creating new calabash fruit and is running out of magic, which means that soon, no one will be able to do magic. When Kwame's friends Fifi and Principal Wari are arrested and put on trial for stealing some sacred calabash, Kwame must figure out a way to help the tree and clear his friends' names. For a first chapter book, this series has a somewhat complicated storyline that some young readers might have trouble following. Still, frequent illustrations throughout the book help bring the story to life and the African setting sets it apart. Back matter expands on facts and terminology from African cultures. VERDICT Recommended for collections where the other books in the series circulate well.