Ir-Re tal-Ġungla u s-Skiet Misterjuż

L-iljun, ir-Re tal-Ġungla, jinduna li kien waqa’ ċertu skiet fir-renju tiegħu. L-għasafar waqfu jgħannu, l-annimali ma baqgħux jidhru barra u saħansitra r-riħ kien donnu waqaf jonfoħ. X’kienet ir-raġuni ta’ din l-imġiba stramba? L-iljun jaf li bħala r-re kien imiss lilu li jinvestiga. X’jagħmel biex forsi jsib tarf din il-problema? Kien hemm rimedju għaliha? Hekk kif l-annimali u l-insetti jiftħu qalbhom miegħu, l-iljun ifittex li jserrħilhom rashom biex il-ħajja tal-ġungla terġa’ lura għal li kienet.

Bi kwadri kkuluriti tal-ħajja fil-ġungla, impittra b’pinzellati ħfief daqskemm ipaxxu l-għajnejn, kif ukoll in-nisġa tal-istorja nnifisha bil-messaġġi sottili li tgħaddi, Ir-Re tal-Ġungla u s-Skiet Misterjuż għandu l-ingredjenti kollha biex jogħġob lit-tfal. Barra minn hekk jgħinhom sabiex jiftħu qalbhom meta jħossu l-ħtieġa u hekk jeħilsu minn xi beżgħat li jista’ jkollhom fil-ħajja.

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Ir-Re tal-Gungla u s-Skiet Misterjuz by the award-winning Maltese author Therese Pace. This book is intended to address the issue of fear in young children.

The lion, king of the jungle, realized that a certain silence had fallen in his kingdom. The birds stopped singing, the animals were nowhere to be seen and even the wind seemed to have stopped blowing. What was the reason for such strange behaviors? The lion knew that, as the king, it was up to him to investigate what was happening. What could he do to find a solution to this problem? Was there a remedy for it? As soon as the animals and the insects started opening up their hearts to him, the lion was able to set their minds at rest and life in the jungle could return to normal.

‘Presenting color pictures of life in the jungle, drawn with a skill that brings beauty to the eyes and set in the context of the story with its subtle messages, Ir-Re tal-Ġungla u s-Skiet Misterjuz contains all the necessary qualities to be highly attractive to children. This story also encourages children to open their hearts when needed so that they can let go of any fears they may have.’

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Review

‘This book is a very interesting read both from an environmental awareness perspective as well as the self-esteem awareness side. It is a very good read for children possibly in Years 3/4 or even earlier on if used as a storytelling tool. It is written in fluent Maltese and it is very easy to understand despite the imaginative journey that the book takes you through. What if the animals were to talk? Would they agree with how Therese Pace depicted them? :)’

Annabel Desira