Review of "Dumb" Orphans

[Meghan Sica]

[Following is a volunteer review of ""Dumb" Orphans" by Allan Low.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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What a magnificent tale based on the true conditions of people living in South Africa."Dumb” Orphans: The Bundu Bunch Trilogy by Allan Low is a compelling story following Aiyasha, a fifteen-year-old orphan who becomes responsible for several other orphans in her community. Aiyasha is an intelligent, caring, and hardworking teen who takes the orphans under her wing. Not only does she care for them as if they were her own flesh and blood, but she teaches them as well. Throughout the novel, the reader learns of the harsh conditions the children are subjected to. With no parents, no adult supervision, support, or guidance, they are left to their own devices. They are forced to walk several miles uphill to gather fresh water and deliver it to Meyego, the headman of Bundami.

As the children work, they discover an easier way of gathering and delivering the water so they can learn about the alphabet and numbers from Aiyasha. In secret they devour the information Aiyasha provides to them, as they are unable to afford a formal education. With the knowledge from Aiyasha, the young orphans are able to successfully pass an exam that earns them a scholarship to school. As several of the orphans are attending school, a group of girls from London arrive to build a playground for the community. Aiyasha and the youngest orphan, Elah, are rescued by the group of girls and smuggled across several countries until they reach London. Upon their arrival in London, they are finally able to receive a formal education of their own and are provided a warm, safe place to sleep, with three meals a day.

Their journey does not stop there, however. Aiyasha is a fast runner and enters the Olympics to compete with her fellow classmates. Before the competition, the chief headman of Initawse contacts Aiyasha and asks her to compete for her native country. If she agrees, she will be given a car, a house, and a job. Aiyasha believes she can use this to her advantage and agrees to compete for Initawse. She believes this will open the door to many opportunities for her to change the ways of her native country and give back to those who are less fortunate.

I rate this book five out of five stars. It is an incredibly heartwarming story. There is nothing I would change about this book. It was exceptionally well written, and I found no errors. The author did a fantastic job of pulling the reader into the harsh conditions these children are subjected to on a daily basis. My heart breaks for the children who have to live this life and not just read about it in the comfort of their own homes. I would recommend this book to a young adult audience.

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"Dumb" Orphans
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[Gerry Steen]

Your review is a great summary of this fantastic book. I agree with everything you noted about this wonderful story, and the rating of 5 out of 5 stars that you gave it. I am a senior citizen and I really enjoyed reading this well-written book. It was enlightening to see how these disadvantaged children seized their opportunities and ran with it.

[Jessica Woods 3]

I just finished reading the book and I loved it from beginning to end! It made me reflect on my own life and I hope it does the same for others. The Bundu Bunch knew how to make the most of the little they had. They were quite creative and smart. Most of all they were selfless and caring. I loved that they gave they chose careers that gave to disadvantaged communities! The ending was unexpected and superb.