Chapter books that are full of fun and friendship

Kipling's The Jungle Book meets The Wizard of Oz in this journey of friendship and transformation deep in the jungle along the magical Great River.

On a hunting trip with his late father, Danku holds a metallic bird as it dies, and receives the gift of being able to talk to the animals.  His special ability makes others jealous and he is forced out of his village.  He goes on a journey to the Great River to see if its magical waters can heal his tribe, but he faces dangerous crocodiles, snakes, tigers and waterfalls along the way.  Will he and his friends have the courage they need to complete the journey, and can he get back in time to heal his sick mother?  The answers to these questions won't be what you expect!

Chapter 1

Many years ago, deep in the jungle, lived a boy named Danku. The boy grew old enough to join his father on hunting trips. On one of these hunting trips, something very unusual happened. Danku spotted a bird. But not any bird. This bird looked like a great eagle with feathers that shone like metallic gold. Danku pointed it out to his father. His father had never seen such an animal before. He stood ready with his bow and arrow. Danku had a strong sense that this bird was too noble to kill, so he called out to his father to calm his arrow. But it was too late. The arrow was made alive. It sailed directly toward the winged animal. It struck him solidly, and he fell with the weight of a stone from a cliff.

Danku ran to find the fallen creature. He found it in a patch of light on the jungle floor. He held it as a dying friend, and he noticed its blood was like melted silver. Some of the blood touched his hand and fell into his skin. The bird looked into his eyes and in the quiet of his mind, like a ringing bell, he heard the words, “Fall of legend, fall of man. Yet wisest son, will save his clan.” His father has watching from a short distance behind. Danku turned to him, and asked if he had heard the bird speak. His father had not heard anything. Danku told him what he had heard, and his father stored it in his heart...

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