Thunder Cave

by Roland Smith Narrated by Johnny Heller

Overview

Jacob Lansa is an ordinary New York kid-riding his bike, fixing himself snacks after school, and anxiously awaiting letters from his father in Kenya. Then, suddenly, his mother is killed in a terrible accident. Pushed aside by his stepfather, Jacob makes an impulsive decision to set out on his own to find his father. In Africa, with minimal supplies and only his trusty mountain bike for transportation, Jacob faces wild lions, terrible grassland fires, and vicious elephant poachers. His search for his father seems hopeless until he meets Supeet, a Masai on a quest to end the drought that is devastating his country. Working together, the two struggle to find Jacob's father, end the drought, and save the last of the great elephants from extinction. With non-stop action, exotic settings, and Johnny Heller's vivid narration, Thunder Cave takes listeners to the wilds of Africa for the adventure of a lifetime.

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-A maddening mix of adventure imbued with Hopi and Masai mysticism. Fourteen-year-old Jake Lansa, a half-Italian, half-Hopi boy who lives in New York City with his mother and stepfather, both anthropology professors, corresponds with his father, an idealistic field biologist studying elephants in Kenya. After his mother is run over by a car while jogging, Jake decides Kenya is a better bet than being shipped off to his relatives in Nebraska. One hitch is that his father is unreachable somewhere out in the bush. After surviving a mugging in Nairobi, Jake bicycles his way west, right past lions and warthogs. He befriends a well-educated Masai and together, their mission somehow linked by Jake's grandfather's kachina, they bring rain to the drought-stricken country, drive out ruthless poachers, and, of course, find Dr. Lansa. Survival tips, like learning how to stalk animals by seeing through their eyes, are engrossing, and the butchery of the elephants by the poachers is sobering. The conservation message isn't too ponderous, but other aspects of the story are preachy, and the ``voice-overs''-prophetic words uttered by Jake's father and grandfather-are repetitive and soon grate. The ``you're here for a reason'' theme is disappointing in the otherwise real and appealing My Side of the Mountain-like teenage-survival story.-John Sigwald, Unger Memorial Library, Plainview, TX

APR/MAY 01 - AudioFile

Johnny Heller succeeds again; this time he introduces listeners to Kenyans, Native Americans, and a 14-year-old American boy. Jacob lives in NYC. When his mother dies, he decides to go to the African bush to find his scientist father. Jacob overcomes many trials, illustrating to kids what a real hero of their own age can be like. Heller is splendid as he portrays a range of ages and cultures while bringing life to an exciting story. Along with learning varied facts about Africa, children will be introduced to some Masai and Swahili words, which are peppered throughout this believable adventure. Older children, young adults, and those interested in action stories or Africa will be entranced. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170701759
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	09/11/2009
Series:	Thunder Cave
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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