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When Hoopoes Go To Heaven
When Hoopoes Go To Heaven | Gaile Parkin
5 posts | 2 read | 3 to read
Ten-year-old Benedict is feeling happy. His family's new home in Swaziland has the most beautiful garden in the whole entire world, teeming with insects, frogs, and his favorite cinnamon-coloured birds. Here, crouched in the cool shade of the lucky-bean tree, it's easy to forget the loneliness that comes from his siblings playing without him, easy to stop himself fretting about how to fix his Mama's failing cake-baking business. Not that Benedict generally allows sad or uncomfortable things to cloud his day. Usually, he simply finds a way to put things right. Like trying to learn the language of his strange new country, to make himself feel less of an outsider. Like persuading the people at Ubuntu Funerals to provide a decent burial for the beautiful hoopoe killed by their van. Or like being a friend to Nomsa, a girl brave enough to pick up a spider but too afraid to tell anyone why her teacher is making her stay late after school. Of course, there are many things in Africa that cannot be put right by a boy who isn't yet big. But in Benedict's wonder-filled world, even the ugliest situation has a certain magic. Warm, funny, and brimming with life, When Hoopoes Go to Heaven paints a fresh and compelling picture of life in Swaziland that will capture your imagination and restore your faith in humanity.
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review
Andrew65
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Pickpick

2nd book finished for #ReadingAfrica2022 The books by Gaile Parkin certainly give you a feel for the country they are based in, this time Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). A delightful story told by Benedict, a young child who lives with Angel Tungazara, her husband and the other children. This follows in from the brilliant Baking Cakes in Kigali that takes place in Rwanda. Although told by a boy clear evidence of how tough everyday life is.

Librarybelle Hooray!! 2y
Andrew65 7th book finished in January and 2022 #JumpStart2022 @Clwojick @Lizpixie 2y
Andrew65 @Librarybelle Thanks 😍 Aiming to try and finish one African based book each week through 2022. 2y
See All 11 Comments
BookNAround I loved Baking Cakes in Kigali. Perhaps I should pull this off my tbr shelves soon! 2y
Andrew65 @BookNAround There is also av new one out Kilimanjaro Snow 2y
Librarybelle Good luck! 2y
Andrew65 @Librarybelle Thanks, may get trickier as I try to get books for some of the countries. 2y
BarbaraBB Very good. I‘m aiming for one African book a week too. 2y
Blueroseis We see the occasional Hoopoe bird here in Fuerteventura when we go out for a walk. 2y
Andrew65 @Blueroseis That sounds wonderful. 2y
Andrew65 @BarbaraBB Good luck, will most probably get harder as we get through the easy countries. 2y
81 likes1 stack add11 comments
blurb
Andrew65
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Reading my first book for #ReadingAfrica202#, aiming to read one book a week. This book covers Eswatini (former,y Swaziland). 🇸🇿 Started a few years ago but then recalled by the library.

If anyone wants a book for Rwanda read the first book , Baking Cakes in Kigali, which I loved.

Librarybelle I love the cover! 2y
Andrew65 @Librarybelle It is a great cover. 2y
75 likes2 comments
review
Simona
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Panpan

I don‘t like when the narrator of the story is child, and after reading this book set in Eswatini (former Swaziland) I didn‘t changed my mind. I liked descriptions of the nature and brief glimpse into the dynamics of life in Eswatini, but everything else in this book was too sweet for me - from story, characters to prose ... but I did get some serious craving for eating cakes 😁

#ReadAroundTheWorld #Swaziland 🇸🇿

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Andrew65
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At the halfway stage of the #DeweyReadathon these were my statistics.

Books Read : 2

Books Finished : 0

Pages Read : 379

Time Read : 7 hrs 52 Minutes

Now sleep calls!

Trashcanman Have a good night. 6y
Reviewsbylola Great job! 👏🏻 6y
tammysue That‘s fantastic! 👍🏻 6y
83 likes4 comments
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Andrew65
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Starting the tagged book. Have high hopes for this book as loved the first book by this Zambian author, Baking Cakes in Kigali - which I do thoroughly recommend. This one is set in Tanzania, and involves some of the same characters from the first book.