An environmental fairytale that speaks eloquently to the most pressing issues of our times, from the Booker Prize–winning author of The Famished Road.
Mangoshi lives with her mom and dad in a village near the forest. When her mom becomes ill, Mangoshi knows only one thing can help her—a special flower that grows deep in the forest.
The little girl needs all her courage when she sets out alone to find and bring back the flower, and all her kindness to overpower the dangers she encounters on the quest.
Ben Okri brings the power of his mystic vision to a timely story that weaves together wonder, adventure, and environmentalism.
“It was a sheer joy to be able to read this. It is mysterious and magical and true…The illustrations are woven wonderfully around the words; the trees are with you, telling it, writing it. Once read we will know never to take trees or leaves for granted again. A powerful symphony of a story that will resonate for every reader. We hear the wind in the trees on every page. We only have to listen.” —Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse
Praise for The Famished Road:
“A dazzling achievement for any writer in any language.” —Henry Louis Gates, Jr., New York Times Book Review
“A masterpiece if ever one existed.” —Boston Globe
“Hypnotic…The Famished Road weaves the humblest detail with the most extravagant flight of fantasy to create an astonishing fictional tapestry.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“A mesmerizing vision of modern Nigeria.” —Philadelphia Inquirer
Ben Okri is a poet, novelist, essayist, short-story writer, anthologist, aphorist, and playwright. He has also written film scripts. His works have won numerous national and international prizes, including the Booker Prize for Fiction.