When three children are kidnapped, only the Ear, the Eye and the Arm detectives can save and solve the mystery and children to this unexpected crime. Novelist Nancy Farmer, Newbery Honor Book, John Newbery Medal, National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, and Golden Kite Award for Fiction, has truly made this book sound like it was from the year of 2194. The setting of Zimbabwe, Africa felt so real to me. Even though I haven’t been to Africa myself, I could make a picture in my mind of Africa. Thanks to author Nancy Farmer I feel like visiting Africa soon.

Tendai is the oldest of a younger brother and sister. And with him being the leader, he taught me to have courage. His father is the general of the area and it seems that he was still treating Tendai as a child, which he hated. But besides his father, what Tendai and his brother and sister wanted so badly, was to go and achieve a scout badge by exploring the city. But when they found out their parents were leaving to go to a meeting, they made it official to go on their own. Then, while out in the city, they got kidnapped. And the story of the detectives begins.

After getting the call, the Ear, the Eye and the Arm detectives accept the job and they get to work. The children are taken to Dead Man’s Vlei, the lair of the She Elephant. There, they are forced to work in plastic mines. But Tendai has courage and says to his siblings, “This is like a story, remember. We’ll have lots of adventures and then go home.” The She Elephant’s plan is to sell the children to the Masks, a terrorist group that is terrorizing the nation. And whom the general has been wanting to stop for a while now.

Even with the detectives help, there seems to be really close calls. And all because of the children’s escapes. The children keeps finding ways to escape from one place to another. They are even held workers for ransom! And that is why the detectives almost find them the last possible minute, and then come up short. Even after all of the escapes, they get kidnapped again. And this time, someone gets their wish. And if you ever want to find out what happens next, you better read this amazing futuristic book.

I love the book and also its theme. I think the theme of this book is about having courage. After reading how the children escaped all of those escapes, it is starting to have me be more like them, especially Tendai and his amazing spirit. This also teaches me to have good leadership. This book had great adventure and was serious in some parts, which made the book even better. And if you want to know what I mean, read the book.