Reviewed by Jennifer Ibiam for Readers' Favorite
The Bus finally got its wish of becoming a butterfly. Its new name was Instar. Now, it was Asiim's turn to become whole. Asiim was a nine-year-old girl trapped in a baby's body, and she was desperate to grow by drinking from the healing spring. Unfortunately, Juuji and his friends were on the run because the mutants that escaped from earth were after them. There was a bounty on Instar with the mutants (Gomoch, Hy, Remmi, and Bruxy) in hot pursuit. Capturing the butterfly would make them wealthy. Can Juuji protect his family from the hunters? Will Gomoch and his marauding cohorts hunt down their prey? Will Asiim's dream ever come true? Find out in Juuji and the Butterfly Hunters! written and illustrated by Martin Ntonjira.
Juuji and the Butterfly Hunters! is a fantastic children's book. This short read would appeal to children between four and ten years old. I enjoyed this fun continuation of the first book because it was easy to pick up from where I left off in the previous book. Please read the prequel titled Juuji and the Pineapples in Mars to grasp the essence of this story. It was captivating, punchy, and unpredictable. Nim became a sweetheart in this book, while Asiim turned selfish and insensitive. Martin Ntonjira is an exceptional children's author as he wrote the story in simple language that kids would understand. There were also no grammatical or spelling errors, which I appreciate in children's books because of vocabulary building. What fate awaits Juuji and his friends in Kalsa?