Kabungo

Kabungo

Written by: Rolli
Illustrated by: Pavlović, Milan
ages 7 to 10 / grades 2 to 5

Ten-year-old Beverly is an ordinary girl with an extraordinary best friend. Her name is Kabungo, and she lives in a cave on Main Street. No one knows where she comes from or who she really is, but life is never dull when Kabungo is around.

Beverly tries to teach her friend about the ways of the modern world — the importance of teeth brushing, understanding strange holidays like Halloween, learning how to read. But Kabungo doesn’t take well to being civilized, and she can be stubborn, bossy, and plain infuriating. Sometimes Beverly gets so mad that she just wants to move to Cincinnati.

Besides, Kabungo is a skittish cavegirl, and it takes a while to win her trust, even among Star City’s eccentric denizens, such as Mr. Gobshaw, who owns the local drug shop (“We have everything!”) where you’ll find the stuffed tigers right next to the breath mints. And there is Ms. VeDore, who seems to float as she walks around her decrepit mansion, and who throws the most amazing Halloween parties.

Then, just when you least expect it, Kabungo will do something surprising (and when you’re best friends with a cavegirl, you’re not easily surprised). Like planning an unexpected birthday treat for Beverly (even though it isn’t actually her birthday) — at the city dump.

In other words, Beverly learns that there are times for teaching, and times for tipping your head back and laughing.

Hilarious and poignant, Kabungo is the most originally voiced and endearing middle-grade heroine since Pippi Longstocking. Accompanied by quirky line drawings by Milan Pavlovic, this is a gently humorous novel about friendship and community that raises for young readers deeper questions about finding beauty in unexpected places, accepting and celebrating differences, and what it really means to be civilized.

Ten-year-old Beverly is an ordinary girl with an extraordinary best friend. Her name is Kabungo, and she lives in a cave on Main Street. No one knows where she comes from or who she really is, but life is never dull when Kabungo is around.

Beverly tries to teach her friend about the ways of the modern world — the importance of teeth brushing, understanding strange holidays like Halloween, learning how to read. But Kabungo doesn’t take well to being civilized, and she can be stubborn, bossy, and plain infuriating. Sometimes Beverly gets so mad that she just wants to move to Cincinnati.

Besides, Kabungo is a skittish cavegirl, and it takes a while to win her trust, even among Star City’s eccentric denizens, such as Mr. Gobshaw, who owns the local drug shop (“We have everything!”) where you’ll find the stuffed tigers right next to the breath mints. And there is Ms. VeDore, who seems to float as she walks around her decrepit mansion, and who throws the most amazing Halloween parties.

Then, just when you least expect it, Kabungo will do something surprising (and when you’re best friends with a cavegirl, you’re not easily surprised). Like planning an unexpected birthday treat for Beverly (even though it isn’t actually her birthday) — at the city dump.

In other words, Beverly learns that there are times for teaching, and times for tipping your head back and laughing.

Hilarious and poignant, Kabungo is the most originally voiced and endearing middle-grade heroine since Pippi Longstocking. Accompanied by quirky line drawings by Milan Pavlovic, this is a gently humorous novel about friendship and community that raises for young readers deeper questions about finding beauty in unexpected places, accepting and celebrating differences, and what it really means to be civilized.

Published By Groundwood Books Ltd — Apr 5, 2016
Specifications 176 pages | 5 in x 7.5 in
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Excerpt
Written By

ROLLI is a writer and cartoonist from Regina, Saskatchewan. He’s the author of seven books for children and adults, including Kabungo. Rolli’s stories and poems for younger readers appear regularly in the world’s most popular children’s magazines (Highlights for Children, Ladybug, Spider and others), and his cartoons appear in such outlets as the Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest and the Harvard Business Review. Visit Rolli’s website (rollistuff.com) and follow him on Twitter @rolliwrites.

Illustrated by

MILAN PAVLOVIĆ lives in Toronto with his family. When he is not illustrating picture books, drawing or playing the ukulele, he is teaching visual communication and illustration at OCAD University and Seneca College. He has illustrated over fifty children's books including Son of Happy by Cary Fagan, The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle by Anne Renaud, and Moon Wishes by Guy and Patricia Storms. He created the lyrical wordless picture book Sonata for Fish and Boy.

Written By

ROLLI is a writer and cartoonist from Regina, Saskatchewan. He’s the author of seven books for children and adults, including Kabungo. Rolli’s stories and poems for younger readers appear regularly in the world’s most popular children’s magazines (Highlights for Children, Ladybug, Spider and others), and his cartoons appear in such outlets as the Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest and the Harvard Business Review. Visit Rolli’s website (rollistuff.com) and follow him on Twitter @rolliwrites.

Illustrated by

MILAN PAVLOVIĆ lives in Toronto with his family. When he is not illustrating picture books, drawing or playing the ukulele, he is teaching visual communication and illustration at OCAD University and Seneca College. He has illustrated over fifty children's books including Son of Happy by Cary Fagan, The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle by Anne Renaud, and Moon Wishes by Guy and Patricia Storms. He created the lyrical wordless picture book Sonata for Fish and Boy.

Audience ages 7 to 10 / grades 2 to 5
Reading Levels Guided Reading O
Lexile 550L

Winner, Joan Betty Stuchner — Oy Vey! — Funniest Children's Book Award, 2017

“Fresh and original, this appealing account of friendship celebrates differences and community.” —Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW

“Rolli has written a witty story . . . It's comical in its word play, likeable in its characters . . . and entertaining in its short stories.” —CanLit for Little Canadians

“It's a warm and rewarding account of a very unconventional friendship.” —Publishers Weekly

“Oh my, is this a funny book—and an especially entertaining read-aloud for children.” —Kirkus

“The short episodes would be delicious read-alouds for a lucky school class, especially if the teachers were inclined to ham it up.” —Quill & Quire


"Fresh and original, this appealing account of friendship celebrates differences and community. " — Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW