• Age: 5 to 8
• Grade: k to 3

Mbeku the tortoise is proud of his magnificent, shiny shell - maybe too proud. Because he is so handsome, the greedy tortoise feels he can demand the biggest share of everything.

When the birds are invited to a feast in Skyland, Mbeku is determined to go with them. The tortoise even convinces the birds to help him and soon he had magnificent wings of his own. When Mbeku repays the birds with treachery, he learns he is not the only one who can play tricks.

With his spirited retelling of a traditional take from the Igbo people of Nigeria, Tololwa M. Mollel brings the crafty tortoise's schemes to a satisfying and lighthearted comeuppance.

Tololwa Mollel is a children's author, dramatist and storyteller, who has written sixteen books and several plays as well as stories that he created or adapted for performance. His books include award-winning titles such as Orphan Boy, Rhinos for Lunch and Big Boy, and My Rows and Piles of Coins. His books have been translated into various South African languages and into Korean. He lives in Edmonton, Alberta.

Tololwa Mollel's profile page

Barbara Spurll is best known for her renderings of animals with attitude. Besides her award-winning work on the Emma series, Barbara's artwork enlivens many other books for children, including Mooki and the Too Proud Peacock, The Flying Tortoise, and Rhinos for Lunch and Elephants for Supper! Born in England, Barbara now lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Barbara Spurll's profile page