Breathlessly, in his adorable husky voice, this 4 year old son of mine whispers that I should have named him Mafatu. Mafatu – the boy who was afraid. Mafatu – now the killer of shark with nothing but his handmade knife. Mafatu – the boy who encountered adventure while courageously facing his fears.
This book has us all roped in. We are mesmerized, waiting to see what will happen next. Children’s plies for just one more chapter are instantly satiated.
Imaginations run wild and hands are itching to get a hold of pencils and paint. I love how open-ended art supplies really allow children to unleash their imaginations in a more visible and lasting kind of way.
As I continued to read, drawings were sketched and made vivid with watercolors. Each boy drew what stood out to him. My four-year old Mafatu focused on the emotions he felt and took a more abstract interpretation of Mafatu’s brave journey to the mysterious island of the man-eaters…
They dreamed of courageous acts and with bold flourishes captured a bit of the story!
Word of Caution:
Mafatu’s mother dies at the beginning of the book – a contributing factor to Mafatu’s fear of the water. Mafatu, the boy in this book, does not know Jesus and refers in the book to the god of the sea. The “Eaters of Men” on the island have an idol and there are references to sacrifices that take place. There are also very intense sequences when he fights a shark and wild boar that might frighten younger listeners. We had an interesting discussion about the need to ‘go out into all the world’ to tell people about the one true God as we read about this fictional boy in the south pacific who didn’t know Jesus and how he respresents many all over the world who haven’t heard the gospel. You will want to take your children’s ages, sensitivity and your own discernment into consideration when reading this book.
I loved that book too!