Publisher's Synopsis
Imagine captured African villagers boarded onto a slaveship headed to the New World -- among them several youths who escaped during a storm and shipwreck at sea where many souls perish. The youths manage to survive, and attempt to row their way back to their homeland on a makeshift raft...only to aimlessly drift through dense fog and land instead on a hidden, shroud-covered and mysterious isle. There, nothing is as it should be... including the natural process of maturing and growing older.Over time, that is, centuries later, on another isle in place and time, 60s Brooklyn teen, Shelby Simmons, who aspires to become a famous author someday, accompanies her younger siblings on balmy 4th of July eve to enjoy the fireworks display in their neighborhood park. Later, the crowd-pleasing show is shortly followed by a couple of odd twinkling figures above, headed earthward as many leave and drowsy Shelby and her sibs linger behind. They are suddenly surprised by a strange encounter with the unusual boy 'Mpeta' (M-pee-ta) and his pixie companion 'Yam Yam, ' both from the 'far-off' island of 'Misbegot'...and who both CAN FLY! Much confusing explanation and description from Mpeta of where he comes from and the battles he and his 'Pack' are waging against invading bandit-pirates, Shelby's younger sibs are excited to join the 'wild kid' back to his weird isle. On learning Shelby is a 'STORYTELLER, ' Mpeta persuades her and her brothers to accompany him back to his island, gives them a brief lesson in flying over their Brooklyn neighborhood, and off to his Misbegot Island to join his 'Pack.' There, wild adventures, unbelievable events, and battles with bandit pirates await!
