The Man in the Green Jeep

by Viola Palmer

This is the story of Chico, a happy 11 year old boy living in the small Honduran  village of Reitoca, with his parents and sibilings.  He goes to school, helps with the chores and plays with his friends.  However, his world is turned upside down by a storm that destroys all his villages corn crop, the staple of their existence.  How will his village survive?

 The strength of this book lies in the central character.  Chico is a boy that many children will be able to relate to.  Chico’s life has the problems and challenges of any growing child.  What do you do with pestering siblings?  Can you trust the school bully’s change of heart?

 But while many children will be able to relate to him, the differences between a western child’s life and Chico become quickly apparent.  Young readers will laugh at Chico’s antics – dropping out of a tree onto a donkey pops quickly into mind – but will also wonder at Chico’s constant diet of  beans and tortillas, having to carry water and gather wood, and even Chico’s first puzzled introduction to a flush toilet.

 The gospel message is presented clearly, culminating in Chico’s salvation.

 This book could have used a bit of editing however.  Minor errors – such as a character’s name suddenly being used 2 pages ahead of the character being introduced to Chico – should be removed on the next printing to make the book a more solid story.  Additionally, as the book has a number of black & white photos from Honduras, a statement about the fictional nature of the story would be useful for young readers to ensure they do not think Chico is a real child.  However, this should not keep anyone away from this compelling story.

 This book would be good for boys or girls ages 9 – 12.  It could also be used in a Christian school as a class reading project, as there are many hooks a teacher could use to go into other subjects (such as geography, nutrition), and a detailed set of questions and quizzes at the end of the book.

 Christian content: Consistent throughout the book, with a clear salvation message

 Parental concerns: None

 ~ Review by Susan