Incredible Adventures in the Jungle by Dinara Akbay | Book Review

Dinara Akbay gifted me her new adventure book, Incredible Adventures in the Jungle, in exchange for an honest review, for which I am beyond grateful. The story follows two boys who find themselves in a rather peculiar – yet not unknown – world where they need to rely on each other and those they are surrounded by in order to succeed on their mission to find their way back home. The book is intended for children aged 6-9, and it heavily relies on themes such as friendship, the importance of helping one another, slightly involving magic as well.

The boys embark, rather forced by the circumstances than from their own initiative, on an adventure that will ultimately leave them with essential life lessons on compassion, company and the advantages of sharing. Thus, Akbay’s book has an educational dimension that I quite appreciated and I believe will be beneficial for young readers. This dimension is further on extend to both animals, information regarding their habitats and to healthcare – as it quite simply explains the first steps towards healing a wound. Considering the targeted audience, it is a perfect read that will enrich its readers with meaningful lessons. I found the writing quite clear and easy-going, which is suitable for books meant for younger readers. Not only the writing makes it appealing, but the illustrations as well, which are saturated in color and certainly are attention grabbers. While the short novel is a delightful adventure, I couldn’t help noticing certain gender stereotypes perpetuated in it. I believe this would be the only less positive aspect of Akbay’s book; however, I have to admit gender stereotypes and gender identity in general is a delicate subject for me as it’s been a topic of interest for a long time now, even studying it for many years during my university classes. Hence, this is more a personal remark than a critique (although children could benefit from more diversified characters and stories).

Incredible Adventures in the Jungle is a meaningful story about empowerment through sharing, helping, caring for the other, emphasizing how our lives can be positively influenced by friendships – and sometimes one must learn this the hard way. Accordingly, it is a perfect read for young readers, especially for those in elementary school, and it is certainly a delightful story one can find enjoyment in when reading it for their children. You can purchase Dinara Akbay’s book here and you can also find it on Goodreads here.

Title: Incredible Adventures in the Book
Author: Dinara Akbay
Publication Date: 2021
Publisher: –
Format: Kindle Edition|36