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This is a discussion topic for the November 2024 Book of the Month, ""Dumb" Orphans: The Bundu Bunch Trilogy" by Allan Low

What is your overall opinion of the book? What do you like most about it? What do you like the least? What did you think of the writing style? What genre is the book? What genres are woven into the text? What did you think of the cover and title? What was the greatest lesson you learned from the book? Will you recommend the book to other people? Why or why not?

Please remember to add your actual rating using the book's page on the Bookshelf.

I am not a fan of the title; the word 'dumb' has an offensive connotation. Even after reading the book and learning the irony of the the orphans being called that, it still bothered me.

Overall I enjoyed the book. I liked the cover and the illustrations and the characters. I found the story to be interesting and insightful but found myself disliking the title a little more with every chapter I read. I get it, why it was called 'Dumb Orphans' but i wasn't a fan of it at the end because the Orphans grew on me!

Lauren Victoria wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 17:35 Overall I enjoyed the book. I liked the cover and the illustrations and the characters. I found the story to be interesting and insightful but found myself disliking the title a little more with every chapter I read. I get it, why it was called 'Dumb Orphans' but i wasn't a fan of it at the end because the Orphans grew on me!

Excellent words that will influence readers' decisions to choose this book or not.

Diana Lowery wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 12:32 I am not a fan of the title; the word 'dumb' has an offensive connotation. Even after reading the book and learning the irony of the the orphans being called that, it still bothered me.

You're right, I agree.

A heart-stirring representation of southern Africa and its HIV-affected community. It's the children who had to meet the worst of the consequences. Their dreams shattered, their future a weighing question mark. But the five-to-seven-year-old orphans of the community Bundami are not going to yield. The beautiful aspect of being a child, having an immense hope for a good life and an unshakeable resilience to work for it, is passionately brought out. The Bundu Bunch and their adventurous life, their familial bond with fellow orphans, and their 'can do' spirit, all are going to have a lasting impression on me. Though I would've liked a better ending for Aiyasha. At her trying moments, she deserved the love and care she so gracefully gave to all. Book one, Aiyasha's Bottomless Briefcase is skillfully arranged, portrayed, and visualized with lovely pictures and is easily my favorite of the three. I'd gladly recommend this book to children and teens, or anyone who'd like a gentle push of determination in their life.

I particularly enjoyed the first book, which described the plight of the orphans. When Aiyasha started teaching the orphans, I thought her teaching style was inspirational. Her methods would definitely have good results.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I also loved the cover and the black-and-white illustration throughout the book. Despite the orphans having every disadvantage on their side, their can do motto and their eagerness to succeed were truly inspirational to read. The Bundu bunch would have been a better title than Dumb Orphans, as they were anything but dumb.

A lot of people are discussing why the title is bad, but it's supposed to have a negative connotation. The entire point of the book was that the orphans the town shamed weren't actually dumb, and the fact they were uneducated was just an unfortunate consequence of the HIV epidemic and corruption combined.

Still into the reading, a couple more pages to go. I have so much to say about the cover, but the title doesn’t do it much justice. Will update as I complete the reading.

I enjoyed thus book, I thought it was very inspiring. The orphans have been dealt awful circumstances in life but with will-power, determination, and hope they show what perseverance can do. The book also gives an education into south Africa and AIDS.

I rated the book 4/5. I liked Books 1 and 2, but Book 3 had too much crammed into it and the timeline became confusing. It may have been better if Book 3 was split into two books with one including greater detail of Aiyasha's education reforms, their effects on the country, and her suspicious disappearance, and the other book including more about the orphans' accomplishments and then discovering Aiyasha.

I believe the book was very inspiring and watching how resilient the orphans were made it even more intriguing.

Low's vivid descriptions of the African landscape and the characters' struggles evoke empathy and compassion, making it impossible not to root for the Bundu Bunch.

I enjoyed the book. The said word did bother me as I picked the book. But, I believe it is what made me stop and take note of the cover and dive into the description. After reading the book, I can say the narrative highlights the plight of the underprivileged and their resilience to overcome all the challenges and make the best of what was available. I rate it 5 out of 5.