Chike the Invincible

Gr 1–3—Set in a village (although whether this is an actual village is not specified) named Awor, this folktale recounts the story of Chief Ike and his wife, ChiChi. The people of Awor and those of six other villages have annual battles over their borders, and Ike is always instrumental in bringing peace. To celebrate, the villagers hold a yam festival each year. Ike always wins the yam and the archery competitions. Another celebration is held when Ike's son Chike is born. Chike becomes as good a farmer and archer as his father. Unfortunately, Ike's jealous youngest brother, Obi, hatches a plot to eliminate Ike by digging holes where his brother will stand during the competitions and covering them with leaves. Ike steps in one, falls on his spear, and dies. Obi takes over as chief and restarts the border wars. Awor is attacked and overwhelmed by another village. The Awor warriors, who would not support Obi, back Chike and rescue Awor. Chike becomes the new chief and restores peace again. There is a glaring hole in this plot. No consequences come to Obi for murdering his brother, cruelly turning ChiChi and Chike out of their home, or betraying the village out of greed and selfishness. The illustrations have a childlike quality, and the facial expressions don't always match the tone of the text, for instance, smiling faces at Ike's funeral.