"For beginning readers yearning for fantastic alternatives in their reading fare, these will hit the spot" -- Kirkus Reviews Mischievous Ntombi, the Chief's daughter, isn't at all afraid of the fearsome Ilunge River. But when she goes to swim there, she enrages the Mother of Monsters! Soon this fearsome creature, with a gigantic head, bulging eyes and thick, slimy scales, is terrorizing the countryside, eating cattle, children, and everything in between. Can the brave hunter Sobabili save his village and save Ntombi too? This chapter-book retelling of a Bantu folktale from South Africa comes to life with immersive, full-color art by favorite Barefoot illustrator Sophie Fatus. The illustrations on every page empower beginning readers to grasp more advanced vocabulary and sentence structure.