Orphaned at the young age of 11, Martine finds herself leaving all she has known to live with a grandmother she has never known and who isn’t excited about having her. As she joins her grandmother's world Martine is befriended by local Zulus who share their culture. The local mystic named Grace believes Martine has a special gift that Martine has yet to discover. Living on the game preserve Martine comes to know the good and bad in the people who work and live in and around the game preserve and she learns the local legend about the White Giraffe and the person who becomes its rider. When Martine sees the white giraffe and discovers its magical cave, she begins to see the legend unfold before her. She becomes part of the legend, but danger lurks in the game preserve. Poachers threaten all that she has come to call home. With the help of her local friend Tendai, it’s up to her to preserve the way of life for her, her friends and her grandmother. Wonderfully woven African folk legends and magic with a touch of historic information from Tendai, raised during aparteid, will enlighten and delight the girls who search for their strength within. 208 pages (sequel is Dolphin Song)
Contributed by Rebecca Richardson, Teacher-Librarian
