Adventures of Iyani: The Voyage West

By Aunty Marcella, Martha Joseph Watts and Stephanie Wilbanks

The adventures of iguana friends who live together in the ocean park of East World on the island of St. Thomas... No matter what happens, Iyani uses her self-determination and perseverance to get through. With each new adventure, Iyani and her friends learn about sharing, kindness, selflessness, and ways to solve problems. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Buddinwriters Academy LLC
• Release date: May 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781733351195

Book preview

A Note to Parents and Teachers

Thank you for adding The Adventures of Iyani to your children’s reading selections. Read this book and have fun sharing the story of Iyani and her friends. While you are doing that, I encourage you to help your children to develop their vocabulary and comprehension skills, both of which are vital to academic success. Visit the back pages of this book for ways to use the Writing to Respond (WTR) process and for ideas to develop your children’s vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Look for other stories from The Adventures of Iyani series.

A close up of a reptile Description automatically generated

Chapter 1: Morning Routine

This is my favorite time of year! I will have fun all summer, Iyani mutters as she positions herself on the large, flat stone behind the aquarium. She is the first one on the stone every morning. At the stone, she measures and admires her long and elegant tail. Iyani is young and very aware of her beauty. Lately, she has been noticing that her lime-green body is becoming more like the color of genips and green avocados. She embraces the change, and she wonders how she will look in 2 years.

It is mid-morning, and Iyani has completed her morning activities: her beach stroll, her fruit party, and her choice of flower for the day. All three of Iyani’s morning activities are traditions. First, she walks along the water’s edge. Her mother had told her that their ancestors had come to this island by water, so Iyani walks along the beach every morning to reflect on the journey of her ancestors. Her daily walk along the beach also gives her the opportunity to exercise. Since becoming a teenager, Iyani has become even more concerned about her physical appearance. She has vowed never to get too broad around the abdomen, just like her older teenage friends. Iyani is very determined. She runs several laps along the beach before visitors arrive.

Next, in case she gets too busy during the rest of the day, Iyani