Title: Handa’s Surprise
Author: Eileen Browne
Publisher: Candlewick
Language: English
Themes: exotic fruits, african animals, colours, adjectives
Age-range: 5 – 10 years
This is the story of Handa, who’s part of the Luo tribe in south-west Kenya. Handa decides to take seven pieces of delicious fruits to her friend, Akeyo, who lives in the neighbouring village. But as Akeyo wonders, I wonder what fruit Akeyo will like best?, a series of sneaky animals steal something from Handa’s basket, which she’s carrying on her head… When Handa reaches Akeyo, will she have anything left to offer her friend? Richly-illustrated, brimming with luscious fruit and cheeky wild animals, this mouth-watering story is for the youngest of readers. Children will long to tell Handa what’s happening right behind her!
Culture and Vocabulary:
- fruits: a banana, a guava, an orange, a mango, a pineapple, an avocado, a passion-fruit, tangerines;
- african animals: a monkey, an ostrich, a zebra, an elephant, a giraffe, an antelope, a parrot, a goat;
- adjectives : soft, round, sweet-smelling, juicy, ripe, spiky-leaved, creamy, tanguy;
- colours : yellow, red, green, purple.
Grammar:
- questions in English “I wonder which fruit she’ll like best?”, “Will she like the…”, “Which fruit will Akeyo like best?”
- structure “Will she like the… ?”
- position of adjectives – before a noun in English (“the soft yellow banana”)
Phonology:
- accents of words, phrases
- rising intonation on a question that does have a yes or no answer.
Teaching suggestions:
- work on structure I like, I don’t like, I prefer.
- work on quantity (How many… are there ?)
- there is/ there are
- stage the story
- switch the adjectives “delicious”, “tasty”…
- discover another author’s album “Handa’s Hen” (YouTube)

Printable Activities and Worksheets “Handa’s Surprise” – Free Download:
Other activities
♦ Handa’s Surprise Fruit Game (collaborativelearning.org)
♦ other ideas (Teaching Ideas)