Pocketful of Rubbish and Hearts Full of Love [Review]

Rate this Book / Post

Title: One Chance Dance
Author: Efua Traore (Waterstones Prize-shortlisted author)
Publisher: Chicken House
Type: Paperback
No of Pages: 336
Age Group: 10 years+ (or 8 years+ for advanced readers)

Set in Nigeria, One Chance Dance begins in a small village where Jomi’s life is already on the brink. Dirt-poor and left behind when his mother travels to Lagos in search of a better life, Jomi finds himself under the care of an uncle. Jomi’s uncle is kind but overburdened; his aunt, however, is hostile from the start. When Jomi adopts a bushbaby—an animal steeped in local superstition—things spiral. After a brutal confrontation, he flees with the animal in tow, determined to find his mother in Lagos. 

What follows is a serendipitous adventure—equal parts survival story and modern fairy tale. Jomi finds refuge in a group home run by Aunty Bisi, a former street kid herself, who opens her heart and home to children who, like Jomi, have nowhere else to go. The house becomes a makeshift family—scrappy, resilient, and full of heart.

But Jomi’s search isn’t over. He believes his mother is a fan of the popular TV show Lagos Let’s Dance, and together with his new-found siblings, he decides to enter the competition—hoping against all odds that the stage might lead him back to her.

This book is like a warm cup of cocoa on a cold day: comforting, rich, and full of hope. It’s fast-paced (once you’re past the first few chapters) and full of conflict, but what lingers isn’t just the plot—it’s the heart. At its core, One Chance Dance is about dignity: the quiet, powerful refusal of children to accept that they are rubbish, no matter what the world tells them.

Two characters shine brightest—Tanks, the spunky, unforgettable street-savvy companion, and Ghost, the bushbaby whose name belies its significance. I specifically liked the details of how and why Tanks makes lists of noteworthy things that happen to her, and the vivid descriptions of Ghost’s antics that come alive in front of us.

Traoré also sows subtle thematic seeds. The recurring references to deforestation in Nigeria lingered with me, prompting me to dig deeper. I found myself reflecting on the parallels to urban spaces in India, where ecological loss walks hand-in-hand with human displacement.

Then there’s the running theme of rubbish—what society discards, and how the children reclaim it. Jomi, who feels like rubbish himself, scavenges and repairs things from the trash. His pockets run deep, filled with trinkets he’s salvaged. Ghost, the bushbaby, is a creature steeped in myth and stigma—just like the children Jomi befriends, who have lived on the streets until Aunty Bisi takes them in. And what the world deems disposable, they — specifically Jomi — fix. And in doing so, fix each other too.

The story is about the children’s resilience and fortitude to rise over all the problems fueled by one person’s kindness. Aunty Bisi’s compassion fuels everything, a reminder of how love—even fractured and imperfect—can build worlds. But make no mistake: this is not a preachy book. It is a fun adventure, that you as a reader will take along with them.

Buy this for a child. Read it for the child still alive in you. It’s a fairy tale on steroids—and one you’ll be glad you took a chance on.

If you this review has touched your heart and wish to buy the book from kbc’s storefront on Scholastic India’s website , please type One Chance Dance in search after clicking this red button. You will see the other book in this series as well. Scholastic India always has attractive offers on!

CLICK & BUY NOW!

Should you wish to buy the book from Amazon (kbc affiliate link), CLICK HERE.

Disclaimer: Mandira and her daughter Kyra, are a part of the #kbcReviewerSquad and received this book as a review copy from the publisher via kbc. Mandira is the author of the award winning book Children of the Hidden Land. Her new release Muniya’s Quest for middle graders has been reviewed here with high praise and lots of love!