Snell shares funny stories of his childhood growing up as a missionary kid in a remote Peruvian jungle. He has a wry sense of humor that I loved, and I think this would make a good read-aloud for kids, with just a couple caveats. (Parents will want to read ahead a bit and possibly edit parts as they go.)

There are a couple mentions of conception and sex that could have easily been omitted. There are also brief descriptions of death, and murder - including the murder of a baby.

But overall, it was a really interesting look at a different culture. ( )

Providing a humorous side to mission work is Ron Snell, a missionary kid who grew up in the Amazon jungle of Peru during the 1950s and ‘60s. His parents worked as Bible translators (Summer Institute of Linguistics) with the Machiguenga Indians. Drawing from this unusual upbringing, he wrote the trilogy, “It’s a Jungle Out There!”; “Life’s a Jungle,”; and Jungle Calls. These books contain stories that will bring tears to your eyes, either through laughter or deep emotion.

Travel down a jungle river with the young Ron and his brother, Terry, when they take a wild ride on a log. Experience their campout when Terry gets bitten by a vampire bat. Cross the Andes with his family in a beat-up car on a one-lane road over a 16,500-foot mountain pass. Mourn with the family and Indians as sickness and death come to a village.

Later, follow 17-year-old Ron to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and learn why that school banned snakes and blow darts from the dorms. (You can take the boy out of the jungle, but you can’t take the jungle out of the boy.)

Watch the power of prayer in action when Ron helps to blaze a trail through the jungle for two missionary women who sought to make the first contact with a tribal group known for killing men and kidnapping women who came into their territory. A miracle happened.

Do not skip the Acknowledgment pages when reading these books, especially the one in the last book. The humor begins before page 1.

https://academynw.com/summer-reading/

This book. Where do I start? Ron Snell has a way with words, and that's an understatement! This was hilarious, even when the subject matter certainly wasn't, which helped to keep dark or disturbing subjects light. I chuckled out loud quite a few times while reading this! Amazing stories written in a witty, and inspiring way, this is a must read! ( )

“It’s a Jungle Out There!” by Ron Snell is a riveting and autobiography about Snell’s experience as a missionary kid. I liked this book because it was light, fun and exciting. A lot of the experiences Snell has are quite unbelievable; from getting sucked down in a whirlpool to having Malaria the reader is never bored. As I read this story I was intrigued to keep reading to find out more about his experiences living in the jungle of Peru. I also enjoyed the humor and sarcasm Snell had throughout the book. Even though what he is going through is challenging, his outlook is refreshing and easy to read. For instance Snell says “ Life was one great adventure after another. After all, what could be more fun than perching in thorn trees at night to escape a herd of stampeding pigs?” This humor engages the reader while exposing them to a different lifestyle of other children. I believe that the purpose of this book is to expose the reader to understand different lifestyles of other families around the world. ( )

When you were a kid, did you ever daydream about growing up someplace exotic? The rough and tumble wild west? The mysterious orient? The jungles of Africa? Well, Ron Snell did grow up in a jungle. (In Peru, not Africa, but hey, a jungle's a jungle.) He was a missionary kid in the 1950s and in this book--the first volume of The Rani Adventures--he tells tales of his childhood. Unlike most (all?) missionary biographies I've read, there's a lot more humor than religion in the story. Actually, that may not be accurate. The faith of "Rani", his family, friends and neighbors is woven throughout the stories in the book. It just serves more as the foundation of his life rather than the ornamentation. Anyway, the book's a fun read and I'll have to steal this book from my kids once they're done with it.
--J. ( )