When the three children of General Amadeus Matsika connive their way out of their high‑security home, they are looking for change and excitement. They find it, but the ordeal of being kidnapped provides more than they had expected. Moving from an ancient toxic waste dump, to Resthaven, where people attempt to live in the ways of long ago, to the hideout of a powerful street gang in the Mile‑High MacIlwaine Hotel, the children are always one step ahead of the trio of mutant detectives‑‑the Ear, the Eye, and the Arm‑‑who are following their trail in the hopes of rescuing them. Set in Zimbabwe in the year 2194, this complex, action‑filled adventure of the future combines elements of science fiction with Shona mythology and a running sense of humor. Honor Book, 1994 CCBC Newbery Award Discussion. (Ages 10‑14)

In 2194 Zimbabwe, General Matsika's three children sneak away from their father's estate to explore the dangerous city of Harare. When they are kidnapped and put to work in a plastic mine, three mutant detectives use their special powers to search for them. Inspired by traditional Shona mythology from ancient Zimbabwean tribes.