The Heliuna Academy

Silicon Valley High-Tech vs Old School Kids (Growing Up Aimi)

By: Mia Belew, Bill Belew

Narrated by: Ella J. Thompson

Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

A loving instructor in a foreign land. Can she revolutionize the lives of her poor pupils?

Aimi Wilby believes in overcoming the odds. Traveling to India with the Peace Corps, the newly graduated teacher is determined to share all the wisdom she can with her young students. And not even a deadly jungle will stop her from helping these abandoned children.

Proud to be sharing the beauty of books and learning with the underprivileged youth, Aimi is struck by their surprising similarities to her time in a struggling Silicon Valley-area school. But her lesson plan may be ripped to shreds when a vicious tiger wanders into their compound...and attacks.

Will Aimi’s earnest intentions survive sudden danger?

The Heliuna Academy is the true-to-life first book in the Growing Up Aimi middle-grade fiction series. If you like honest characters, beautiful twists, and Christian themes, then you’ll love father-daughter writing duo Bill and Mia Belew’s wonderful tale.

Buy The Heliuna Academy to enroll in adventure today!

©2019 Bill and Mia Belew (P)2022 Bill and Mia Belew

ok story

It had an ok story but definitely needed a different narrator and better editing of the material. There were several parts of the story that dragged due to information that wasn't necessary. The narrator was too slow and mispronounced a number of words.

Book Is Good, Ebook Is Better

Overall, I am not a fan of ebooks, but occasionally a story is even better listened to than read. This is one of those stories. Interestingly and ironically it is a story about a low tech solution about opposing a high tech company. But the book is writen by two master storytellers and wordsmiths, so it works especially well as an audio book.

Better to Read then Listen to

I listen to audio books because I can do other things, such as painting or sewing, while listening. However, I couldn't do anything while listening to this book. It took such concentration to figure out whether it was Miss A or the people in the story she was reading, who were speaking. There was no delineation between voices without total concentration on the story. The plot sounded interesting and maybe if I were reading it instead of listening, it might have been easier. Needless to say, I think it's a YA book and would be interesting to a younger audience.

Modern ways meet old school values!

The story guides the reader/listener through a daily account of school activities and interactions of different 'clicks' of kids. It gives a true perspective of social connections-and how kids can subtly bully each other. Silicon Valley students are taken back by the well mannered students they encounter on an overseas school mission. The school in a foreign land presented the danger of a tiger attack and a brave teacher! The kids are enthralled with a student-Amy whose Dad is associated with a celebrity. Both sets of students exchange their culture and values, with lessons to be learned on both sides. The story has overtures of religious tones that are inferred and not 'preachy'. Every chapter holds a new lesson to be learned whilst comparing cultures and various elements. I enjoyed the questions at the end of each chapter that reflect upon values and provoke introspection. The authors penned an entertaining and valuable book to 'enlighten' the reader. Heliuna Academy's name is revealed in the end as to it's origination- The narrator was able to create unique voices and personas for each character allowing the listener to distinguish each speaker. This Father-Daughter authorship are truly a gifted pair!

I enjoyed it

A story about knowing who you are and doing what it's right, interesting and well written.