Most good stories start with a fundamental list of ingredients: the initial situation, conflict, complication, climax, suspense, denouement, and conclusion. Great writers sometimes shake up the recipe and add some spice.
Exposition
Always Be Prepared
Tendai wants an explorer's badge in order to become an Eagle Scout, but he knows his dad won't let him go outside long enough to get one. So why even bother asking? Instead, he and his sister, Rita, convince the Mellower to plant the idea in their parents' heads during praise one morning. With that, before we know it, the kids are free. Their first stop? The markets. We're calling this the exposition because without it, nothing else in the book could happen. Tendai would just be sitting around home, and that does not a novel make. Or not a very exciting one, anyway.
Rising Action
Never Trust A Blue Monkey
Things are going well for about five minutes. Tendai buys some snacks for Rita and Kuda before they notice a blue monkey in one of the stalls. Without thinking, they head over to the monkey, who tricks them and puts them to sleep with chloroform. Pesky monkey. When they wake up, they are in some dark place called Dead Man's Vlei, where the She Elephant rules as queen. She feeds them and puts them to work right away. This is the conflict since the kids are kidnapped and can't find their way back home. Gulp.
Climax
Kidnappers Everywhere
It's not long before Tendai, Rita, and Kuda escape from the She Elephant and find their way to Resthaven. At first, things are looking up, but the kids quickly realize they can't leave the ancient village even if they want to. To make matters worse, everyone thinks they are witches. When they finally flee, they are held again, this time by Mrs. Horsepool-Worthingham. These kids can't catch a break. We think everything is going to turn out fine when they come up with a plan to escape, but just like that, the She Elephant shows up and kidnaps them… again. Repeatedly thwarted in their efforts to return home, this is definitely the climax.
Falling Action
The Man In The Tribal Mask
Things go from bad to worse as the She Elephant plans to sell Tendai, Rita, and Kuda to the Masks. The Masks plan to sacrifice (read: kill) Tendai. The She Elephant is no saint, but she never planned on anybody getting killed, so she tries to get the kids away, though the Masks stop her. Meanwhile, the detectives are zeroing in on the Masks with the help of Mrs. Matsika and an ancient spirit named mhondoro. We know the end is near, we're just not sure how it will all go down yet. Fingers are definitely crossed at this point.
Resolution
Happy Birthday, Tendai
We'll take our cue from Shakespeare on this one and say that all's well that end's well. Tendai is saved at the last minute, but not before the all-powerful spirit mhondoro possesses him for a little while. Still, in the end everyone is safe and sound, which means they can finally celebrate Tendai's fourteenth birthday. Phew. He thought he'd still be kidnapped for his big day, but luckily his parents are there with him. Even better, they're ready to loosen the reins on the rules a little bit, too. Birthday cake for everyone.