Chike and the River by Chinua Achebe

The story follows Chike, an eleven‑year‑old boy from the village of Umuofia, who moves to the city of Onitsha to live with his uncle and attend school. Intrigued and drawn by the River Niger, Chike becomes determined to cross it to reach Asaba. To do this, he must obtain the fare for the ferry. Along the way he faces moral dilemmas, homesickness, temptations, friendships (not all easy), and the realities of city life. When he finally crosses the river, it is not quite as he’d imagined. The journey becomes a passage toward maturity and self‑understanding.