Science Fiction, Paranormal, Legends, Adventure, African American Folklore
482 pages
Description
Booklist starred (August 2019) Vol 115, No. 22
Grades 4-8. After losing his debut boxing match, two weeks following his best friend Eddie's death, Tristan Strong is sent to his grandparents' Alabama farm. He grew up on his nana's stories-Black American folklore and African myths-which Eddie had been collecting in writing. This journal is all Tristan has left of his friend, so when one of those myths, the hilariously volatile Gum Baby, shows up to steal it, Tristan gives chase. In the struggle, he punches a Bottle Tree, inadvertently unleashing an evil spirit and tearing a hole into a parallel univer. The world he falls into is an amalgam of Nana's stories, and as Tristan lands in the middle of a conflict between gods, heroes, and ruthless iron monsters-snapping, serpentine manacles-he must reclaim Eddie's journal and return home, but not before discovering his own power and fixing the damage he caused. Mbalia's epic debut centers African American characters and tradition, featuring a pantheon of legends and aplot worthy of such tricksters as Brer Rabbit and Anansi the Weaver. perfectly paced, this cinematic adventure never drags, anchored by Tristan's conversational narration and balanced by his struggle to cope with a friend's passing. It brims with heart, humor, and action, successfully crafting a beautifully unified secondary world that brings the power of stories to glorious life.
My Comments
Fun, fast-paced adventure. Good for Riordan fans! Sequels: Tristan Strong Destroys the World and Tristan Strong Keeps Punching. Teacher's Guide available.
No comments:
Post a Comment