Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron
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Fantasy, Elementary
298 pages
Description Booklist (March 15, 2020 (Vol. 116, No. 14))
Grades 5-7. Twelve-year-old Maya loves her papa and the wild stories he tells about orisha gods and mystical West African creatures he “encounters” while away at work. But after a series of strange occurrences, including a brief freeze in time and space, and an attack by a pack of werehyenas from the Dark (think Stranger Things’ Upside Down), Papa reveals to Maya that there’s more to these old folktales than meets the eye. Though to Maya he is “Papa,” her father is also a celestial being called Elleguá—the Guardian of the Veil (between Maya's world and the Dark). The veil that he’s created and maintains has killed beings from the Dark, making Elleguá the target for the Lord of the Shadows' revenge. Together, Maya and her best friends Frankie and Eli journey through the Dark in their effort to save her papa—and Earth as they know it. This opening installment of what will be a much-anticipated series is fast-paced and adventurous, offering a fresh blend of culture, community, and folklore rooted broadly in the African diaspora.
My Comments
Intriguing beginning. Need to read again because I believe Maya was said to be in 4th grade although reviews say otherwise.
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