Thank you Carla at Bloomsbury for the proof. Everyone knows I love a book about powers and seeing more Black characters on a book cover, especially boys is so special.
Themes: magic, race, adventure, Black history, friendship, family, Nigeria
Percy Jackson meets Black Panther - this blockbuster middle-grade adventure is perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers.Cameron Battle grew up reading The Book of Chidani, cherishing stories about the fabled kingdom that cut itself off from the world to save the Igbo people from danger. Passed down over generations, the Book is Cameron's only connection to his parents, who disappeared one fateful night two years ago.
Ever since, his grandmother has kept the Book locked away, but it calls to Cameron. When he and his best friends, Zion and Aliyah, decide to open it again, they are magically transported to Chidani. Instead of a land of beauty and wonder, they find a kingdom in extreme danger, as the queen's sister seeks to destroy the barrier between worlds. The people of Chidani have been waiting for the last Descendant to return and save them . Is Cameron ready to be the hero they need?
Inspired by West African and Igbo history and mythology, this adventure-filled fantasy introduces readers to Cameron Battle as he begins his journey to greatness.
There has been a rise in fantasy books based around West Africa. I'm not sure if it's because of the success of Children of Blood and Bone by Toni Adeyemi that publishers are now seeking more of these books but I'm happy about it. We need more representation, so the more books the better!
Cameron lives with his grandma and is always drawn to the Book that is locked away but during a sleepover Cameron and his best friends Zion and Aliyah decide to open the Book and are transported to Chidani, a magical kingdom hidden inside the Book. As the last descendant Cameron has to step up and help his people or the monsters in this world will be alive in our world.
I do love a flawed hero and Cameron is impatient and snappy which makes him relatable. He doesn't find the tasks as easy as his friends do but Cameron is brave and loves his friends and that's what makes him so endearing as a character.
The references to slavery is so important and a reminder that very little is changed. Showing the reader that Cameron came from slaves who fought hard and they were brave and brilliant is something I don't feel is tackled enough in Children's books. It's a narrative that should be spoken about more.
For me the book picked up half way through. I really loved the action scenes and my favourite scene is when they go to see Agwu, the trickster god and he fools Cameron and Zion into thinking that his house is cosy and inviting but in the morning they see that it's dirty and smells of mildew and they have to battle him. The only thing I wish I saw more of was Cameron's sexuality. From Twitter I found out that Cameron was a queer boy but reading the book I didn't get that as much. I was looking out for signs of Cameron and Zion but I didn't really pick on it.
Jamar is a fresh voice in the middle-grade world and I think kids will fall in love with Cameron.
4/5
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