by Tọlá Okogwu
 
Shortlisted Children’s Fiction Book of the Year, British Book Awards 2023
Winner Children’s Africana Book Award for Older Readers 2023
 
…and that’s just two of the awards! Described by the publisher as “Black Panther meets Percy Jackson”, this is the first in a series which is soon to be streamed as a feature film. 12-year-old Onyeka has a crown of magnificent hair. She doesn’t love the attention it attracts.  But then, one day, when bestie Cheyenne nearly drowns in the swimming pool, Onyeka, or rather Onyeka’s hair, quite literally saves her. Onyeka comes to realise that her hair is mysteriously channelling superhero properties. Uncovering its psychokinetic source will take her from Woolwich to Nigeria and to an academy full of other children discovering their new abilities. 
 
A gripping fantasy with great world-building credentials.  We especially enjoyed the backdrop of a hyper-modern, tech-driven, Nigerian setting- and the smatterings of Pidgin English (glossary provided)! By a British Nigerian author. [n.b.: secondary character, Cheyenne, has Turner’s syndrome]. Age 9-13, Paperback 297pp
 
Themes: Disabilities