Reviewed from e-galley provided by HMH Books for Young Readers.Įnter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.Īrchives Archives Categories Categories Tags adventures African-Americans American history animals art artists bears bedtime biographies birds bullying cats community creativity death diversity dogs emotions fairy tales families fantasy fathers food friendship friendships grandparents grief historical fiction history humor imagination LGBTQ magic mothers music mysteries nature pets poetry rabbits racism romance school science science fiction seasons self esteem siblings toddlers trees Blogroll The three of them also always have each other’s backs, using their powers to help, their intelligence to solve the puzzles they face, and their care for one another and their community as a foundation.Ī great middle-grade fantasy with African origins and strong characters.
Maya and her friends are a great team, offering a mix of beliefs in paranormal, African magic, and science. The world building offers explanations of the various legendary creatures that the characters encounter, woven nicely into the narrative. The Chicago neighborhood is full of gods and godlings, all black and brown characters who create a real community. But things are not that simple as the human world itself is threatened by the Lord of Shadows.īarron blends modern American Midwestern life with African legends into one amazing world where gods walk among humans, veils obscure parallel worlds, and dangers emerge from darkness. When her father doesn’t return from the Dark, Maya and her friends use their budding powers to enter the Dark themselves and rescue him. That makes Maya (and her two best friends) half-orisha or godlings. Soon Maya discovers the truth, that her father is a god-like orisha who protects the veil between their world and the Dark. Maya’s father travels regularly for work, but when she follows him he doesn’t seem to be heading for the airport, instead vanishing right in front of her as if he was swallowed by the shadows. Her best friends try to help her figure out what is happening: one thinks it might be paranormal and ghosts which he loves, and the other believes that it can be explained by science.
Cracks appear, black lightning forms, and time freezes for others near her.
Maya has started noticing strange things happening at school and around her South Side Chicago neighborhood. Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron (9781328635181)
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