Part of The Nsibidi Scripts, book 1
First published 2011
Sunny feels out of place everywhere. Born in New York but now living in Aba, Nigeria, the twelve-year-old struggles with her albinism and the constant bullying at school. She dreams of playing football like other kids, but the sun burns her sensitive skin. Everything changes when she meets Orlu and Chichi, who introduce her to the hidden world of the Leopard People. In this magical realm, her albinism transforms from a burden into her greatest strength. Sunny joins with Orlu, Chichi, and Sasha to form the youngest Oha Coven ever assembled. Their first mission carries deadly stakes: hunt down Black Hat Otokoto, a killer who kidnaps and mutilates children. Sunny must master powers she never knew she possessed while facing an enemy far stronger than herself. The flames have shown her a terrifying future, and only she can determine whether that vision becomes reality.
Genres: african-literature, fantasy, magical-realism, young-adult
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family
Setting: Aba, Nigeria, New York
Period: contemporary
349 pages · Hardcover · Viking Children's