Kingdom of Dust
by Lisa Stringfellow (Author)
Author of A Comb of Wishes Lisa Stringfellow returns with a West African–inspired fantasy about a girl who is determined to return both magic and justice to her people—and whose destiny holds more surprises than she could ever imagine.
Though the land of Kun used to be lush and green, Amara has only ever known her homeland as a dry, dusty desert. When the griots vanished more than a decade ago, they took their magic with them, along with goddess Oala’s gifts of rain and plenty, leaving Kun controlled by a powerful and uncaring king. And though her foster mother, Zirachi, assures her that Kun is not under a curse, Amara can’t help but wonder if her own origin, which is shrouded in mystery, is somehow linked to the broken kingdom.
When Amara and Zirachi are attacked by the Nkume, the fearsome king’s guard, Amara must flee, leaving all that she has known behind. With nowhere to go but knowing that she is under Oala’s protection, Amara sets off to do the impossible: find the griots and save Kun before the kingdom blows away like dust.
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Publishers Weekly
In Kun, a kingdom plagued by dust and famine, 12-year-old Amara and her adoptive mother struggle to make ends meet on the family farm. When a harvest festival--attended by Eze Udo, the usually absent king and presumptive heir to the goddess Oala--erupts in hunger-fueled pandemonium, Amara and her mother's escape is cut off by the king's guard's attempt to abduct Amara. Forced to abandon her mother to save herself, Amara seeks sanctuary with a hidden sect of griots, magic users bound to the will of Oala. They inform Amara that Eze Udo is not the true king, and that conditions in Kun will worsen until Oala's rightful heir is restored. Amara is tasked with retrieving said heir, who she learns is a powerful girl sequestered in a tower--and looks exactly like Amara. A rapidly paced resolution prevents the emotional resonance of Amara's grounding perspective from sticking the landing. Stringfellow (A Comb of Wishes) nevertheless communicates incisive ideas surrounding war and oppression via sparse prose, while Igbo mythology-fueled worldbuilding and Amara's bond with her mother form an immovable fulcrum around which the story revolves. A glossary concludes. Ages 8-12. Agent: Lindsay David Auld, Writers House. (Aug.)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Kirkus
A delightful fable.
ALA/Booklist
Recommended for all who love fairy tales with strong female protagonists.
Review quotes
"A fascinating fairytale of memory, the power of storytelling, and magic! Lisa Stringfellow has crafted a fantastic story of a young girl seeking to save her kingdom from the usurper that would destroy it. This coming-of-age story of self discovery is a gift to young readers, who will see themselves mirrored in a heroine worth rooting for!" — P. Djèlí Clark, author of Abeni's Song
"Such a cool, different, princess-in-a-tower story; I loved the world Lisa built and the determined young heroine who has to save it." — Tui Sutherland, author of the New York Times bestselling Wings of Fire series
"The magical, spare narration adds a lyrical quality to each step along the way, ending with a satisfying conclusion of an authentically realized waif-to-queen transformation tale." — Booklist
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
JUV014000 - Juvenile Fiction | Girls & Women
JUV030010 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Africa
