eARC received from Simon and Schuster UK Children's via NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review. This title releases on the 9th June 2022. I wish,” I reply. “She thinks it’s cute.” I flatten the u into an oo sound in imitation of Mum’s strong Nigerian accent. Cheyenne smiles in instant recognition, her downturned eyes sparkling with glee. This is the first book in a series. There was a lot of setting up the world and the villain was fairly generic and easy to predict.It's not earning any points for twists because everything is laid out very standardly. But that did make it easier to follow. Why do you two want to go swimming anyway when Cheyenne gets all those ear infections?” she continued. “You can’t even swim very well.” All Onyeka knows is that when they moved to the U.K. it was just the two of them. Onyeka's Mom keeps their past shrouded in mystery, preferring to ignore the topic rather than answering any of Onyeka's questions.

I can totally see why this book has had so much hype. What a brilliant middle grade read suitable from around 8 years plus +. Although I’d be tempted to read this one to my daughter aged 6 as I think she’d love the action. Come on, T?´p?´, let the child have some fun,” Mrs. Mataka said as she passed us on her way to the sink. This story is part fantasy, part sci-fi tech, a smidge of mystery, and all adventure. It’s set in an alternate, slightly futuristic Nigeria that is run completely on solar power and is thriving. They also have advanced technology and, you know, a school for kids with superpowers. Like you do. I’m sure you can see, at this point, how this lends itself well to an adventure story, though I’ll admit that it took a good portion of the book before the adventure really ramped up. Still, once it got under way, the action was pretty much nonstop.

The only objective issue I can highlight is that the characters, aside from Onyeka, fell a bit flat. They all had one main characteristic each and that was that; I couldn’t tell them apart from time to time and that was a shame, because I liked Onyeka as a main character. She was extremely flawed and a bit too stubborn, but she was a strong MC and I would have liked all the other characters to be as well built as she was. Seeing as this is just the first book in a series, maybe they will be more developed in later instalments. I ignored the bit about my rubbish swimming skills because she was right and I’d already told Cheyenne as much. Mum was also right about the ear infections. Cheyenne gets them a lot because of the Turner’s syndrome. As Onyeka comes to terms with her newly-discovered powers, she initially struggles to control them and has to do a lot of growing up in a short space of time. With her sense of liberation comes the realisation of the responsibility she holds, both to herself and to others.

Doesn’t seem to bother you when I’m at the salon,” I muttered under my breath. “There are always random people here!” After the very public spectacle at the pool, Onyeka gets home to a Mom that is not happy. Through their heated discussion regarding the days events, Onyeka's Mom reveals that Onyeka is a Solari, a child with special powers. David and Jessica Oyelowo founded Yoruba Saxon in 2014. The company has thus far produced David Oyelowo’s feature directorial debut The Water Man, Searchlight and Pathé’s AUnited Kingdom, Paramount’s Captive, HBO’s Nightingaleand Filmrise’s Five Nights in Maine.Before she found work in the salon, Mum cleaned toilets in one of the local primary schools. She was so thin then, her secondhand clothes hanging off her. She doesn’t think I remember, but I do. I also remember how long it took for her to find a salon willing to ignore the fact she doesn’t have a British passport and also willing to pay in cash. Onyeka has a lot of hair – the kind that makes strangers stop in the street. When she makes the important discovery that she can control her hair with her mind, she's whisked off to the Academy of the Sun, a school in Nigeria where Solari – children with superpowers – are trained She won’t find out,” Cheyenne replies. But we both hear the lie in her voice. Mum always finds out. It’s her superpower. Then Mum fully pulled out a swimming cap from one of her styling drawers. Who has a swimming cap just hanging around?

Thank you so much to the publisher, Margaret K. McElderry Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is definitely the beginning of what is going to turn out to be an extremely fun middle grade fantasy series. As a comic book fan, it was nice to see the way Okogwu used certain comic elements to create this narrative. If you're a fan of superheroes like X-Men, I think you'll enjoy this one. Summary: Timid Onyeka is doing exactly what her mother asks of her. Until her best friend has a pool party that changes everything. With her friend in danger, she jumps to her rescue. Only her hair is the one to save her in the end. Leading to even bigger reveals Onyeka is now headed to a school of magic that is a world away from her own. Will she be strong enough to embrace this new journey and new powers? With the help of new friends and old family history she is willing to give it her best shot.The beauty, magic and power of Onyeka’s hair is interwoven throughout the story and I can see lots of children reading this story wanting hair just like Onyeka’s. However, the book shows the true treasure is embracing you and what makes you unique. Each character having their own superpower – even in the case of Cheyenne where her superpower is simply being an incredible friend.

An inspiring, original and exciting roller coaster of a book.’ Katie Tsang, co-author of Dragon Mountain That, and the fact she’s the only other Nigerian I know. Mum never talks about Nigeria or why we left, so the little I know about how it became so rich and powerful comes from history class. It’s been this way for as long as I can remember. There you go again, always exaggerating,” Mum replied. “Don’t you go to school? Am I imagining your presence beside me at church on Sundays?” Okay, where is it then?” Cheyenne’s dark eyes scan the small room until she spots the swimming cap. “Well, of course it won’t fit,” she says. “It’s on the floor, you doughnut.” Before she can even wrap her mind around all this new information, Onyeka finds herself, along with her Mom, on a private jet being whisked off to Nigeria. Their destination is the Academy of the Sun, a school developed just for Solari.

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However while they are both playing in the water something happens and Cheyenne ends up in distress. Onyeka, not a strong swimmer to begin with, cannot sit by while her best friend drowns. She has to help her, thus she learns the magic power of her hair. Throughout the novel, Onyeka is on a journey of self discovery. She learns to value and celebrate her Nigerian roots and embrace her hair which is essential to understanding her powers.