Yomi and the Fury of Ninki Nanka
Davina Tijani, illustrated by Adam Douglas-Bagley
Little Tiger

Yomi (soon to go into her final year in primary school) and her brother Kayode, two years younger, are supposed to be on the trip of a lifetime visiting The Gambia with their Uncle Olu. But thus far their holiday has been boring, boring, boring, and involved something to do with their uncle’s research.

However after despairing there will be anything like an adventure, or the sight of any Nkara, Yomi’s sleep is disturbed by a terrible roaring and she witnesses Ninki Nanka, the Dragon King being kidnapped from the sky. From then on, things become a whole lot more exciting. Determined to rescue him, the siblings encounter magnificent beasts, unearth a number of secrets, meet a reckless boy hunter

and face dangers aplenty. Yomi and Kayode are highly motivated and resilient, but can they save Ninki Nanka?

Vividly told, by an author who clearly has a great depth of understanding for, and love of, African mythology, this fast-paced West African-inspired fantasy adventure is the first of a new series – The Nkara Chronicles – and with Adam Douglas-Bagley’s striking illustrations, deserves to be a winner with primary readers. I thoroughly enjoyed it.


Fairytale Ninjas: The Magic Crown  Paula Harrison, illustrated by Mónica de Rivas Harper Collins Children’s Books

This second story set in the kingdom of Waybeyond begins with Red wishing for another adventure with new magical creatures when suddenly a fireball drops from the sky and becomes a fiery little golden bird, followed not long after by a large ice dragon. Now there’s no need to go seeking adventures, instead one has found Red, Snow and Goldie (aka the Fairytale Ninjas). In fact pretty soon the entire town is full of frost fairies too.

With trouble afoot, it’s time for a visit to Redrock Canyon, dwelling place of sand dragons and firebirds declares Snow. Having, with the help of their gingerbread supplies, persuaded a unicorn to take them, they’re off at a gallop only stopping at the edge of a cliff beneath which goblins and rats are busy digging holes in the rock with saucepans and spoons. Why? They don’t stop long enough to find out though and instead continue to the icy mountains region, but now clad in their ninja suits to blend in.

This allows them to overhear a conversation about a wooden box hidden by an old king the contents of which will make their master the most powerful person in the entire kingdom. They must be working for Sir Scallion surely? But an untimely sneeze results in the three being discovered and they have to dash for their unicorn, stopping briefly to rescue a tiny ice dragon. Whither now? Goldie has an idea and they soon find themselves in a mysterious library. I’ll leave them there and merely say ‘Rumpelstiltskin’ and recommend you get a copy of the book and find out how the magical tale ends.

With its wealth of illustrations by Mónica de Rivas, emergent readers will devour this twisted fairytale, along with some gingerbread.