Yomi and the Curse of Grootslang
Davina Tijani, illustrated by Adam Douglas-Bagley
Little Tiger

In this third fantasy adventure in Davina Tijani’s Nkara Chronicles series with Adam Douglas-Bagley’s dramatic illustrations, Yomi and her younger brother, Kayode, accompany their Uncle Lou ( a researcher for the Sacred Beast League) to South Africa. Shortly after they arrive the siblings meet the Vilha Treasure Hunters, a group of children who have heard about their bravery when they rescued a Senegalese dragon king and saved a city. The Treasure Hunters believe the qualities the siblings exhibited are exactly what will be required if they agree to join them in their quest to find the Tusk Diamond and bring it back to the rightful owners as well as hopefully, to break a curse issued by the elephantine serpent, Grootslang in whose cave the jewel is hidden. Yomi and Kay agree and so begins their adventure.

On finding the cave the adventurers try bargaining with Grootslang using the pyronite Kayode had brought in exchange for their freedom and the diamond.

When this fails can they come up with something else to persuade her and ultimately help bring peace and harmony to Vilha?

The author weaves mythology, culture and details of South African landscapes into her fast-paced story which also demonstrates the importance of camaraderie and working together, leaving it neatly set up for the next adventure in the series, set in the Congo. Bring it on.
There’s mythology too in

Let Sleeping Gods Lie
Thiago De Moraes
David Fickling Books

Following her adventure with trickster gods in Old Gods New Tricks, Trixie dos Santos is settling back into her usual way of life, this includes school. She manages to tolerate the boredom of lessons but hates the taunting from some of the pupils, so on some days she spends her time elsewhere, wandering in the woods for instance. It’s on one of these occasions that she loses track of time and reaching home late, is greeted with the news that her grandmother has died and they have to go to Norway for the funeral.

Shortly after arriving there’s some talk of Grandma’s magical cauldron but it isn’t where it’s supposed to be. Trixie notices some strange marks on the kitchen floor. She decides to take a look outside and with Bragi the dog, she sallies forth into the freezing cold. In a clearing in the wood she encounters Baba Yaga.

It turns out that the witch knew Trixie’s grandmother and knows about her magic cauldron. Thus begins Trixie’s next mission: to travel to the Land of the Dead and search for the cauldron.

While in the underworld, having met her dead grandma, Trixie comes upon Hel (goddess of death) and her father Loki, the latter she already knows. Can she trust the trickster when he offers to help. her? Not only he but all the other tricksters that offer assistance as her quest continues taking her through many underworlds. There’s really no choice if Trixie is to prevent the evil army from taking over the world.

A breath-taking tale with plenty of humour, that introduces mythology from various cultures. It will have readers on the edge of their seats as they root for Trixie at every twist and turn. The author’s black and white illustrations are superb – striking, often intricate and very powerful. I can’t wait for Trixie’s next foray into the world of mythology; her emergence from this quest has left her mentally stronger.