Afia in the Land of Wonders
Mia Araujo
Scholastic

In the remote desert village of Dafra, sixteen year old twins Afia and Aya are about to become crystal merchants like their parents. On the eve of their ewende ceremony (coming of age) Afia encounters a mysterious young carver at the monthly market and he makes her an offer. Unlike her dutiful sister, Afia does not want to follow in her parents’ footsteps; instead she wants to see the world. Consequently she flees from the initiation ceremony and heads to the forest. where she joins Bakame, the carver on a journey that takes her far from her familiar homeland community. She’s intrigued by what he tells her of Queen Ukiwa and her palace in Ijábù. What he doesn’t tell her however, is that the Queen’s palace and her entire kingdom are built on the cruel, cunning ensnarment of the lives and dreams of her courtiers.

Eventually though, Afia witnesses her awful cruelty, which changes her initial impression of the Queen and she realises that she’s made a terrible mistake. Determined to leave Ijábù. she agrees to a bargain proposed by Ojike, a spirit of a boy who’s wearing a carved cat mask: He’ll help her find her way back home if she helps him overthrow the evil Queen. But is she sufficiently brave and resilient to free not only herself but those trapped by the queen’s controlling power? She’ll certainly face terrific danger, but she will discover allies willing to assist in her mission to return and make amends to her precious twin.

Celebrating curiosity, family bonds, independent thinking, friendship and compassion, this fantasy with its stunningly beautiful colour illustrations, draws both on African folklore and on elements of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Older readers who have read the Lewis Carroll classic and have an interest in folklore from around the world will get the most from this fascinating story.