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Akata Woman

Part of The Nsibidi Scripts

Author Nnedi Okorafor

Paperback

$12.99 US

Penguin Young Readers | Viking Books for Young Readers

5.63"W x 8.25"H x 1.13"D | 13 oz | 24 per carton

On sale Jan 17, 2023 | 416 Pages | 9780451480590

Age 12 and up | Grade 7 & Up

Reading Level: Lexile HL650L

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Children's > Young Adult
Fiction > General Fiction

Akata Woman is the New York Times bestselling third book in the series that started with Akata Witch, named one of Time magazine's "100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time" and "100 Best YA Books of All Time," from award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor.

"In this series, Okorafor creates a stunningly original world of African magic that draws on Nigerian folk beliefs and rituals instead of relying on the predictable tropes of Western fantasy novels."
—Time magazine

From the moment Sunny Nwazue discovered she had mystical energy flowing in her blood, she sought to understand and control her powers. Throughout her adventures in Akata Witch and Akata Warrior, she had to navigate the balance between nearly everything in her life—America and Nigeria, the "normal" world and the one infused with juju, human and spirit, good daughter and powerful Leopard Person.

Now, those hard lessons and abilities are put to the test in a quest so dangerous and fantastical, it would be madness to go . . . but it may destroy the world if she does not. With the help of her friends, Sunny embarks on a mission to find a precious object hidden deep in an otherworldly realm. Defeating the guardians of the prize will take more from Sunny than she has to give, and triumph will mean she will be forever changed.

A New York Times Bestseller!

"Okorafor draws a rich, vibrant world that’s brimming with magic, complex characters, and lush settings. Sunny’s journey is loaded with compelling mysteries and twists that will leave readers on the edge of their seats."
—Booklist

"Okorafor centers African mythology, Nigerian culture, history, food, and phrases into this beautifully written fantasy featuring all Black characters. This lyrical Afrocentric fantasy is not to be missed."
—School Library Journal

"An engrossing addition to a thoughtful coming-of-age series."
—Kirkus Reviews

"With Akata Woman, Okorafor does what she does best, drawing on African mythology and folklore, being free with her rhythm and language, telling a classic hero’s journey set far from the Western canon of fantasy, while always staying readable, aware, intelligent and playful."
—Tor.com

Nnedi Okorafor is a Nigerian-American author of African-based science fiction, fantasy and magical realism for children and adults. Her works include Who Fears Death (currently in development at HBO into a TV series), the Binti novella trilogy, The Book of Phoenix, the Akata books, and Lagoon. She is the winner of Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Locus, and Lodestar Awards, an Eisner Award nominee, and her debut novel Zahrah the Windseeker won the prestigious Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature. Nnedi has also written comics for Marvel, including Black Panther: Long Live the King and Wakanda Forever (featuring the Dora Milaje) and the Shuri series. Her science fiction comic series LaGuardia (from Dark Horse) is an Eisner and Hugo Award nominee and her memoir Broken Places & Outer Spaces is a Locus Award nominee. Nnedi is also creating and co-writing the adaptation of Octavia Butler’s Wild Seed with Viola Davis and Kenyan film director Wanuri Kahiu. Nnedi holds two MAs (literature and journalism) and a PhD (literature). She lives with her daughter Anyaugo and family in Illinois. Follow Nnedi on Twitter (as @Nnedi), Facebook, and Instagram. Learn more about Nnedi at Nnedi.com.