Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun: A superhero adventure perfect for Marvel and DC fans!

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An inspiring, original and exciting roller coaster of a book.’ Katie Tsang, co-author of Dragon Mountain

The pacing of the book was interesting. There were quite a few twists and turns towards the end that I didn't necessarily see coming and were strongly connected to Onyeka's missing father. It will definitely read a little slow because a lot doesn't necessarily happen until the end of the book. This is a first in a series, so a great portion of this was dedicated to the set up of the characters, the school environment, the magic system, vast descriptions of abilities, and more. This definitely provided a touch of issue for me because I typically gravitate towards books that are heavy on the action, but I could respect how this was primarily about introducing readers to a new and exciting world. a b "Q&A: Tọlá Okogwu, Author of 'Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun' ". The Nerd Daily. 2022-06-14 . Retrieved 2022-12-10. A rich and gripping story of discovering that your greatest power can come from within. I loved it!’ Lisa Thompson, author of The Goldfish BoyMy mouth twists and her voice trails off. Cheyenne meets my gaze again, but there’s no curiosity or pity. Not like I get from others. To Cheyenne, my hair is just another part of me, like the gap between my front teeth and my massive size-eight feet. The same way I see her love of furry fox ears and Marmite. It’s the way I wish the world would see both of us, instead of only focusing on the things that make us different. It’s what drew Cheyenne and me together in the first place. The friendship she developed with some of the other Solari was also really sweet. Although they felt very typical at first, I ended up liking them in the end! Adanna in particular. She seemed like a very cliche character at first, but as we got to know her, I really grew to like her. Cheyenne, Onyeka’s best friend in London, was also a really cool character, even if she didn’t play as big a role as some of the other characters in the story. I would definitely recommend this book to any Middle Grade Reader, particularly if you are looking for diverse, culture-filled, immersive OWN-voices stories.

It was such a distinctive and daring choice by Okogwu to have Onyeka’s power be derived from her hair. It was beautiful to witness Onyeka’s transformation in her feelings regarding her hair. She went from hating it and thinking it needed to be fixed/contained to loving it and relishing the strength it provided her. The writing style was nice, and I think there’s room for improvement, which is why I am still not ruling out the possibility of continuing with the series, especially because my main problem with the book was that the plot was too similar to other books I’ve read, but I believe in the next books it can get more original, if given the chance. Cheyenne’s got Turner’s syndrome, and she has to take special hormones to help her grow properly. Her mouth is plenty big though. I once watched her shut down a Year Eleven girl with just one sentence. The girl was chatting about my hair, so I guess she deserved it. Arriving at the School, Onyeka is overwhelmed by it all. She has to learn about this entire hidden world she knew nothing about before.

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. It’s thoroughly fulfilling getting to know the characters we met in the first book even more deeply. Tolá masterly creates such vivid imagery of her characters in your mind. Each so unique with diverse skills that blend together wonderfully. 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. The world building was still interesting, even if it wasn’t the most original, and I found interesting how the powers worked (especially Onyeka’s hair and all it meant and symbolised) and how they were affected by emotions. I also really liked that the book was almost entirely set in Nigeria, it’s not often that we get fantasy books set in a different location than the USA or Europe/England, so I always appreciate “visiting” new countries. 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.

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.The book received generally positive receptions from book reviewers and readers alike. It was one of the most anticipated middle grade novels of 2022 by Book Riot, The Nerdist, and Publishers Weekly. [5] Cheyenne’s face is twitching, like she’s trying to keep it straight. “You know what you’re gonna look like with all your hair crammed into that, don’t ya?”

Shut up,” I groan. Of course I know. It’s all I’ve been thinking about today. I’m going to look like Toad from that classic Super Mario Bros game. Jones |, Iyana. "What's the Buzz?: 'Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun' ". PublishersWeekly.com . Retrieved 2022-12-10. There’s also lots of sci-fi – well carefully married with hints of science fact. Hyperloops took me down an internet searching, fascinating rabbit hole – thank you for that Tola. Predictable Plot or Carefully Selected Hints? 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. Lastly, the plot. The plot was pretty good I guess, but definitely the weakest part of the story in comparison to the characters, writing and worldbuilding. It had quite a slow start and the middle felt a tiny bit rushed, with lots of time skips. Those plot twists tho?? SO GOOD. But I do think the book would’ve benefited from being a little bit longer and having a bit more happening, particularly in the middle part.Children's and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels | Children and teenagers | The Guardian". theguardian.com . Retrieved 2022-12-10.