Kwame Mbalia is THE name in Middle Grade. No one is touching his levels of writing. Tristan Strong Keeps Punching was such a satisfying ending to the Tristan Strong series. My only disappointment is knowing it is over now.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of the ebook. This was the perfect continuation and ending to a fabulous series. This series will keep readers of all ages entertained throughout.

It's been a while since I read the second book in this series, but it didn't take me very long to get caught back up on everything that was going on.

There were times throughout the story where it would start to slow down some and I would struggle to keep my focus, but other than that, I enjoyed this book. I especially liked the ending. I wasn't expecting that at all!

I listened to the audio version of this book, narrated by Amir Abdullah. He was amazing throughout this whole series. He was very lively in his performance and did a great job in giving all of the characters distinct voices.

It's hard to believe the trilogy is over! I've really enjoyed this series, but personally found that this last one just wasn't quite as strong as the previous two. I absolutely would recommend reading this to see the conclusion of Tristan's story, or if you enjoy the Rick Riordan Presents books.

I like this one. In line with the series… I appreciated the voice. I would recommend this book for children because there are too few books written about black lore.

I have very much enjoyed this series, it was one of the RR Presents series that worked really well for me.

The Tristan Strong series keeps me hooked. I love the characters and the way that the author tells the story. This will be another purchase for my library.

Tristan Strong Keeps Punching is the finale of the Tristan Strong trilogy.

This is such a great end to this series. We get Tristan interacting with his family, his community, and all the wonderful power folks who we got to know in the previous two books.

This story does an excellent job of engaging with grief, anger, generational trauma, and community building. These themes are explored in a very age-appropriate way, I absolutely recommend these books to children. Mbalia clearly writes in a way that respects the intelligence of children. In this book he engages with history even more than previous books, he uses his story so deftly to engage with Black American history.

I really loved how compelling this book was to read. I was glued to this story. Mbalia is so excellent at writing action and adventure and making sure it is deeply emotionally compelling on top of being incredibly engaging.

How do I love the Tristan Strong series? There are too many ways to count. The mythology, the complicated characters, the relationships between each of the characters, the family unit Tristan has supporting him....the list could go on for a long time. A satisfying conclusion to the the three book series. I like how it takes place over the course of a summer and how Tristan learns to grieve in different ways through each of his trials.

This installment was a nail biter and will keep kids on the edge of their seats. The Tristan series is a go to for school visits. The audiobook is as delightful (if not more so) than the text. The characters come alive, no matter who reads the book.

Mbalia seamlessly weaves the stories of the past, present and the could be together. He handles heavy, difficult topics with the right mixture of tact, humor, and explanation. It is an interesting way to explore racism and its impact on the entire community.

Sure to become a hit with fantasy readers in middle grades, and an easy sell to teachers and parents. This is a must have series for all libraries.

This is an excellent Book Three. The author gently but effectively brings the reader back up to speed on Tristan's adventures before launching into another well plotted and satisfying challenge quest. All of your favorite characters return, and the action is not just a retread of the same story points. This was very satisfying, and I was pleased to see that even though this is billed as the end of the trilogy, plenty of room was left for a sequel.

So, you likely know that I'm a fan of this imprint and this series in particular. It has been quite possibly the best of all the Rick Riordan Presents series. I think those expectations were a bit much for this last of the trilogy, but it was still a strong finish. I highly recommend this series as often as possible!

Because of a few drops along the way (lots of references to "she") I thought there may be a twist or larger reveal at the end, like the first two books. This one, not so much. Yes, perseverance is the theme here, of course, but the interconnected plot with a twist at the end has always been the strength of the Tristan Strong series. It has been much less formulaic than many of this genre, which made it stand out. This one felt more formulaic and less flushed out than the previous books in the series. Tristan's anger is a major theme at the beginning, but just sorta resolves itself. The big bad is front and center early and stays that way. The interesting take on historical minions could have used more. I still want to know the story about Twennymiles.

If there were another in the series, I could understand the loose ends, but my understand is that this is a trilogy. Given that, I have so many questions!! What happened to Memphis? Seraphine? His cousin? Is he able to save High John? So many people are central and then just disappear. What stories are key here? What is dropped from the story vs forgotten and gone? What will return?

I'm not as disappointed as all of this sounds. I just had high hopes. That said, as always, there's good history here and nods to the importance of sharing all of that history. It was still as strong as any of the other Rick Riordan or Rick Riordan Presents stories have been, and I highly recommend the series as a whole!!

Thank you to Disney, Kwame Mbalia, and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for your patience with my unusual lateness as well.

An amazing last installment to a gift of a series. I liked how Tristan still didn’t fully have his anger and this whole hero thing figured out. I think it’s good for youth to see multi-dimensional heroes who need help with both their emotions and adventures. It was noticed and appreciated how bringing the Alke characters to our world brought in more modern concerns and topics related to race in addition to Black history.

This was a great closing book to the trilogy. I had loved the ending of the second book and found the way this book picked up the story to be perfect. I really enjoyed seeing the characters, both new and old. This is such a great series!

What a finale!! Tristan finds himself traveling the Mississippi looking for King Cotton. He encounters new haints, new stories to tell and finds an inner strength to save himself and his friends. Gum Baby still remains my favorite character, coming through with a pep talk and saving Tristan from the living plantation, Old Angola. The tale comes to an end with an epic battle at Lake Michigan between the gods, Cotton and Tristan. This story is rich in history and lessons for the future.

I really enjoyed this book. Rarely does a trilogy pull through with three equally strong books, but Mbalia did it here. All the heart, courage, and good and bad choices, along with friendship and some comic relief that we've come to expect (along with the development a budding crush). However, be warned that there is some really heavy stuff in this volume. I don't want to get too into it and spoil the book, but be prepared for some heartbreak.

That said, it's a fabulous read and if you've invested your time and emotions into the first two you must read this book.

I love this series. Kwame Mbalia is a wonderful storyteller. How much do I love it? I think Gum Baby is one of the worst characters in any book I've ever read and I would still gladly reread this whole series. Seriously, Gum Baby is awful and used as a tool to put cheap jokes in an otherwise cleaver book. But you should still read this because:

A: Stories like this, that pull inspiration from and champion lore from other cultures, should be supported.
B: It's a really good series that can be enjoyed by kids but also has deep meaning that an adult can enjoy.
C: Supporting this series in the Rick Riordan Presents lable, will show that people crave own voices stories and more and more will be published. I have yet to read a book from Rick Riordan Presents that I didn't like.

Kwame Mbalia is a very talented author and I can't wait to see what comes next. Technically I'm giving this 4.5 stars but I just rounded up.

I received an eARC of this title through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This whole series was well done and thoroughly thought out. Tristan and the Alkeans are put to the test in this book. With many Alkeans still missing and King Cotton's return, Tristan has to make a choice. Go after King Cotton or rescue more Alkeans.

I love how each of the Tristan Strong books focuses on something that every child can connect. The first book touches on grief, the second touches on jealousy, and the final book touches on anger and how to let it go. Not to mention touching on the topic of racism. Kwame does an amazing job touching on these topics and explaining them in ways that middle grade students can understand.

As the finale of the series, I thought Kwame wrapped the story up well while leaving room for a possible sequel series. It may not be about the main villain of this trilogy, but I think we will be hearing more from Tristan Strong and the rest of the Alkeans.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books that involve mythology and modern folklore storytelling.

I really enjoyed the first two Tristan Strong books, this one was no different. Tristan is a great main character, though it did feel like he somehow lost some of his character development from the previous two books. He felt like a brand new protagonist rather than someone that’s sort of saved the world twice already. I also felt a little confused with the plot. It started off and it seemed like Tristan was supposed to be finding his friends from the other world that were now stuck in our world. But that mission was almost immediately detailed, but it kept getting brought up like that was supposed to be the focus. So that was a little confusing.
I thought the inclusion of American history was interesting. It definitely made the story a little heavier compared to the more fun previous two books. But I really liked that it didn’t shy away from the dark past of America and the terrible things that were done to Black people, which a lot of this history has been (as Tristan talks about) has been hidden or just isn’t talked about. The story really centers on these bits of history that isn’t widely talked about, and locations like New Orleans and places in Tennessee where historical events took place.
Overall, I liked this story and I still really enjoy the series as a whole. I’m really glad that stories like this series exists so that young kids can find themselves in these stories and the characters within.

What an amazing conclusion to an amazing trilogy. I love the ways that Tristan has grown. I love the culture in this. I love the discussion around black boys and the inherent anger that lives inside of you just by existing as black in the U.S. I love the family of gods and their antics. Kwame Mbalia is one of the most talented writers I've read and I can't wait to read the Tristan graphic novels!

I want to abandon my traditional book review format and address you directly. I know I've talked about Tristan Strong before (books one and two) but let me be clear. Percy Jackson may have kicked off the mythology craze but Tristan Strong is the one you should read. Mbalia has truly elevated the genre. He's exploring the strength of story in culture. And his villains are the embodiment of slavery and inter-generational racism. There are spirits and magical elements, certainly, but the story and link to culture are the ultimate drivers. Each character represents history, pain, struggle, triumph over oppression. Tristan himself is a symbol of the continued struggle for equality. This particular volume addresses redlining and the prison industrial complex, tying in the direct ties to slavery. It's not all seriousness either. There are genuinely light-hearted moments. Gumbaby makes me laugh pretty consistently. I'd encourage kids and adults alike to read and discuss this book.