I read this alongside my 9 year old and she absolutely loved it. She was completely wrapped up in the story and enjoyed every moment of it.

Onyeka has always been frustrated/embarrassed/angry with her mass of hair. After an event at the local pool, where her hair literally seemed to have a life of its own, her mother announces that they are going back to Nigeria, to find Onyeka’s father, he will have the answers to what is happening to Onyeka, There seems to be a lot of ‘Harry Potter’-esque books coming out, and this one does have its similarities. Young girl finds herself in a school of ‘magic’ (more superpowers in this case) where she hasn’t grown up knowing who she ‘is’, where all of the other students have always known, finding your people, figuring out who to trust…
This is a much needed own voice fantasy novel, that so many readers have been waiting for. Make sure you read the authors note in the back of the book to see why the author wrote the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the opportunity to review this title.

There is so much to love about Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun. The black representation and a futuristic high-tech Nigeria, the strong found family theme and a young girl’s (Onyeka) journey to finding her place in a world that has often been confusing and full of rejection.

There were definitely Black Panther Vibes and the world building was beautiful and lustrous with impressive and unique ideas.

I was disappointed when the story ended because I wanted to keep reading! I can’t wait for what book 2 has in store for Onyeka and her friends.

okay, how do i articulate how beautiful this story was? at the heart of it, i found that, beyond the magic and the mystery and the world unfolding for onyeka, it was really about a young black girl finding pride and acceptance in her hair, and that alone stoked me, as someone who has had difficulty accepting my hair when compared to white beauty standards. that being said, i really enjoyed the fantasy world that the author drew for us, the richness of the culture, the diverse cast of characters, the mystery at the heart of the story and the very coming-of-age arc that onyeka went through as she learned more about herself, her powers and her family. the voice was fantastic, very believable coming from a teenager, the underlying metaphor of child exploitation was well-executed, and the twists were intriguing. definitely a great read!