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

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Onyeka and the Rise of the Rebels continues just where we left off in book 1. I want to be careful not to give away any spoilers for either book 1 or 2. Here goes… Onyeka and the rest of Nchebe are on the run. Each safe haven becomes more perilous. Soon they are forced to ally themselves with the most unlikely of people to try and help return Niyì’s Ike superpower and save those they love. Not to mention trying to enlighten and save the whole Solari race. Hushed whispers spread across the salon and an annoyed look settled on Mum’s face. She hates standing out almost as much as she hates me standing out. Then her face evened out suddenly, just before she gave in to the peer pressure she’s always warning me about. That said, for all its faults, I enjoyed ONYEKA (probably on par with SKANDAR honestly). Original? No. Fun? Absolutely. For fans of the classic middle grade boarding school adventure, ONYEKA AND THE ACADEMY OF THE SUN is sure to be a hit. However while they are both playing in the water something happens and Cheyenne ends up in distress. Onyeka, not a strong swimmer to begin with, cannot sit by while her best friend drowns. She has to help her, thus she learns the magic power of her hair.

In February 2022 it was announced there would be a film adaptation. From Netflix together with Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios and David Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon. How exciting. Nigerian Authors and Books Based in Nigeria Mum kissed her teeth at me. “I do not want you out and about with so many strangers. You’re not like everyone else.” What had me less enthusiastic, however, was the ending. Imagine any derivative kids' film where the generic villain reveals their dastardly evil plan and then gets foiled at the last second by sheer stupidity. That's ONYEKA's climax. The villain first thoroughly underestimates Onyeka and friends. Powers get hurled around everywhere in a confusing word mishmash of limbs and bodies, and even though there are a dozen or so trained adults who presumably know the dangers of fighting Solari as they understand what Ike is, they lose badly to four thirteen-year-olds. Then the villain gets captured, only to mysteriously manage to escape so there can be higher stakes in the second book. I wasn't expecting anything hugely mind-blowing, but come on, maybe something a little more exciting than that? Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started CloseCheyenne’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. Onyeka is the superhero you’ve been waiting for.’ Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink and Stars Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close But you must wear a swimming cap,” she added, and the relief melted away. “I don’t have time to wash and blow-dry your hair today.” But Onyeka’s new reality brings challenges and she soon finds herself in the midst of a battle for truth, freedom and life itself.

Having recently finished Tolá Okogwu’s first installment of Onyeka I was eager to begin Onyeka and the Rise of the Rebels. Book 2 is brilliant, yet another middle grade wonder for readers of around 8 years plus. Onyeka and the Rise of the Rebels Synopsis ONYEKA has been a book I've been following since its announcement, from the cover reveal to the Netflix deal, so I've been excited to read this for some time. 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]Onyeka is the first in a series of children’s books from the author, journalist and hair care educator, which is set to be published in the U.S. and UK by Simon & Schuster in June. It tells the story of a teenager who learns she has powers, subsequently traveling to Nigeria to learn more about her origins. There, she discovers a threat to her newfound magical community. Why do you two want to go swimming anyway when Cheyenne gets all those ear infections?” she continued. “You can’t even swim very well.” Starting with the characters. Although the characters in the book weren’t the most complex, I did really like Onyeka as our protagonist. She struggled a lot with insecurities and shyness throughout the book and I honestly really related to that. I really liked her and she just seemed very genuine. 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. This was such a feelgood read! Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun delivered exactly what it promised: a fun middle grade book with cool magic and Nigerian influences. I really enjoyed it!

The focus is on adventure, but the book does include elements of Nigerian culture. It also provides a glossary and discussion of Pidgin English, which is a label for a style of communication between groups of people who don't share a language. I loved the importance of family, friendship, and found family in this story. Watching Onyeka navigate through all three of these facets was inspiring and heartwarming! Crazier still is that she's one of them and she's powerful. Her hair, that has always been a nuisance to her and a frustration for her mother, is actually her greatest strength.

Did we miss something on diversity?

The beauty, magic and power of Onyeka’s hair is interwoven throughout the story and I can see lots of children reading this story wanting hair just like Onyeka’s. However, the book shows the true treasure is embracing you and what makes you unique. Each character having their own superpower – even in the case of Cheyenne where her superpower is simply being an incredible friend. 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. I absolutely adored this story from the very first chapter. Getting to know Onyeka, she is such a special character, the kind who is easy to root for.

Cheyenne hesitates for a moment, then pulls it from my clenched fist. “I don’t know why you let what other people think bother you so much,” she says, smoothing it out. She reaches toward me, the cap resting between her small fingers. “We don’t need to fit in.” 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 also really liked the worldbuilding in this book. The Nigerian culture was elegantly and subtly woven into the plot, with little details here and there that just really enhanced the story as a whole. I really liked the Nigerian setting, as it’s one I haven’t really seen in books before, so I found it interesting. The concept of the Solari and their powers, how they came to be, etc. was also VERY unique and the simplicity of the magic system really worked. So, yeah, that was great! Okay, where is it then?” Cheyenne’s dark eyes scan the small room until she spots the swimming cap. “Well, of course it won’t fit,” she says. “It’s on the floor, you doughnut.”

Yes, you heard that right. The only thing saving Cheyenne and Onyeka that day was the power of Onyeka's hair. I would definitely recommend this book to any Middle Grade Reader, particularly if you are looking for diverse, culture-filled, immersive OWN-voices stories. Doesn’t seem to bother you when I’m at the salon,” I muttered under my breath. “There are always random people here!”