Dive into fantastical worlds with these middle grade fantasy and science fiction titles in celebration of Black History Month!
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Maya and the Rising Dark / Rena Barron
Growing up, Maya’s father told her tales of the mystical West African creatures he encountered during his travels. Little did Maya know, these stories were not just folktales but real accounts from her father’s life as a celestial being known as the Guardian of the Veil, also called Eleggua. The Guardian created the Veil to protect Earth from the beings of the Dark. The Lord of the Shadows, however, seeks revenge against Maya’s papa for what he has done to those who cross over from the Dark. Follow twelve-year-old Maya as she journeys into the Dark to save her papa and the world she knows in the engrossing first entry of Rena Barron’s mystifying series.
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Children of Stardust / Edudzi Adodo
For readers of sci-fi fantasy, this interstellar adventure explores what it takes to rise beyond one’s beginnings and shine among the stars. Young orphan Zero Adedji dreams of joining the legendary Saba guilds, adventurers who roam the galaxy in search of treasure and justice. His planet of Anansi 12 offers little promise, until a mysterious encounter with a strange creature and a golden pyramid changes everything. Chosen by the powerful Jupiter Kobasticker, Zero is thrust into the Shango Heart Guild, where he begins training alongside new friends Camih and Ladi. As Zero learns to navigate his newfound abilities and responsibilities that come with them, he discovers that courage and loyalty may be the most powerful forces in the universe.
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Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting / Roseanne A. Brown
A modern fantasy laced with Ghanaian folklore, this story plunges readers into the vampire-slaying world of Serwa Boateng. Serwa is the daughter of skilled supernatural hunters known for tracking down the adze and obayifo, shape-shifting vampires and witches. When the adze launch a devastating attack, Serwa’s parents set out to hunt them down. To keep her safe, they leave her in the care of relatives who are not part of the supernatural world. Now living with her aunt in Maryland, Serwa must navigate the pressures of middle school while finding the courage to face the creatures she once feared. With training and the support of her classmates, Serwa prepares to take a stand against the monsters threatening her world. Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series.
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The Rhythm of Time / Questlove
Musician and storyteller Questlove blends time-travel adventure with heartfelt friendship in this lively middle-grade sci-fi novel. Best friends Rahim Reynolds and Kasia Collins could not be more different. Rahim a homebody, cautious gamer while Kasia is a brilliant inventor whose creations tend to cause more chaos than intended. When Kasia creates a device she calls the Cellomax, a simple test run accidentally sends Rahim spiraling back to 1990s Philadelphia.
Stranded decades in the past with no means of contacting the present, Rahim must navigate a world both familiar and wildly different from the one he knows. Meanwhile, Kasia works to fix her invention before government agents and unexpected enemies realize what her technology can do. As the two race against time, they begin to understand the risks and responsibilities that come with their curiosity and courage. A fun and thoughtful read for fans of sci-fi and time-bending adventures.
