Twelve-year-old Maya loves her papa and the wild stories he tells about orisha gods and mystical West African creatures he "encounters" while away at work. But after a series of strange occurrences, including a brief freeze in time and space, and an attack by a pack of werehyenas from the Dark (think Stranger Things' Upside Down), Papa reveals to Maya that there's more to these old folktales than meets the eye. Though to Maya he is "Papa," her father is also a celestial being called Elleguá--the Guardian of the Veil (between Maya's world and the Dark). The veil that he's created and maintains has killed beings from the Dark, making Elleguá the target for the Lord of the Shadows' revenge. Together, Maya and her best friends Frankie and Eli journey through the Dark in their effort to save her papa--and Earth as they know it. This opening installment of what will be a much-anticipated series is fast-paced and adventurous, offering a fresh blend of culture, community, and folklore rooted broadly in the African diaspora.

Maya knows her father's stories aren't real--are they? Maya, a comic-book--loving, anemic 12-year-old black girl, is suffering through situational math when she experiences a sudden, time-stopped moment when "the color bled from the world like someone was sucking it away through a straw." That is not the only strange incident: Maya has an all-too-real dream of a man with skin "the color of the moon" and "pale violet eyes" who has the same color-sucking ability; her structural engineer papa literally disappears in front of her; and when she and her friends Frankie and Eli find themselves fighting shape-shifting darkbringers, Frankie discovers her own light-shooting skills. What Maya, Frankie, Eli, and readers find out from Maya's mother is that Papa's real identity is Elegguá, the most powerful of the West African orishas, guardian of the veil between this world and those of the darkbringers and other forces. Not only that, but Frankie's newly found gift came from her late mother, who is also an orisha, and Eli is part orisha, too. The astonishing series of subsequent revelations leaves readers agog, eager to know how Maya and her pals will use their powers to heal the veil and save their mostly black and brown neighborhood. In her author's note, Barron describes how this book has risen from her explorations of the traditions of her West African ancestors. A truly #BlackGirlMagic, cloudy-day, curl-up kind of book. (Fantasy. 10-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 5--7--Twelve-year-old Maya is daydreaming about summer break when time pauses and the color begins to bleed from the world. Her two friends, science-obsessed Frankie and occult-obsessed Eli, try to offer an explanation (science and ghosts, respectively) but when creatures from African folklore come to life in their South Side Chicago neighborhood and Maya's father goes missing, the community elders finally reveal the truth: The three tweens are godlings of the Orisha, and Maya's father is the Guardian of the Veil between worlds. With the help of her friends, Maya is determined to find her father and restore order to both worlds. Though Maya is the protagonist of this work, her community is the heart of the story and is celebrated in rich detail. Maya is fierce, observant, and unashamed of her love of comics--much like Frankie and Eli, who are similarly unapologetic of their interests. Their community is vibrant, close-knit, and diverse; neighbors spend time outside, know each other, and look out for one other. The vivid world-building, quick pace, high stakes, and steady stream of legendary African creatures keep readers engaged and invested in the tweens' predicament. VERDICT Mixing in hard choices, believable emotions, tough lessons, and mistakes made with the best of intentions, Barron has created a must-read tale. For fans of "Percy Jackson" who are yearning for a new pantheon, but not quite ready for Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone.--Maggie Mason Smith, Clemson University, SC

Twelve-year-old Maya is seeing things, or so she thinks, as weird creatures start appearing in her Chicago neighborhood. Add to that her dreams about a scary shadow-man, and Maya has cause for concern. That concern turns to outright fear when her father, who guards the veil between dimensions, is kidnapped by the Lord of the Shadows, the scary man in her dreams. Maya and her friends, Frankie and Eli, set off on a quest to find Maya's missing dad, face their fears, and contend with powers and worlds they never knew existed. This story features well-executed world-building; complex characters in a diverse cast (Frankie has two mothers, the school principal uses inclusive pronouns); loving, supportive families; and a tight-knit community within a large city. Maya's adventure is steeped in West African mythology, as she learns that she is part orisha and must quickly learn the ropes of the mystical world. Readers, too, are introduced to the world of West African culture, folklore, and spirituality, with nuance about the binaries of good and evil. A welcome addition to middle-grade fantasy centering Black characters, the story is a page-turning ride that will leave readers eager for more. Monique Harris November/December 2020 p.94(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.