Zahrah the Windseeker

When this came out I hadn't read much literature with Black protagonists, let alone one as wonderfully written as this one. The book creates beautiful worlds that stretch the imagination and invite the reader to truly celebrate Black excellence and culture from a perspective other than the colonial one. In that way it reminds me of MCU's Black Panther a bit. I recommend this for all young kids to read!

I bought this for my 12 y.o. niece last year and it was a hit - this year she'll be getting Okorafor-Mbachu's new novel for Christmas. I love that the main character is female. The themes and images in this book are strong and beautiful - reading it will stimulate your imagination.

Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu's book ZAHRAH THE WINDSEEKER introduces readers to the Ooni Kingdom and one of its residents, a young girl named Zahrah who becomes famous. Zahrah is a unique girl, she was born "dada." People who are dada have hair known as dada locks, which are similar to dreadlocks with vines that attach themselves to the locks and grow along with the hair. Zahrah considers her hair a curse, but, because it grows that way, there isn't much, aside from cutting them off, that she can do about it. People who are dada are also known to have special gifts; Zahrah's gift is that she is a Windseeker but she doesn't initially embrace or develop the gift. She is teased in school because she is dada, and her only real friend is a boy named Dari. Dari and Zahrah are always involved in one drama or another, but in an effort to help Zahrah cultivate her gift as a Windseeker, the two friends decide to go into the Forbidden Greeny Jungle, which of course they were not allowed to do. Their visits to the jungle eventually result in a tragedy that only Zahrah can fix, but she must find strength and courage in order to do so. ZAHRAH THE WINDSEEKER is a wonderful book that teaches important lessons by example rather than explicitly. The plot is fast moving, unpredictable and engrossing. I love the way Zahrah transforms over the course of the story. In the beginning she was somewhat shy, afraid to take risks or stand up for herself, crippled by fear, and ashamed of the fact that she is dada. The journeys into the Forbidden Greeny Jungle change her; she learns to trust herself, appreciate her strengths, and most importantly she learns to have courage. Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu has a fluid writing style that is filled with rich descriptions and vivid details. Her words brought the scenes to life and made it easy to visualize the events as they took place. I enjoyed the prominent role nature played in the book; from the dada locks (vines and all), to talking animals and buildings made entirely of plants. ZAHRAH THE WINDSEEKER is a unique book that young readers will enjoy, relate to, and be inspired by and I highly recommend it. Reviewed by Stacey Seay of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

A real rarity, this book has a brain, a heart, and a soul. What I mean is this: it's intelegent without being boring, emotional without being sappy, and moral without being preachy. If that weren't enough, it's also got a strong, smart female main character, which is a pleasant surprise in YA fantasy. The world that Zarah explores is unique and exciting. It reminded me of the books I enjoyed back when I was still a kid. Best of all, I enjoyed reading it, even though I am, technically, an adult these days.

Magical...creative...imaginative!!! In the traditional of exceptional young adult fantasy writers, Okorafor-Mbachu's debut novel represents the next generation of fantastical heroines. Okorafor-Mbachu creates a world where nothing is exactly what it appears to be, teaching us all that anything is possible and a young girl is capable of the wondrous. I urge every parent to share this treasure with their children and everyone else to share the fantasy too. Trust me folks, there is a lesson to be learned here!

I flew through this novel in two days! I've never read a fantasy book like this. I think the author is African and she (I think) created this fantastical world using African cultures and folklore. I've read Virginia Hamilton's "The People Could Fly," maybe she got some of the myth from that. But I also noticed elements from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (it has a similar kind of humor) and Harry Potter. This is definitely something new and I really enjoyed it! I especially loved all the crazy creatures, the realistic characters and the plant technology. It read smooth and fast. I'm glad I found this book. Very unique.