By Chibundu Onuzo (author)
"This magical adventure sees an extraordinary girl harness her book-jumping powers and ancient word magic to save a Nigerian paradise."
Hardback In Stock £12.99 £11.69
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Second book in an enchanting trilogy that began with Mayowa and the Sea of Words , Chibundu Onuzo’s Mayowa and the Fire of Speech is an enthralling adventure that’s sure to charm and inspire thoughtful 8+-year-old readers, especially those who love determined heroines and magic-infused stories, and fans of Amari and the Night Brothers and Pages & Co.
This second richly-layered story sees eleven-year-old Mayowa, a girl who can change the world through jumping on books and releasing their emotions, fly to Nigeria to spend summer with her family. Here she meets her great-aunt Iya Ibeji, a remarkable woman who’s quick to realise that Mayowa is “wise beyond her years”, and welcomes her to Alaafia, a paradisiacal haven just outside Lagos: “There was a magic to Alaafia.
She’d felt it when Iya Ibeji spoke and the walls lit up”. Here, Mayowa is schooled in the ancient art of esin l'oro, which arms practitioners with the power to change reality through speech. When oil is discovered nearby, it falls to Mayowa and her family to save the paradise from destruction.
Beautifully written, and beautifully-presented, with full-page illustrations and decorative design details, Mayowa and the Fire of Speech is that rare kind of story world that passionate readers won’t want to leave. In addition to deepening the trilogy’s overarching themes (the power of words and working together), this also explores environmental themes in a way that chimes wonderfully with Mayowa’s magical talents and world.
Learn more about Mayowa and the Sea of Words in our fabulous event with author Chibundu Onuzo.
The second title in a dazzlingly imaginative adventure trilogy about one girl's power to change the world through the magic of book-jumping and the power of words. 8+ fans of Pages & Co., Amari and the Night Brothers and The Book of Stolen Dreams will be captivated.
Read the full description
Eleven-year-old Mayowa is spending the summer in Nigeria visiting her family. While there, she meets her mysterious great-aunt, Iya Ibeji, who introduces Mayowa to the true power of words using the art of esin l'oro. In Alaafia, outside of Lagos, her aunt has made a mini paradise. With her guidance, Mayowa learns esin l'oro: how to change and shape reality through spoken words.
But when oil is discovered near Alaafia, the paradise her aunt has created is threatened. Mayowa and her family must work together to save Alaafia before it's too late ....
Praise for the series:
'Joyful and truly original.' - Katherine Rundell
‘A future classic that fizzes with originality, pulses with compassion and calls for us to use our power for good’ - A.F. Steadman, author of the Skandar series
‘Onuzo has crafted an exhilarating fantasy tale’ - Financial Times
‘Beautiful storytelling’ - Clare Weze, author of The Lightning Catcher
Chibundu Onuzo was born in Lagos, Nigeria but moved to England as a teenager. She signed the deal for her first book, the Betty Trask Award-winning The Spider King's Daughter , at nineteen. Her second book, Welcome to Lagos , was published in 2016 and in 2018 she was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Chibundu's most recent novel for adults, Sankofa , was an October 2021 pick for the Reese Witherspoon Book Club. Mayowa and the Sea of Words is her debut children’s novel.
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The second title in a dazzlingly imaginative adventure trilogy about one girl's power to change the world through the magic of book-jumping and the power of words. 8+ fans of Pages & Co., Amari and the Night Brothers and The Book of Stolen Dreams will be captivated. Eleven-year-old Mayowa is spending the summer in Nigeria visiting her family.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Mayowa and the Fire of Speech and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Mayowa and the Fire of Speech features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, Fantasy / Magical, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Magical realism / Magical fantasy, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback, Hardback. £11.69, down from the £12.99 cover price. In Stock.
Mayowa and the Fire of Speech was written by Chibundu Onuzo and published by Bloomsbury Children's Books an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)
Mayowa and the Fire of Speech has 378 pages
£11.69, reduced from £12.99. In Stock.
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