Children of the Quicksands

Starred review from August 8, 2022
When 13-year-old Simi travels from Lagos to the rural Nigerian village of Ajao to spend her summer holidays with Iyanla, the estranged grandmother she’s never met, she is not sure how she’s going to last two full months without electricity or running water, let alone TV, internet, or phone. But Simi soon discovers that beneath its sleepy surface, Ajao is a town brimming with magic—and a mystery around the forest on the edge of town, in which children seem to disappear. As Simi begins to unravel the tragedies and secrets surrounding Ajao, her mother’s never-discussed past, and the forbidden lake in the forest’s heart, a mystical golden bird tempts more and more children to stray from home. Alongside her wise and esteemed grandmother and a few new friends, Simi searches for answers and bravely risks it all to make Ajao—and her family—whole again. Sleekly weaving together otherworldly occurrences, elements of the hero’s journey, and Yoruba legend in vivid, place-centered prose, this action-packed debut from Traoré will keep readers engaged in the mysteries of Ajao. An author’s note and glossary of Yoruba words conclude. Ages 8–12.