Abeni’s Song, my launch into middle grade fantasy, is officially out in the world!

Abeni’s Song is finally here!

It was many, many years in the making–but my debut middle grade fantasy novel is finally here! Abeni’s Song was released on Tuesday July 25th, and I couldn’t be more excited.

As I pointed out in an earlier post, when I was younger, I devoured fantasy books–from JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit, to C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series, to Madeline L’Engle’s Wrinkle in Time series, the Earthsea trilogy by Ursula K. Le Guin, and dozens more. Fantasy was my favorite escape Give me a book and a quiet corner and I traveled through worlds!

Of course, it wasn’t all so rosy. Despite how much I loved many of those books, they didn’t always love me back. Rare was the chance that I got to see someone who looked like me, or saw cultures that represented the cultural richness I knew existed in the world. Even when some books like Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea trilogy did offer more diverse characters, whitewashed book covers gaslighted my young mind. So, when I set out to write Abeni’s Song, I filled it with all the diversity my young self would have wanted–not only with characters of color, but immersed in a setting inspired by West African and African Diaspora cultures, folklore and cosmologies.

In many ways, this was the story I’d been waiting to write my whole life–and now it’s here!

What might you find in Abeni’s Song? A young reluctant heroine. An old woman many suspect is a witch. A small house that’s bigger on the inside–and filled with endless mysterious doors. Very surly pots–yes, I said pots. A straw man, named Obi. One giant mimic salamander. A haughty panther spirit, and a porcupine spirit who likes to dance. But in between the whimsical and magical, there’s also danger. Frightening Storm Women. The Goat Man who steals away children. And the terrifying Witch Priest. Along with all of this is a story about friendship, adventure, and finding your way.

I wrote this book both for younger readers–and those older readers who still have that childhood wonder and exuberance. I hope you ALL enjoy it.

A synopsis:

On the day of the harvest festival, the old woman who lives in the forest appears in Abeni’s village with a terrible message:

You ignored my warnings. It’s too late to run. They are coming.

The old woman hasn’t come to save them, only to collect one child as payment for her years of service and protection. When warriors with burning blades storm the village and a man with a cursed flute plays an impossibly alluring song, everyone Abeni has ever known and loved is captured and marched toward far-off ghost ships set for even more distant lands.

But not Abeni. Abeni escapes the warriors in the clutches of the old woman, magically whisked into the forest away from all she’s ever known. And there she begins her unwanted magical apprenticeship, her journey to escape the witch, and her impossible mission to bring her people home.

Abeni’s Song is the beginning of a timeless, enchanting fantasy adventure about a reluctant apprentice, a team of spirit kids, and the village they set out to save from the evil Witch Priest who stole away Abeni’s people.

Abeni’s Song by award-winning author P. Djèlí Clark is the enchanting beginning of an epic West African and African Diaspora-inspired fantasy adventure for middle-grade readers about a reluctant apprentice to magic and the stolen villagers she sets out to save.

You can find more about this book on my author site and order at all the online ordering places–along with your local indie booksellers. Also, ask for it at your library! And for teachers, there’s an educators’ guide you can find here.

What some nice people have had to say:

“Vibrant and utterly immersive, Abeni’s story will sweep you away with its depth of fantastical wonder, tragedy, and coming-of-age adventure.” —Amanda Foody, New York Times bestselling author of the Wilderlore Series

“A lush and magical fantasy that will leave readers craving more of Abeni’s adventure.”—Kwame Mbalia, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Tristan Strong series

“The magical storytelling and West African spirit elements will keep readers engaged, while authentic relationships between the central characters offer a nice counterbalance for the fantastical plot points, making this work appealing to fantasy and realistic fiction readers alike. An original, enjoyable coming-of-age story with complex fantasy worldbuilding and multifaceted characters.” —Kirkus Review  

“Enchanting first installment…intricately detailed, riotously fun adventure that explores themes of loyalty, friendship, courage, and the power of belief in oneself.” —Publishers Weekly

“Abeni’s Song is simply unlike anything else in the field. An astonishing adventure that managed to thrill, scare, and delight, all while telling a story that is beautifully complicated and moving. Middle grade readers, meet your new favorite author.” —Mark Oshiro, #1 New York Times bestseller co-author of The Sun and the Star (From the World of Percy Jackson)

“Anyone can read P. Djèlí Clark’s Abeni’s Song and get something out of it, but Black children are especially going to be drawn to it. It would make a great book for children who love fantasy, adventure, and found family stories.” —Locus

“This sweeping epic fantasy takes beloved West African folklore and spins it into a tale of whimsy, horror, and adventure. Clark masterfully builds beautiful, authentic worlds and fills them with characters that are both endearing and flawed. This has the feel of a classic fantasy, something that will be passed down for generations to come.” —Booklist