Magic and mythology mingle with everyday life in this engaging tale about a girl who discovers a powerful magic stone. Eleven-year-old Nolitye loves to collect stones around the shack where she lives with her mother in Phola, a township on the edge of Johannesburg, South Africa. For reasons she cannot completely understand, smart, brave Nolitye has always been drawn to the stones, which she keeps in a bucket under her bed. One day she finds a stone that seems to stand out from the others and she soon discovers that it has magical properties: it makes whoever holds it feel happy. As Nolitye and her friend Bheki experiment with the stone, they learn that it also has the power to grant wishes. Soon, Nolitye’s world begins to change shape as an array of magical beings appear both in person and in dreams, and Nolitye learns that her stone is a piece of a larger one used to prevent darkness from taking over the world. The intrepid protagonist, along with Bheki and Four Eyes (a former member of a gang of local bullies who would torment Nolitye), work together to reunite the pieces of the stone The novel’s lighthearted tone, occasionally interrupted by terrifying creatures, makes for a pleasurable fantasy story with a strong nod to mythology. Readers will warm to Nolitye and her relatable run-ins with the school bully and will delight at the quirky details of Duiker’s magic in an otherwise realistic setting. VERDICT A satisfying fantasy story in a place not often represented in the genre. Recommended for most middle grade collections where fantasy is popular.—Kristy Pasquariello, Wellesley Free Library, MA
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.