Secret Speakers and the Search for Selador's Gate

Title : Secret speakers and the search for Selador's Gate

Author : K. S. R. Kingsworth

Citation : Kingsworth, K. S. R. Secret speakers and the search for Selador's Gate. Canada : Rawle & Windsor, 2010.

Hidden in the depth of Cloven Grace, the harsh trickster Harrold King hides a secret the parents know absolutely nothing. A thirteen year-old Fair O'Nelli eventually assumes it's safe to be seen after spending nine years hidden in a cellar. Knowing that her father and brother are missing or possibly dead, she sets off in the company of three guardians to search for Selador's Gate and to seek for Harrold King's secret. Along the way she discovers that they key to survival is learning to see things as they are. This metaphorical tales is similar to the Narnia, Lord of the Rings and Wizard of Oz due to the likable heroine as Fair discovers courage, conviction and friendship along her quest to Selador. Also, the author has created a rich and detailed fantasy that is unique, charming and with whimsical touches, such as some religious symbolism that can be found on this novel. The world-building storyline and plot-driven make readers enjoy the adventure and the sudden twists in some events.

The Feverbird's Claw

Title : The feverbird's claw

Author : Jane Kurtz

Citation : Kurtz, Jane. The feverbird's claw. New York : Greenwillow Books, c2004.

Being kidnapped by the Arkera after saving herself the first time, Moralin of Delagua is seeing death coming straight at her. The Arkera dress in rough clothes and use language Moralin cannot understand, but one thing she understands is she doesn’t understand why they kidnapped her. Why are they taking her into the heart of the red forest, where the fire-breathing skulkuk lives? And if Moralin can escape, can she survive the skulkuk and the other perils of the wilderness? From the author of "The Storyteller's Beads comes this story set in an ancient world, Delagua city, where only boys are allowed to fight. This fantasy fiction is trying to break down the taboo by setting a character of Moralin, a young girl who disguises herself and is trained to become an excellent warrior. Due to the book's genre, this intriguing story with its strong heroine is appealing to avid readers, although it is often confusing and with emphasis on plot over rich character development. It may be slow-moving in terms of pace, but in the end, the author rewards readers with simple yet profound insights about how the societies work.

Zahrah the Windseeker

Title : Zahrah the windseeker

Author : Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu

Citation : Okorafor-Mbachu, Nnedi. Zahrah the windseeker. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2005.

Born with dadalocks-dreadlocks containing living vines, Zahrah does not know that she is believed to have special powers. She lives like a normal girl in the northern Ooni Kingdom as she enjoys everything that nature provides. Even she grows her own flora computer and has mirrors sewn onto her cloths. Being different to other people makes her only have one best friend, Dari, who wants to explore the Forbidden Greeny Jungle and discover its dark and prohibited mysteries. Together, they enter the jungle that is located on the boundary of the kingdom to explore her powers. Then Zahrah has to undertake a dangerous quest alone to seek the remedy for Dari after he is bitten by a war snake and falls into a deep sleep.  In the nature of exotic creatures, a magical forest, and children with superhuman abilities, she must find the courage to defeat her fear using her dada wisdom. The world building storyline that is interesting and the evocative setting will draw experienced fantasy readers to enjoy this amazingly written story with full ideas of friendship, self-discovery and following own heart.

The Shadow Speaker

Title : The shadow speaker

Author : Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu

Citation : Okorafor-Mbachu, Nnedi. The shadow speaker. New York : Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, 2007.

A futuristic fantastical adventure fiction that happens in West Africa in 2070 is about a Muslim teenager, Ejii. After witnessing her father's beheading, a fifteen-year-old "shadow speaker" Ejii sets on a dangerous journey across the Sahara desert to look for Jaa, her father's murderer. Then soon she discovers that there is a greater purpose to her life after knowing her possession of mystical powers. Accompanied by her newfound friend, she realises the need to protect her people from a force seeking to destroy them completely. With a plot of the era of mind-blowing technology and tantalising magic, the book is leisurely paced and has a fascinating lyrical writing style. Readers will be engrossed by the novel's complicated characters, especially its women and the unusual appearance of African with a taste of Muslim tradition. This book by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu is the second fiction of her first debut, Zahrah the windseeker.