Adeyemi, Tomi.
CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE
New York : Henry Holt, 2018
IL YA
ISBN 9781250170972

(4 booktalks)

Booktalk #1

Zélie Adebola was young when her life was forever changed, when the king’s men came to kill her mother and many other maji, but not so young that she doesn’t remember her fear and anger. After leaving their village in an effort to make money to pay their taxes, Zélie and her brother, Tzain, literally run into a fleeing woman - the princess, Amari. The three set out to use Zélie’s growing abilities to bring about the return of magic to the land of Orïsha, but will it end up costing them their community or even their world? This fantasy novel, the first of a trilogy and the basis for an in-development movie, provides diverse characters, an incredible setting, and more magic and adventure than seems possible! (Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award 2019-2020)

Booktalk #2

Before the banishing of magic, the land of Orisha had always been inhabited by two types of people: those with magic and those without it. After magic disappears, those who’d traditionally been known as Diviners, or magic carrying beings, are stripped of their powers and are brutally murdered. The remaining Diviners, those who were too young and had not come into their powers yet, are now second class citizens and are routinely beaten and killed, even for minor offenses. Zélie, a child of a murdered Diviner, is disgusted with the treatment of her people and the monarchy responsible for her people’s oppression. When given the opportunity to bring back magic, she, her brother Tzain and an unexpected ally in the form of the King’s daughter, Amari, embark on a journey with unexpected twists and turns. Pursued by Amari’s brother, Prince Inan, the three journey to retrieve the artifacts that will return magic to the Diviners… which is the very thing that Amari and Inan’s father, King Saran, does not want. Faced with the heavy task of returning magic to her people, will Zelie be able to overcome the self-doubt and fear caused by King Saran’s oppressive reign in order to return magic to Orisha? (Georgia Peach Book Award, 2020)

Booktalk #3

The first book in the new Legacy of Orisha series introduces Zelie, a diviner with latent magic abilities, who is hoping to bring magic back to her kingdom.  King Saran has killed most of the maji, including her mother, but his daughter Amari escapes his palace with a scroll containing the power to reignite magic. Amari is devastated when her maid, who is a diviner, is killed by her father.  During her escape she is aided by Zelie, who realizes that the scroll Amari has stolen is one of the three relics need to perform a ceremony to restore magic powers to diviners.  Aided by Zelie's brother Tzain, they are traveling to a mythic island, which they must reach to perform the ceremony before the solstice. Prince Inan, Amari's brother, is hot on their trail, but while in route he discovers he is a diviner as well.  Along the way, allegiances shift and a cliff hanger ending will leave readers anxious for the sequel to this new action-packed page turner.

Booktlak #4

Zélie – the fierce diviner who is the hope for all magic Amari – the rogue princess trying to thwart her father’s evil plan Inan – the vengeful prince sent to bring his sister home no matter the cost When King Saran murdered all the adult maji in Orïsha, magic disappeared overnight. His plan to eradicate magic forever hinges on collecting the sacred objects and destroying them. When his daughter, Amari, steals one of these objects and escapes the palace, he sends his son, Inan, the ruthless crown prince after her. Fate intercedes when Amari and Zélie bump into one another at the market igniting Zélie’s dormant magic. From there it is a race to restore magic by staying one step ahead of the Crown Prince, while at the same time harnessing Zélie’s new magical powers. (Book Talk by Mary Beth Kurspahić, Risdon Middle School ) (Washington Evergreen Book Award nominee 2021)