AFIA IN THE LAND OF WONDERS, by Mia Araujo, Scholastic Press, April 15, 2025, Hardcover, $24.99 (ages 9-12)
A young woman leaves behind the safety of her home in search of adventure in Afia in the Land of Wonders, a middle-grade novel by Mia Araujo.
Afia has always felt like half of a whole. Her twin sister, Aya, is perfectly happy with fulfilling their family’s expectations of them. But Afia dreams of exploring the world beyond her secluded cliffside home of Dafra. She dreams of adventure.
When she meets a charming shape-shifter named Bakame, who dazzles her with promises of a magical land called Ijábù, Afia decides to take her destiny into her own hands. Although it will mean leaving everything she has ever known behind, including her beloved sister, Afia follows Bakame into the forbidden forests surrounding Dafra, from which no one has ever returned.
Filled with magical sights, a charismatic Queen and her intriguing court, Ijábù is everything that Afia has ever dreamed of. But she soon discovers that nothing is as it seems, and this fantasy world demands a terrible price. With the help of a mysterious trickster, Afia must evade the Queen’s hunters and the lost dreamers of Ijábù, who wish to pull her deeper into their web.
Now, Afia must find the courage to survive while standing on her own–or risking losing herself completely to the wonders of Ijábù. —Synopsis provided by Scholastic Press
Afia in the Land of Wonders is not like other books. This debut novel by Mia Araujo is a reimagining of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland that transports readers to a magical world inspired by the kingdoms of West Africa from the 10th to 16th centuries.
The story follows Afia, a girl who dreams of more than becoming a crystal merchant. She’s curious and smart and has the ability to look beyond the expected.
The world that Araujo has crafted has a wild, almost otherworldly feel to it. Her descriptions are rich, and they are enhanced by Araujo’s stunning artwork, which further magnifies what readers imagine. That artwork — full color and black-and-white drawings — is what will draw young readers to Afia in the Land of Wonders. What will keep them reading, is a fantastical adventure.
Afia in the Land of Wonders is a fast-moving read that would work well in the classroom or as an individual read.
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