Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas

  Nic (short for Nichol) is a Remarkable, a person with a special magical power, just like her father is. They have been living in the non-remarkable world since her father left her mother when she was two years old. Nic hopes that on her 12th birthday her father will finally start to teach her how to use her power.  Instead, she discovers that her favorite author is really a Remarkable too and is her godfather. He gives her a magical object that sets off a series of events that sends her and her best (non-remarkable) friend on a desperate quest into the Remarkable world.  They must find an ancient power that can save her and the entire Remarkable world from destruction. 

This book got some good reviews when it came out earlier this year.  It is by the same woman who wrote, The Hate You Give but is much lighter than that one. There is no profanity or realistic violence. The story is very "Rick Riordan" like and draws on the mythology of African Americans in the South. In the story, haints, boo hags, rougarous and other mythical creatures are real and live in disguise among "non-remarkable" people.  It is a fast-paced and fun story with plenty of action and well drawn and sympathetic characters. There is a fairly strong civil rights theme, but it doesn't overwhelm the story.  I don't think it is as deep as the Tristan Strong book, but it is maybe more accessible for the target age group.  (2023, 368 p.)