I picked up _The Gatekeeper's Staff and The Windweaver's Storm _through the Ingram Influencer Program (a collaboration between Ingram and bookish content creators to boost indie books in bookish spaces). I knew nothing about these books, other than the fact that there were Black kids on the covers, but I knew I needed them both the moment I laid eyes on them. Look at these covers! They are everything!

Luckily, I ended up loving them!

TJ Young is the younger brother of arguably the most famous diviner alive. His older sister is not only powerful with Magic, but has been prophesied to lead their people into a new era of prosperity and power. That is...until she dies an untimely and suspicious death. Leaving TJ behind to carry a legacy that he is ill-prepared for, considering he doesn't appear to have any Ashe (magic) of his own.

However, after a series of weird events take place following his sister's funeral, he sets off on a journey of awaking the family magic that has alluded him for his entire life and fulfilling a world-shaking destiny that even his sister wouldn't have been prepared for.

The first book (The Gatekeeper's Staff) follows his attendance at a remedial summer camp, where he is struggling to keep up with even the small children. We get to walk with TJ as he develops the relationships that will go on to help him carry the weight of his unexpected destiny, including unexpected allys, devastating betrayals, and first loves...all while the might Orisha--who have been silent for generations--are stirring just out of reach.

The Windweaver's Storm picks up right where The Gatekeeper's Staff left off. A mighty Orisha has been freed from his rightful imprisonment and TJ is set the task of trying to appease his anger before he takes out his wrath on the coast of West Africa. All while he struggles to find access to the Sky Realm so that he can save Orisha Oya from some unknown danger.

These books are not only filled with the cute, fun coming-of-age story of a young Black boy in search of his purpose, but also with devastating clashes with the divine, a cult in search of what they believe is their rightful power, a family legacy that threatens to crush everyone under its weight, and the growing threat of divine smite.

I read The Gatekeepers Staff in one sitting and then immediately picked up The Windweaver's Storm, only to finish that in two. These books were truly masterpieces. I hardly noticed they were written for children as I read them.

I have rarely read books as intricate, powerful, and masterfully written as TJ Young's story, and I CANNOT wait for the third installment to come out in a couple of months.

Do you have any other middle grade books you'd recommend??

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**Themes: **

• Strong Black family - West African Spirituality - Young love - Coming of age - Identity and purpose

Criticisms:

• My only real criticism is that there is some negative stereotyping of a fat character in the first book. But overall, there were ulterior motives that become clear later in the book. So it wasn't enough to sour my experience with the book.

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