(2011 | 349 p)
Akátá: A Nigerian term used by some African immigrants to the United States to describe African Americans and their descendants. Over time it has come to have derogatory connotations due to perceived tensions between some African immigrants and African Americans. [Source: Wikipedia]
Since she was born in New York to Nigerian parents, twelve-year-old Sunny is well aware that she's an akata. Now that her family has moved back to Nigeria, that and her albinism are facts her classmates won't let her forget. Finding out that she's also a witch, however, comes as a total surprise. With the help of new friends, Sunny discovers that she's a "free agent," a person who possesses latent magical abilities. These magical folks refer to themselves as Leopards. The realization that Leopards not only exist, but that she also happens to be one, opens up a new and juju-filled world for Sunny. Her magical studies are three times as hard as her regular classes, that's to be expected. But Sunny is still shocked when she and her friends are assigned the most difficult assignment of all – to stop a serial killer.
Parts of “Akata Witch” read like a concise, African-style, Harry Potter series. Rather than a Knight Bus there's a Funky Train to transport Leopards to and fro. And non-magic folks aren't called Muggles, they're Lambs. But while these elements make the story feel familiar, it's clearly not. “Akata Witch” provides an imaginative sprinkling of magical realism in a locale that is largely ignored by the fantasy world. And Okorafor's leading ladies steal the show with their quick thinking and fortitude, something I love to see in young adult literature.
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