Book Review: Ikenga

By John Rodgers

The month of May offers plenty of things to celebrate. Each of the Sequoyah Regional Library System’s locations are still happily welcoming the public indoors for in-person services with updated operating hours. Library holds can still be reserved using Sequoyah Sidewalk Service for those who prefer curbside pick-up. The library also recently added Google Chromebooks to the list of items that users can borrow and take home using their library cards.

On May 3-9, readers can celebrate Children’s Book Week, which is an annual observance of the joy of reading and the bond between books and kids (and kids at heart). Grade school and early middle school children are encouraged to use their public library cards to check out Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor, which explores the unlikely superhero origin story of 12-year-old Nnamdi — a boy with a strong sense of justice who receives magical powers from an enchanted object.

Ikenga offers a memorable setting (modern-day Nigeria) and an appealing cast that children will hold dear regardless of how many books they digest. Best of all, though numerous superhero tropes appear, Okorafor keeps the story grounded with relatable obstacles for her protagonist and a healthy amount of heart.

Children who have read Ikenga are invited to join a virtual book club on May 14 at 4:00pm to share their thoughts with other kids and a few of the Sequoyah Regional Library System’s librarians. This book club includes discussion and trivia and takes place over a live and socially distanced video chat on Zoom. To register for this and other free library programs, visit the event calendar at SequoyahRegionalLibrary.org.

The library’s annual Summer Reading Program is about to begin, so don’t forget to log into Beanstack at SequoyahRegionalLibrary.Beanstack.org and add Ikenga (along with any other books you read during the program) for the chance to earn badges and win awesome prizes. Adults, teens, and children of all ages can participate.