About the Author

Kwame Mbalia is the New York Times best-selling author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, for which he received a Coretta Scott King Author Honor award.The book was also named to best-of-the-year listscompiled by Publishers Weekly, the Chicago Public Library, and the New York Times.The second book in the trilogy is Tristan Strong Destroys the World, and the third is Tristan Strong Keeps Punching. Kwame is also the publisher of an imprint at Disney Hyperion called Freedom Fire, devoted to publishing middle grade fiction by Black creators about the African diaspora. Kwame lives with his wife and children in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he is currently working on the new middle grade fantasy series. Follow him on Twitter @KSekouM.

Reviews

PRAISE FOR TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY

Coretta Scott King Honor Winner!

New York Times Best Seller!

“In a lifetime full of highlights, I have to say that helping to publish this book is right up at the top!”
—Rick Riordan, New York Times #1 best-selling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

“A brilliant action adventure rooted in African American lore.”
—New York Times best-selling author Jason Reynolds

“Imagine if you combined Anansi the spider, John Henry, and Marvel into like, one book.”
—Kwame Alexander, New York Times best-selling author and Newbery Medalist

“Tristan Strong is a gift to the world.”
—#1 New York Times best-selling author Nic Stone, author of Dear Martin

“Tristan Strong is a her to root for, a hero whose true strength is found in the indelible power of memory and story.”
—J. C. Cervantes, New York Times best-selling author of The Storm Runner series

“A Marvelous Achievement.”
—Daniel Jose Older, New York Times best-selling author of Shadowshaper

“Tristan Strong will punch a hole in your heart. I lived this book–an epic blend of fantasy, action, and mythology.”
—Eoin Colfer, New York Times best-selling author of the Artemis Fowl series

★“A worthy addition to the diverse array of offerings from Rick Riordan Presents.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★“Overall a stellar mix of the playful and the serious, the traditional and the original, this novel marks the emergence of a strong new voice in myth-based children’s fantasy.”
—BCCB (starred review)

★“It brims with heart, humor, and action, successfully crafting a beautifully unified secondary world that brings the power of stories to glorious life.”
—Booklist (starred review)

★“Tristan’s voice rings true and sympathetic, while the irrepressible Gum Baby steals every scene.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

★“Mbalia returns with a sequel as impressive and even more compelling.”
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)


PRAISE FOR TRISTAN STRONG DESTROYS THE WORLD

New York Times Best Seller!

★“Packs a punch.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★ “Alternately humorous and heartbreaking, this installment sees Tristan entering a dramatic new chapter of his saga that will leave readers eager for more.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

★ “Mbalia returns with a sequel as impressive and even more compelling, offering all the power-packed goodness of the previous volume, with well-plotted pacing and a quick-witted narrative voice.”
—BCCB (starred review)

“Mbalia’s universe continues to excite through sheer conceptual brilliance, nonstop action and adventure, and—let’s be honest—the comical aggression of sidekick god Gum Baby.”
—Booklist

“Mbalia’s stunning landscapes, suspenseful action sequences, and well-paced story line—including questions of how our stories can create but also destroy—will keep readers enthralled to the very end.”
—Horn Book