Zahrah the Windseeker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zahrah the Windseeker (Houghton Mifflin, Sept 2005), written by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu, is one of a very small handful of young adult fantasy novels that incorporate the myths and folklore and culture of West Africa. Okorafor-Mbachu was born in the United States to two Nigerian (Igbo) parents.
[edit] Plot introduction
In the northern Ooni Kingdom, fear of the unknown runs deep, and children born dada are rumored to have special powers. Thirteen-year-old Zahrah Tsami feels like a normal girl, she grows her own flora computer, has mirrors sewn onto her clothes, and stays clear of the Forbidden Greeny Jungle. But unlike other children in the village of Kirki, Zahrah was born with the telling dadalocks. Only her best friend, Dari, isn’t afraid of her, even when something unusual begins happening—something that definitely makes Zahrah different. The two friends determine to investigate, edging closer and closer to danger. When Dari’s life is threatened, Zahrah must face her worst fears alone, including the very thing that makes her different.
In this novel, things aren’t always what they seem, monkeys tell fortunes, plants offer wisdom, and a teenage girl is the only one who stands a chance at saving her best friend’s life.
