Thomas, Angie. Manifestor Prophecy, The. Fiadzigbey, Setor, Illus. Nic Blake and the Remarkables Series; bk.1. HarperCollins / Balzer & Bray, 04/2023. 368pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99 978-0-06-322513-8. GRADES 3 – 7. OUTSTANDING.
Unlike a certain boy wizard of kid fiction or a well-known demigod from New York who suddenly discover that they are different than the muggles or mortals living around them, Nic Blake has always known that she is a Manifestor—a type of remarkable living in a world of unremarkables. Like her dad, a dark-skinned, dread-locked man who makes the neighborhood moms swoon, Nic has the gift—but she hasn’t been trained how to use it. She thinks this will change on her twelfth birthday, but her father backs out of his promise to train her. When Nic’s dad is falsely imprisoned by LORE, the Remarkable government, Nic has to use her wits, powers and, most of all, her closest friends to prove his innocence. What follows is a great adventure that mixes fantasy and magic with folktales and African American history. Angie Thomas’s ear for dialogue is stellar and her magical world is filled with delights and surprises. Best of all, it is a smartly written and sweet adventure story centering on a young, brave, smart Black girl (and her pet hell-hound)..
Rachael Reiley—Hillcrest K-8 / Oakland Unified School District