About This Book:
Kwame needs to help save the world’s source of magic, in the third installment of this action-packed early chapter book series perfect for fans of Dragon Masters!
Pick a book. Grow a Reader!
This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!
The Nkonyaa Tree is losing its magic, which means everyone will soon lose their magic, too! Principal Wari and Kwame’s friend, Fifi, are being blamed for it and the Grand Elder wants to banish them to the Dark Void. But they are not entirely to blame! Kwame and Esi go to the dangerous Kaba Lagoon for a magical ingredient that’s needed for a spell that could heal the tree. With the help of his friends, will Kwame be able to cure the tree before Principal Wari and Fifi are sent away?
With engaging black-and-white artwork on every page, kids won’t be able to put down this fully illustrated, magical, action-packed adventure!
*Review Contributed By Karen Yingling, Staff Reviewer*
Trying to Avoid the Dark Void!
In the week that Kwame has been at Nkonyaa School, he’s been moved from Beginner Magic classes to Basic ones, but has also had to deal with a variety of problems. His skills are developing quickly, and he even has Quainoo, an animal helper. When Fifi, his roommate, and Principal Wari are arrested for crimes against magic, they don’t get a fair trial. The magical council feels that they are behind the fact that the calabash tree is no longer producing fruit, and they are summarily sentenced to be imprisoned in the Dark Void. Kwame and his friends only have two days to fix the tree. They head to the Herb Library hoping for some inspiration, but all they get is riddles from plants that will answer questions. Back in the dorm that night, Kwame is tricked by the Sasandua creatures who call to him in Fifi’s voice. He gets sucked down into their world, where he sees the Earth Queen also being held captive. With the help of Sumaila, a mmotia who helped him escape the Secret Forest, Kwame goes on a quest to find ingredients for a spell to help release the Earth Queen. It takes a long time, and there is a lot of difficulty, but eventually the spell is cast, the Earth Queen released, and the calabash tree springs back to life. The magic council still isn’t too happy, and assigns a high elder to work at the school to keep tabs on everyone. Kwame will be back in The Curse of the Akoma Stone in July of 2025
Good Points
Young readers who haven’t experienced many fantasy books will get a good grounding in many of the tropes found in magical academy books for older readers. Kwame is not like the other students since his calabash had all of the symbols on it, he’s an advanced student who is the only one who can save the day, and he must go on a magical quest to do so. There are forces of evil, like thee Sasandua, but also supposedly “good” people like the council of magic who just make things more difficult.
Nayo’s page illustrations do a great job of showing some of the magical creatures as well as the different areas where the group travels. The African culture is shown in the inclusion of animals, clothing, and items like the calabashes
The Scholastic Branches series are great for strong readers who might be in first grade, all the way up to emerging readers in fifth and sixth grade. The stories are engaging, but not overly complicated. Readers who enjoyed Blackwood’s Race to Fire Mountain series or Osborne’s Magic Treehouse books will be glad to help Kwame out on his quest and will look forward to his further adventures.
