Indies Introduce

Young Adult

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  Skin of the Sea, Natasha Bowen
  Random House Books for Young Readers, 9780593120941, November 9, 2021 (Young Adult)
  

  “Natasha Bowen gives voice to the long established African and Carribean folk legends about merbeings and the goddess Yemoja in her fantastic debut, Skin of the Sea. A riveting folklore-fantasy that is rooted in the historic reality of the Euro-American trade of enslaved Africans.”

  Brein Lopez, Children’s Book World, Los Angeles, CA
  
  

  “Simi, a mami wata struggling to adjust to her new after-life, endangers her sisters and her goddess when she saves the life of a kidnapped young man thrown overboard. Now the two must unite and travel across the ocean and lands of Africa to thwart power-hungry Esu. Drawing from colonial and slave-trade history, West African mythology and religion, and The Little Mermaid as inspiration, the resulting quest is a fast-paced narrative that makes big swings.”

  Hannah Amrollahi, Bookworm of Omaha, Omaha, NE
  

   

  “During a time when representation is so important, this book really spoke to me. Mermaids are beautiful creatures and my whole life, I never thought they looked like me because I never saw a mermaid that slightly resembled me. But Natasha Bowen has created a world where mermaids look like me, my Momma, my sisters, my grandmother...they have natural kinky, curly hair and skin in every shade of brown that represents my family. Skin of the Sea is a beautiful book that is a blend of history, African mythology, and a fantastical world that will ensnare readers. Black history is so much more than pain and trauma. This book celebrates all the positive and uplifting aspects of African culture and history during a time of great tragedy. It showed me the resiliency of my people in the face of unspeakable pain. This book moved me and it should be shared with the world.”

  Kim Brock, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH