Children of the Quicksands
by Efua Traoré· 2021
In a remote Nigerian village, twelve-year-old Simi is desperate to uncover a family secret. City girl Simi is sent to stay with her long-lost grandmother in a remote Nigerian village. There's no TV, internet or phone. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside. Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she's tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what? Determined to find out, Simi disobeys her grandmother and goes exploring. Caught in the sinking red quicksand of a forbidden lake, her fantastical journey begins. This magical fantasy adventure set in West Africa introduces readers to Yoruba myths and legends and explores themes of grief and belonging.
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In a remote Nigerian village, twelve-year-old Simi is desperate to uncover a family secret. City girl Simi is sent to stay with her long-lost grandmother in a remote Nigerian village. There's no TV, internet or phone. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside. Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she's tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what? Determined to find out, Simi disobeys her grandmother and goes exploring. Caught in the sinking red quicksand of a forbidden lake, her fantastical journey begins. This magical fantasy adventure set in West Africa introduces readers to Yoruba myths and legends and explores themes of grief and belonging.