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Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
Published: October 15th, 2019 by Penguin Books
Genre: Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction, Myth
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages, Own
Rating: 5 stars
Publisher's Summary:
Seventh-grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is dreading the month he’s going to spend on his grandparents’ farm in Alabama, where he’s being sent to heal from the tragedy. But on his first night there, a sticky creature shows up in his bedroom and steals Eddie’s journal. Tristan chases after it — is that a doll? — and a tug-of-war ensues between them underneath a Bottle Tree. In a last attempt to wrestle the journal out of the creature’s hands, Tristan punches the tree, accidentally ripping open a chasm into the MidPass, a volatile place with a burning sea, haunted bone ships, and iron monsters that are hunting the inhabitants of this world. Tristan finds himself in the middle of a battle that has left black American gods John Henry and Brer Rabbit exhausted. In order to get back home, Tristan and these new allies will need to entice the god Anansi, the Weaver, to come out of hiding and seal the hole in the sky. But bartering with the trickster Anansi always comes at a price. Can Tristan save this world before he loses more of the things he loves?
My Thoughts:
Rick Riordan and his publishing company along with Disney Hyperion are producing some amazing myth-based stories right now. They're giving platforms to people of color and allowing readers more opportunities to see other stories and people come to life.
Tristan Strong is a powerful showcase. Tristan is a kid who's grieving the death of his best friend Eddie. His dad and grandfather have taught him how to box but he loses his first match and they send him to live with family down south for the summer.
Soon Eddie's journal begins to glow strangely and he starts seeing things. He wakes up one night to find a small moving doll named Gum Baby stealing his best friend's journal! This sets him on a journey to save his world of stories. Along with Gum Baby, we meet Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, John Henry, High John, Anansi, and other gods and goddesses all come into play.
Kwame Mbalia is able to weave a story that is poignant, powerful, and heartfelt. He does not shy away from the power of stories and gets to tell them. Racism and slavery are powerful metaphors throughout as well as grief and trauma.
The story is funny. Gum Baby is a wise-cracking, loveable, fierce and loyal. She has the best lines in the whole book.
I didn't read this one aloud with G but we both read it within a few weeks of each other and he loved it too. He even cried over Tristan's best friend Eddie. It's got it all. I am definitely reading the rest of the series!
