The leopard behind the moon

"Long before you were born, or perhaps it was long after you had departed, there was a village." So begins this wondrous tale of the village of Sesa, the unusual boy who lives there -- and magic enough to change them both. Sesa has long been divided by the perceived ability of its residents, with those who "lacked the talent and skill to contribute fully" relegated to the compound known as Noroad. Even within Noroad, all inhabitants are expected to fill prescribed roles. Grief-stricken after his father is killed by a leopard, however, young Ezomo refuses to follow the traditional path of a child, instead choosing to spend his days wandering in the nearby woods -- an act the elders see as a threat to their authority. While they discuss the means of correction or punishment, Ezomo encounters the same leopard responsible for his father's death, and his journey for justice begins. Joined by two friends who experienced tragedies within their own families, Ezomo enters a magical vision quest of sorts into a beautifully described land full of talking birds, ageless children, sentient swamps, and magical trees. Far from traveling a linear route, the tale doesn't come to a neat conclusion for Ezomo and his friends, but it's a satisfying one all the same. Combining adventure, cautionary tale, and folklore, the narrative includes many side stories and intertwined histories. Christie's fantastical black-and-white illustrations, which mimic wood carvings, are interspersed throughout. Making use of many characteristics found in West African oral traditions (call and response, repetition, proverbs, etc.), this tale is a joy to read both silently and aloud. Eboni Njoku January/February 2022 p.118(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A boy and his best friends embark on a pilgrimage that delivers bittersweet life lessons in a richly rendered, West African--inspired world. Ezomo is a 10-year-old boy from the village of Sesa. Secluded from the outside world by an impenetrable hedge of sweet thorn trees and a moss-covered door, Sesa has strict rules and traditions. No one is to open the village door, and no child is to go out at night without an adult. Called useless for his daydreaming ways, Ezomo has been considered a nuisance since his father's passing 3 years ago; his grief has been a constant burden, interfering with his ability to be a contributing village member or of any help to his mother. Ezomo's two best friends, Chimama and Muja, are treated as outcasts thanks to their parents' shameful shortcomings. One day Ezomo spots a leopard in the forest that he believes was responsible for his father's death. With his friends, Ezomo sets out to capture the leopard as vengeance. Their quest and ensuing desperate circumstances lead them to the forbidden village door--and the potential discovery of weighted secrets. They may have to break the rules to rectify past wrongs and salvage their own futures. Paasewe-Valchev's prose is captivating, smooth, and poetic in its delivery of this fresh and layered narrative. With well-timed, fluid pacing, this novel masterfully deals with themes of friendship, family, loss, and hope. Readers will be engrossed from start to finish. A beautifully rendered coming-of-age story. (Fiction. 8-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.