Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

First edition
Author	Kwame Mbalia
Cover artist	Erik Wilkerson[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Tristan Strong series
Release number	1
Genre	Fantasy, mythology
Publisher	Disney-Hyperion, Rick Riordan Presents
Publication date	October 15, 2019
Pages	496
Awards	Children's Africana Book Award Coretta Scott King Award
Followed by

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is the debut novel of Kwame Mbalia. Published in 2019 by "Rick Riordan Presents", the middle grade novel is focused on African American folktales and West African mythology.^[2] The story follows teenager Tristan Strong, who is often urged to be a boxer by his family. After his friend Eddie's death, Tristan goes to live with his grandparents on their farm to deal with his anxiety, bringing only a small amount of luggage and Eddie's old journal.

Like many of the other works in the "Rick Riordan Presents" imprint, the book, which is the first in Mbalia's Tristan Strong series, has been praised for its diverse representation of characters and mythological deities, as well as its plot and character development.

Synopsis[]

Tristan Strong is a seventh grade boy, forced into boxing by his parents, mourning the death of his best friend Eddie, who died in a terrible bus crash. Eddie has left Tristan his journal, but survivor's guilt stops Tristan from reading it. Tristan is sent south, to Alabama, to heal from the tragedy and live with his grandparents, one of whom is very strict and makes him work on the farm. On his first night there, Eddie's journal is stolen by a strange doll-like creature, revealed to be a magic creature covered in sap named Gum Baby. A chase ensues, and in an effort get the journal back, Tristan opens a portal to a parallel world, Alke, in the Midpass, where his grandmother's stories about mythology and folktales suddenly become very real.^[3][4] Tristan finds himself in the Bottle Tree Forest, a haunted forest Tristan's nana forbid him to go in, and soon falls into the sea below, where he escapes, meeting Ayanna and Gum Baby and Chestnutt, as well as the deity Br'er Rabbit, who dies in the fight, and learning that he caused a rip to open up in MidPass, and that he must save it with the help of Anansi, an African deity, but loses Eddie's journal once more and demands that he find it with the help of his new friends. After learning that the only way to repair the hole is with the help of the character Anansi, so they set out to steal his famed Story Box to draw him out and ask for help.

They travel the whole of Alke, seeing the divide between the Alkeans and Midfolk, and how the Fetterlings, or Iron Monsters, as the deities call them so as not to risk saying their name, are attacking both worlds. When the arrive as Anansi's Palace for the Story Box, they realizes the trickster god and the sky god Nyame, another deity, have been trying to come up with ways to defeat the Fetterlings. They travel to the vertical city of Isihlangu, where Tristan tells a power story for the council of the city and summons the Hull Beast, leader of the Fetterlings, who brings his Brand Flies to attack. They escape with resident Thandiwe, but Chestnutt is hurt and Ayanna is critically injured. To heal her, they are met by High John the Conqueror, whose magic is not powerful enough, and then suggests they travel to the Golden Crescent, where Anansi resides, to help her. They find the Golden Crescent having been taking by the Fetterlings, Hullbeasts, and Brand Flies, but after defeating the creatures, Tristan must face the man who sent them, who calls himself Uncle Cotton. Cotton has Eddie's journal, so Tristan makes a deal with him: the Story Box for the journal. Tristan tricks Cotton, though, dispelling him for a long time. However, the box is broken in the process, and he must use his power as an Anansesem, a storyteller, to rebuild it with the help of Nyame. Tristan heals Ayanna, and finds that MidPass has been saved, and many of those—including Br'er Rabbit—who had gone missing reappear and are saved; however Tristan deduces that Br'er Rabbit is really Anansi in the disguise. Nyame, High Jonn, and John Henry help him trap Anansi in a cell phone, after he repairs the rift in the sky. Tristan returns to his farm in Alabama, promising to return one day soon.

Themes[]

Tristan Strong includes portrayals of African American folktales, West African mythology, the legacy of the Atlantic slave trade.^[5] Tristan Strong meets African American folktale characters like Brer Fox, High John the Conqueror, and John Henry.^[3] Strong also meets West African deities like Nyame, Mmoatia, and Anansi the Weaver. Most of the book is set in Alke, in the MidPass.^[6] Mbalia was introduced to Anansi tales, a major aspect of the novel, by his late father.^[2] Tristan's personality was largely inspired by Mbalia's oldest daughter.^[7] On Twitter, Mbalia has noted that Tristan experiences "grief and loss, both personal and cultural."^[8]

Reception[]

Kirkus Reviews, in a starred review, called Tristan Strong "a worthy addition to the diverse array of offerings from Rick Riordan Presents."^[9] School Library Journal, also in a starred review, said "this debut novel offers a richly realized world, a conversational, breezy style, and a satisfying conclusion that leaves room for sequels."^[3] Publishers Weekly, in another starred review, called it a "triumphant middle grade debut."^[5] In a review for The New York Times, John Steves praised Mbalia's plot developments as "powerful and surprising," saying that the author "has a good ear for dialogue."^[6] The novel was a New York Times best-seller, debuting at No. 8 on the list,^[2][10] and The New York Times named Tristan Strong as one of The 25 Best Children's Books of 2019.^[11] In addition, the novel was a 2020 Coretta Scott King Award honor book.^[12] The book received a Children's Africana Book Award (CABA) in 2020, for Best Book for Older Readers.^[13]

Common Sense Media said about the characterization, "Author Kwame Mbalia has created a highly likable main character in Tristan, who's at first reluctant to be enmeshed in the magical battles but gradually accepts that his help is crucial to the cause" and that "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky deserves praise for the ways it pays respect to African cultures, displaying their vitality and continuing relevance," complementing the book's diversity and background. The review also gave the book a four-star rating out of five.^[14] A review on Utopia State of Mind said that Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky "is a story about bravery, grief, and believing in yourself" and "an action packed story that tackles grief, guilt, and the power of stories."^[15] Rich in Color praised the character of Gum Baby and the humanization of John Henry in the book as opposed to typic folklore in stories.^[16]

Sequels[]

The sequel to Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, , was published in October 2020, and continues Tristan's adventure.^[17] A third installation in the series has been announced. It remained untitled, until February 2021, when it was named Tristan Strong Keeps Punching. It will be released on October 5, 2021.^[18][19]

Adaptation[]

A graphic novel adaptation of the book is set to be released on May 3, 2022. The art will be done by Robert Venditti and Olivia Stephens, while Mbalia will remain the author. The book will consist of 128 pages.^[20]

References[]

External links[]

• Rick [Riordan] Interviews Kwame Mbalia at Read Riordan