Children of the Spider

Gr 7 Up—Desperate to find her father in an unknown land, Mayali flees the only home she has ever known to search for him. When she arrives in Zolpash, a land that is consumed by harsh weather and suffocating sulphur, Mayali meets Joseph, a mute boy. Upon meeting him, Mayali discovers that although he cannot speak, he communicates with her in other ways—through his mind. This comes as a surprise to both of the children, as they had not had this silent ability previously. Soon, strange things begin to emerge. Mayali is confronted by creatures that seem unreal and threaten to destroy her world. This leads Mayali and Joseph to embark on a cross-country adventure to save Earth from the invading Spider gods and their armies. The settings are described in visualized detail as the author merges colonial times with the harsh, contemporary world. This adventure fantasy won an award in 2015 for Caribbean Literature. The dialect might be difficult for some readers, but strong fantasy readers will want to pull through.