Kingdom of Dust

Kingdom of Dust

by Lisa Stringfellow

Released August 20, 2024

Though the land of Kun used to be lush and green, Amara has only ever known her homeland as a dry, dusty desert. When the griots vanished more than a decade ago, they took their magic with them, along with goddess Oala's gifts of rain and plenty, leaving Kun controlled by a powerful and uncaring king. And though her foster mother, Zirachi, assures her that Kun is not under a curse, Amara can't help but wonder if her own origin, which is shrouded in mystery, is somehow linked to the broken kingdom.

When Amara and Zirachi are attacked by the Nkume, the fearsome king's guard, Amara must flee, leaving all that she has known behind. With nowhere to go but knowing that she is under Oala's protection, Amara sets off to do the impossible: find the griots and save Kun before the kingdom blows away like dust.

Lisa Stringfellow received the inaugural Kweli Color of Children's Literature Manuscript Award in 2019 for A Comb of Wishes. She is a middle school teacher and lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with her children and two bossy cats.