"Akata Witch" is about not fitting in, even in all the places you should, finding a way to fit that doesn't look "normal," and the strength to stand up when people are getting hurt.

Sunny Nwazue lives in Nigeria, but she was born in New York City. Her features are West African, but she's albino. She's a terrific athlete, but can't go out into the sun to play soccer. 

There seems to be no place where she fits in. And then she discovers something amazing--she has latent magical power. And she has a lot of catching up to do.
Soon she's part of a quartet of magic students (who are ADHD, dyslexic, and averse to authority), studying the visible and invisible, learning to change reality. But as she's finding her footing, Sunny and her friends are asked by the magical authorities to help track down a career criminal who knows magic, too. Will their training be enough to help them combat a threat whose powers greatly outnumber theirs?



Why join me for this book?

1. It's a mystery, adventure, a picture of what's possible in families when parents accept neurodivergence as a gift, and a fabulous fantasy world with relatable, realistic characters.

2. Thoughtfully discussing books with others brings out more depth and meaning than a simple "I liked it" or "it was good."

3. We all need books with characters like us, as well as ones who are not like us. Characters like us help us feel less alone, and characters who are different help us understand other lives and experiences. The first time I read a book with a character who felt like me, who had the same hangups I did, who problem-solved in the same way, and got into the same difficulties, I finally felt normal. Because that character was autistic. And so was the author. And so am I.

Please read/listen to the book on your own before class. When we meet, I’ll ask an opening question about the book to start the discussion, and guide learners through a socratic seminar style discussion. 

I have done this extensively with teens, tweens, and young adults, and have had amazing experiences of seeing the world differently and relating to my discussion partners differently as we discuss a book, and explore the important ideas it brings up, together.

I hope you will join me!


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What will this class be like? 

There won't be any book reports, or quizzes, or character analysis, or writing summaries, or any of the types of assignments you're probably used to in school. We're going to discuss the book. But this isn't just talking about what you liked and didn't. 

This is a different kind of discussion called a socratic seminar. 

Socratic seminars are a way to thoughtfully explore a text and the ideas it brings up with other people so that everyone gets much more out of it than reading the book on your own. 


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Who is this class for?

Learners of ALL neurotypes are welcome, including neurotypicals!

What is neurodiversity? The term describes people who process information differently than what is typical. This includes autism, ADHD, Tourette, OCD, dyslexia, sensory differences, and more.

This class is a welcoming place for diverse learning and communication styles. Students are welcome to participate with camera on or off, via chat or voice or listening quietly, to move or fidget or stimm or doodle, and to request accommodations as needed.

This group is a welcoming place for LGBTQIA+ teens, cis, trans, nonbinary, agender, and gender expansive teens welcome.


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Publisher's description of "Akata Witch," by Nnedi Okorafor:

"Nnedi Okorafor writes glorious futures and fabulous fantasies. Her characters take your heart and squeeze it; her worlds open your mind to new things." -- Neil Gaiman, author of 

The Graveyard Book and American Gods

Affectionately dubbed "the Nigerian Harry Potter," Akata Witch weaves together a heart-pounding tale of magic, mystery, and finding one's place in the world. Perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone!

Sunny Nwazue lives in Nigeria, but she was born in New York City. Her features are West African, but she's albino. She's a terrific athlete, but can't go out into the sun to play soccer. 

There seems to be no place where she fits in. And then she discovers something amazing--she is a "free agent" with latent magical power. And she has a lot of catching up to do.
Soon she's part of a quartet of magic students, studying the visible and invisible, learning to change reality. But as she's finding her footing, Sunny and her friends are asked by the magical authorities to help track down a career criminal who knows magic, too. Will their training be enough to help them combat a threat whose powers greatly outnumber theirs?

World Fantasy Award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor blends magic and adventure to create a lush world. Her writing has been called "stunning" by The New York Times and her fans include Neil Gaiman, Rick Riordan, John Green, Ursula K. Le Guin, and many more!
Raves for Nnedi Okorafor's writing:

"There's more imagination on a page of Nnedi Okorafor's work than in whole volumes of ordinary fantasy epics." --Ursula K. Le Guin, award-winning author of A Wizard of Earthsea

"The most imaginative, gripping, enchanting fantasy novels I have ever read!" --Laurie Halse Anderson, National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author of Speak

"I always loved science fiction, but I didn't feel I was part of it--until I read first Octavia Butler, and now Nnedi Okorafor." --Whoopi Goldberg

"Highly original stuff, episode after amazing episode, full of color, life, and death. Nnedi Okorafor's work is wonderful!" --Diana Wynne Jones, award-winning author of The Chronicles of Chrestomanci

"Jam-packed with mythological wonders." --Rick Riordan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

"Okorafor's imagination is stunning." --The New York Times Book Review