I read books one and two in this series back to back, so it is a little hard to review this one independently. There is nonstop action as well as great characters. Gum Baby is definitely a character that adds plenty of humor to the story. I appreciate that Tristan is a kid dealing with real-life difficulties while also becoming a mythic hero. The books also made me want to learn more about the mythology and folk tales that inspired these stories.

Favorite characters return, and new ones are introduced. Tristan has found an even fiercer foe in the second book of the trilogy, and now his grandmother's life is on the line.

Tristan returns to the land of Alke and with the help of our favorite heroine Gum Baby, the trickster spider Anansie, Ayanna, and others. John Henry is fading, and the fear is other storybook heroes will soon follow. Tristan, still recovering from his last adventure, is slow to trust new faces like Junior.

Kwame Mbalia is a fantastic writer and builds a vivid and clear world. Tristan is a complicated hero, he doesn't always do the right thing, but he does know when to admit he was wrong. Mbalia's books and voice add to the growing number of diverse authors and stories in the middle-grade fantasy world. The West African mythology mixed with Southern folklore makes this a story you won't want to miss.

I am so thankful to Disney Hyperion for an ebook galley, and I was sure to buy an audiobook version as soon as it was published. This book is one your library patrons and students will want to read AND listen to again and again. Make sure to purchase lots of copies for the inevitable rush of holds!

Though I liked seeing familiar characters in Tristan Strong Destroys the World the storyline was ok and repetitive within itself. Tristan's interludes, aka Dad Jokes, were very distracting and broke up the story too frequently. It took you out of the story. I still like the characters, Lady Night was an amazing addition to this cast. But I do not understand why they did not let Annsi out of the phone. I feel that he should not have been in the story at all, he wasn't a very useful character. I would still recommend this book, especially to reluctant readers who might need the repetitiveness and the humor breaks but I do not know if I will continue on.

Tristan Strong Destroys the World is a powerful sequel to its predecessor. There is more magic, action, and stories to learn from than ever before. If the ending is any indication, things are going to be even more epic in the next book of the trilogy. For now, though, readers who enjoyed Tristan Strong’s first adventure can join him once more and have their world rocked.

Seeing Tristan Strong book 2 slide across my screen made me ecstatic. I enjoyed it immensely. Tristan undergoes some serious character development and has to come to terms with his personal trauma, character flaws, and the world ending (again). It doesn't turn out all bad, thankfully! And if that wasn't a serious setup for a book 3, I don't know what is.

The best thing about the Tristan Strong series is that it's more than just mythology in the real world. It's an exploration of culture and cultural memory. It thrills me to see an author take that on for a middle grade audience. Mbalia doesn't underestimate his audience but rather challenges them with ideas and allows them to rise to the occasion. This volume not only continues to address grief and PTSD, as in the first one, but adds in the nature of story and culture and how they inform one another. We see how grief and shame can twist the soul, break people down perhaps beyond repair. There are fun and heroic characters, of course, but even the silliest have depth. There's enough action to keep the plot moving and the reader engaged but doesn't skim on messaging and depth

This series is amazing. I wish I had a Gum Baby. Please someone give me a Gum Baby. She’s annoying, but she’s super also super amazing and funny. I love her. She’s also the reason this series is one of my favorites.

Just when he thought it was finally over, Tristan was spending time with his grandparents. (Or rather his grandpa was signing him up for fights he didn’t want to do…) And then out of nowhere, his grandmother is abducted from some monster from Alke. He’s now with Anansi the web developer, big mouth Gum Baby, and the heroes from folk tales. Can they figure out a way to survive this new quest?

The very best thing about this book was of course the characters. From Grandad, Gum Baby, Tristan, and all he folk heroes. My favorite by far was the Kulture Vulture lmao You won’t get it unless you read it. They all are so cute and impossible to love. I dare someone to read this series and say they don’t like a character like Gum Baby.

The plot itself was also amazing. There was something crazy in every chapter. This quest wasn’t as wild as the last one, but it was definitely just as fun. I can’t say this was as good as the first one, but that’s because that one changed my life. There was so much going on in that one that I wasn’t expecting it. This one had me expecting more of the same, so I was ready for the crazy goodness. I loved it.

The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars this time was the end. I don’t know, it just seemed kind of rushed? Maybe it’s just me, but I felt like if the rest of the book was so descriptive, the ending should be also? But it seemed like it was just there, and then it was quickly over. I did like the tree house situation, but that’s really all. It kinda made this feel like a sophomore filler book.

I’m so excited to see what else is going to happen to Tristan. This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I can’t wait to see where his story takes him in this last story!

Mbalia does it again! I was so engulfed in the story from beginning to end, and I love how he infused new Black gods and goddesses into the story. I love the story, but I also learn. So many stories have been lost, and Tristan has helped me to find them.

I adored this book almost as much as the first. I enjoyed seeing many of the same characters as the first book (Gum Baby, especially), but also meeting many new characters who helped move the story along. Lots of heart, humor, adventure, and opportunities for us to root for our imperfect but big-hearted hero, Tristan Strong.

I can't wait to add this to my collection.

A thrilling sequel, Tristan Strong is a dynamic character that really packs a punch! I love the storyline and the strength of the character's voice that leads every page. It's a fantastic read and I'm already recommending it to all of my students!

Tristan finds himself having to face his fears and return to the world of Alke when his Nana is taken by the Shamble Man.

The themes of PTSD in an individual and a community are present, as Tristan has to come to terms with what happened in book 1, and the people of Alke attempt to rebuild their world. Family, both of blood and found family, the power of stories, and the hope they bring, all play crucial parts in this story. With so many themes, and hard topics to cover in a middle grade novel many books would fall short because they are trying to do too much, Not Tristan Strong. Mbalia crafts a wonderful story full of so many lessons, themes, and packed full of history and culture. Any English major would find a sea of things to write about. But Mbalia also makes them so easily understandable to the intended audience without breaking the flow of the story. Every middle school library should have Tristan Strong on their shelves. Even with such a dire situation as Tristan finds himself in, the writing still made me laugh at times and let me be in awe of the world that was being explored. The balance was great!

Tristan Strong Destroys the World is a masterpiece of stories stitched together in just the right way.

This is a terrific sequel to Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky. Tristan ends up retuning to Alke to try to rescue his grandmother. There are familiar characters and new ones that make the story as compelling and as much fun as the first one.

Kwame Mbalia has done it again. I am all for as many Tristan books as he cares to write. It's a hard call, but I think Kwame is my favorite author in the Riordan imprint family. This story begins only a month after the last ends, and just as Tristan feels things are getting back to normal, they go sideways. The African mythology nods are amazing in this story, there are so many layers, and the fact that the meaning and importance of family in an action-packed kids book is paramount tells you just what a great series this is. This is middle-grade fantasy at it’s best. I can’t wait for book 3!

Tristan Strong Destroys the World is another excellent work from Kwame Mbalia! I will admit it was not quite as enjoyable as the first book, but that's really just middle-book syndrome and for all that it is the middle book in a trilogy, it's still superb! I will forever and always suggest this book to anyone and everyone. Also, I need a movie or TV adaptation stat!

I am an avid reader of the Rick Riordan books, as well as his imprint, and was pleased last year to discover Kwame Mbalia's work in the first Tristan Strong novel. I have witnessed the power of the first book in capturing middle grades readers firsthand.

Both the first book and its now-released sequel invite the reader into a sprawling world of realistic youth concerns and supernatural elements. I love the way Mbalia weaves together lore and modern culture to create a fun experience. There is much to explore here, and the author presents this world in an entertaining way.

In Tristan Strong Destroys the World, Mbalia gives us another trip into this universe, this time upping the stakes for the young hero. There is an element of fright as the reader encounters new challenges in the storyline, but the ingredients of creativity and energy that made the first book such an engaging read prove to be present here again.

Having read both of these books, I'm ready for more in the series, and I'm happy to be part of spreading the word for young readers and those of us who are older but appreciate a good story, too. Highly recommended!

This book was great. I loved that I got to dive back into Tristan’s world. I always love everything I read by Rick Riordan but I have to admit Kwame definitely may be my new mythological/ YA Fantasy author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

You guys. When I saw the email saying I had access to the ARC of Tristan Strong Destroys the World I started dancing in my classroom. Seriously. (I don’t have students in class yet, so it wasn’t super embarrassing.) I have been excited to read this for months and as you will read below, it didn’t disappoint! It was definitely a bright moment in the midst of a difficult teaching time.

In this sequel to Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia, a month has passed since Tristan has left Alke and his new friends after defeating an evil haint and fixing the tear between worlds. Things seem slightly back to normal under spirits show up at his grandparents’ farm and warn him of a new evil coming his way…which soon shows up, trashes the farm, and kidnaps Nana, taking her back to Alke. With the help of new and old friends, Tristan must return to Alke and use his powers as an Anansesem (storyteller) to try to save Nana and both of the worlds he loves from a terrible fate.

In the words of Tristan Strong, SWEET PEACHES. That is the exact phrase that went through my head after finishing this book. I loved it just as much as I loved the first one, and maybe even a tiny bit more. Mbalia has such a gift of communicating about tough subjects (trauma, in particular) in such eloquent and accessible ways. I read this for my myself, but also thinking about my 7th grade students and not only does Mbalia communicate about trauma, but he teaches his readers what that even means, the many ways it can manifest itself in those who have experienced it, and how one might try to start to heal. The storytelling element in this second book was stunning–in the stories themselves and in the way Tristan has to learn new aspects of his power. Tristan Strong Destroys the World was exciting and impactful and then end had me like WHOA. There was nothing I disliked about this book and I can’t wait to tell my students about it!

HIGHLY recommend. If you love middle-grade novels, or anything by Rick Riordan or the “Rick Riordan Presents” line, you will love this one. It is necessary to read these books in order–if you pick this one up first you might be a bit confused. I’m so excited to talk the ear off of everyone I know about this book (like I did with the first one).

I loved the first Tristan Strong, and I've loved everything that has come from this imprint thus far. I am not surprised to have loved this one as well, and to have learned more of these stories - I now have a deeper knowledge, but it was just fun to learn! These books are a must for a classroom library.

Listen... you can tell Kwame Mbalia was feeling himself when he wrote this book. From the start, we are once again carried away by Tristan's strong (no pun intended) and hilarious voice. One of my favourite things about this series is that Tristan regularly reacts exactly like how I would react in a similar situation - particularly thinking 'oh, absolutely not' when presented with an absurdly dangerous suggestion. I am grateful for a main character with a sarcastic will to survive.

You can sense Mbalia catching his stride in this book- new characters are dynamic, old characters are more charming than ever, the action is energetic, and the plot twists are succulent. What struck me is the mesmerizing worldbuilding - you can feel the joy oozing off the page (or, in my case, shining through the Kindle).

Importantly, at no point does the story lose sight of its rich emotional core - love, family, community. Grief, yes. And hope.

Overall, a fun follow-up to the first book! Looking forward to where the series goes.

An epic second part of the Tristan series. When you fall, get back up. The stories of folk heroes, combined with wisdom from the elders knit a quilt of saving grace. Trauma and grief are encountered in scenes that will have tears falling down your face. Get back up. When it seems the world is shattering, we can all band together and fix it but you have to get back up. An amazing story full of action, life lessons and hope. Part three will be even more daring and action packed as the heroes face old and new foes.