EEK! Alright, I rarely continue on with a series beyond book 1-there are just far too many books to read. But after the first 1 in this, how could you not keep going?!

I loved the story. I loved see all of these amazing characters again. Fantastic!

For librarians: Is book 1 checking out? Buy it. Have you not picked up book 1 yet? Buy it.

Review based on a digital ARC provided via NetGalley

Tristan Strong is back in this fast paced follow up to Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky. Thrown into the realm of Alke to save someone important to him, Tristan must enlist the help of some friends from the first book, some very powerful friends who happen to be African American folk heroes and West African gods. Not much time has passed since we last saw Tristan and he continues to deal with the grief of his friend’s death – on top of that, he has to contend with the fall out from his last adventures in Alke. As his adventure unfolds, he begins to realize that trauma is at the center of his feelings – and he has to learn to come to terms with his own trauma while understanding the trauma with which others are faced. It sounds dark, it sounds sad and it sounds heavy, but Kwame Mbalia is a master storyteller, and in his hands, it is not really any of those things. He deftly handles all of the characters and their individual roles in this story, all the while acknowledging the importance of the stories from the African diaspora that contribute to the narrative. The story is action packed and fun, with lots of danger, but Tristan and his friends are up the challenge. There are some very powerful female characters in this story, but I won’t say too much about them so that I don’t give anything away.

This book ends neatly, but not like a present with a bow on top. It ends with possibilities and hope – it ends with growth and acknowledgement. If Kwame Mbalia were to write another book in this series, it would not go amiss, but it’s not necessary, as the reader is left feeling satisfied and empowered.

I listened to the first one on audio and it was fantastic! I read this one, but I bet it would be a great listen, too!

Tristan Strong Destroys the World was my most anticipated Middle Grade novel of 2020. I had so much fun reading Kwame Mbalia's debut, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, last year. I fell in love with Tristan, as well as Mbalia's wit and compelling writing style.

I was blown away by the fact that it was a debut. The quality of the story, as well as the world-building, were top notch. The Tristan Strong series is published by the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. If you aren't aware, this imprint is focused on publishing novels that allow Middle Grade authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds tell stories inspired by the mythology and folklore of their heritage.

I have read many of the books published through this imprint and I must say, each and every one has been absolutely fantastic. If you are sleeping on the Rick Riordan Presents books, I highly encourage you to give one a try. There is truly something for every Reader among the releases.

My biggest observation of Mbalia's writing is that he writes with HEART. Tristan is such a well-imagined character. I absolutely adore his perspective, his humor and the many admirable qualities he is developing as he grows through the adventures held within these pages!

In this second installment, Tristan is forced back to Alke, the magical land of African Gods and African American folk heroes, after his beloved Nana is stolen away by a mysterious villain out for revenge. There he is reunited with many old friends from the first book, including my favorite, the dynamic Gum Baby.

As with the first book, this installment offers up nonstop action and humor. I was biting my nails in anticipation, while simultaneously laughing at Tristan's thoughts or witty dialogue.

This book ended with a lot still at stake. I am so excited for the third book. It honestly cannot come soon enough. If you haven't checked out this series yet, now is the perfect time to do so. Tristan Strong Destroys the World is releasing October 6th, so you have just enough time to get in the first book before its release!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney-Hyperion and Rick Riordan Presents, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.

I appreciate it so much and also appreciate the thought and dedication that goes into this entire imprint. I have been exposed to so many new myths and legends from cultures around the world through RRP and for that, I am truly grateful!

"A storm had already ripped through my life. What was a few more drops of water?"

At the beginning of summer, Tristan Strong accidentally punched a hole in the sky, sending him into Alke, a world filled with African folklore. After defeating the iron ships and fetterlings that plagued the people using his own unique gift as an Anansesem, Tristan returned home to his grandparents' farm, working to collect more stories. But Tristan hasn't felt right since he returned, getting lost in his own head; the trauma of what he has seen has shaken him deep to his core, causing him to doubt himself.

Then Tristan starts to have visions of a figure known only as the Shamble Man, wreaking havoc on the recovering Alke. And then the Shamble Man comes to Tristan's world, and steals Tristan's beloved Nana. Now, Tristan rushes back to Alke to team up with old friends--John Henry, Ayanna, Chestnut, and, of course, the one and only Gum Baby with her infamous Sap Attacks!--to stop the Shamble Man and save his grandmother. Can Tristan save the day again? Or will he destroy this world he cares so deeply for?

The second phenomenal book in Mbalia's "Tristan Strong" trilogy (!!!!!) returns to the magical world of Alke, full of goddesses, boo hags, tricksters, heroes, and legends from African and African-American folklore. Explore new places, meet new faces, and hear new tales while also seeing the return of old friends, having frank conversations about trauma in ways that young people (and old people) understand, pushing forward when all hope seems lost, and learning what it means to really be a hero.

Mbalia does an amazing job writing about Tristan's relationships with the adults/role-models/teachers in his life; in the first book, that focus was on John Henry. This book focuses on Tristan's relationship with Nana, who we learn has also been adventuring in Alke, and has been--in essence--the origin of Tristan's role as the Anasesm. She was the one who has taught Tristan about the stories and figures from folklore and mythology, and is the voice in his ear when faced with problems. But, ultimately, she is a source of love and comfort, of strength and resolve. Nana is the woman that Tristan will destroy worlds for, and I think that is beautiful.

Also, Gum Baby has managed to get even sassier since we last saw her. Consider yourself warned. (Seriously, you may strain muscles from laughing so hard.)

Thanks to @netgalley and @disneybooks for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. If you haven’t started this series yet, get it together! It’s amazing. Book two of Tristan’s journey starts with a boxing match, with Mama’s kidnapping following. Tristan has to enlist the help of Anansi (stuck in his SBP) and the rest of the gang to find his grandmother and stop her captor from creating more devastation in Alke. Gum Baby is back with more zingers, and the story development is phenomenal. The ending leaves it open for book three. I can’t wait! #mglit #librarian #librariansofinstagram #middleschoollibrarian #weneediversebooks

This summer, I got the pleasure of reading the second in the Tristan Strong series, Tristan Strong Destroys the World, by Kwame Mbalia! When I tell you that this series is one of the most brilliantly written novels I've read...believe it! This book follows Tristan after the first book. He's trying to appease his grandfather by trying to follow in his footsteps and being the best boxer in the area. However, Tristan soon realizes he has more in common with his grandma. We again are taken to the land of Alke, but the world is in danger of being completely destroyed, and it's all Tristan's fault. Can he save both Alke and the "real" world? He'll need the help of some of our favorite characters: Gum Baby, John Henry, Anansi, and others!

Kwame Mbalia is the most brilliant writer I've come across in a while. The way in which he weaves his Tristan Strong character in with West African and African American folklore is magical. I really, truly believe this is a series that students would find fun because it's HILARIOUS and has all of the fantasy characteristics kids love, BUT adults can read it and really appreciate the nuances in the story that shed light on real world issues.

This book comes out on October 6, and I'm going to need all of you to read it, so we can fangirl out together!

#NetGalley #TristanStrongDestroystheWorldATristanStrongNovelBook2

Tristan Strong Destroys the World (A Tristan Strong Novel, Book 2)
by Kwame Mbalia
Disney Publishing Worldwide
You Like Them
Rick Riordan Presents
Children's Fiction
Pub Date 06 Oct 2020 | Archive Date 06 Oct 2020

We have a lot of young readers who will enjoy this book a lot. This is the 2nd in the series and was very well written. Thanks to Disney Publishing Worldwide and Net Galley for the ARC. I listened to webinar on this Author and series. It was very good.

5 star

If you read the reviews for the previous Tristan Strong, you will see it was right up my alley for middle grade fantasy literature that I cultivate for my fifth grade students. Especially those students that enjoy Percy Jackson or Harry Potter. Teachers if recommending the series, do so for those Rick Riordan fans of mythology, but even those students without a background in the stories reimagined by the author, will thoroughly enjoy this second installment.
On the part of author Kwame Mbalia once again, he shows mastery in exploring new ways for Tristan and other characters we love to change over the course of the novel. For example, in this time of pandemic, how much do school-aged children need to hear the message of perseverance? Nana's simple, but strong words to Tristan ring in my mind even after finishing the book. "Get up."
Many times this book had me laughing out loud with it's short and page-turning chapters. I really enjoyed the strong female representation that was amped up in this book with characters like Mami Wata, Keelboat Annie and Lady Night. I do hope another of these books is in the works as middle grade readers need a voice like Mbalia.

Honestly, I really enjoyed this book, and I think I liked it a lot more than the first one.  I already had an idea of all the characters we were re-encountering so seeing them again was really fun.  The stakes of this story were a lot higher, which was really interesting to explore.  You saw the direct effects of the previous story on the world of Alke, and you see Tristan struggle with his legacy and how things maybe weren't as simple when one is a hero as one might think.

I liked that we got a greater depth to Tristan's family and learned more about his Nana as a character.  The family legacy was a nice aspect to explore and I just really enjoyed the dynamics between Tristan and his grandmother.

The tension throughout the story was good, and there was enough action to keep you interested as a reader and keep you guessing about what hijinx Tristan is going to get into next.

Overall, I had a super fun time reading this and I highly recommend it and the first book in the series.  Be sure to check it out when it comes out on the 6th of October.

I received this e-ARC from Rick Riordan Presents and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The events in the second Tristan Strong book occur a couple of weeks after Tristan’s return from Alke. He is still on his grandparents’ farm in Alabama, working and training, and trying to recover from the events in Alke. His grandfather volunteers him to a sparring match with another youth boxer who happens to be nearly twice Tristan’s size! It’s during this time that Tristan sees ghosts and spirits from Alke. Impossible, because the hole was supposedly sealed when he returned. One of the frightened water spirits, Ninah, warns him the Shamble Man is coming. And come he does, smashing his way into the Strong farmhouse and kidnapping Tristan’s grandmother. Tristan and Anansi (still locked in the Story Box Phone) travel back to Alke to rescue Nana. Tristan is reunited with old friends and we meet some new characters. Will Tristan, Ayanna, Anansi, Gum Baby, and the others be able to stop the Shamble Man before it’s too late?
I am thrilled Tristan is back in this second installment. Kwame Mbalia takes African and African American storytelling to a whole new level. Tristan, a reluctant hero, is still learning about his role as Anansesem. He is headstrong and vulnerable, doing everything he can to rescue his nana and stop the Shamble Man. This book is exciting, emotional, and will have you on the edge of your seat. I would definitely recommend book 2 for anyone who has read the first one.
#TristanStrongDestroysTheWorld #NetGalley

I received an electronic ARC from Disney Publishing Worldwide through NetGalley.
The second book in this series opens with time at Tristan's grandparents' farm. Readers see him adjusting to his new title, Anansesem (story teller), and beginning to come out of his grief for his friend. Visitors from Alke spill over into the farm and ask for help. During a confrontation, his grandmother is taken. Together with Anansi, who is still trapped in the phone/story box, they set out to rescue his grandmother and find out what is happening in Alke. Along with friend from the first book and new ones found on this journey, Tristan "save" Alke but in an unusual way.
Mbalia captures the adventure and challenges involved when dealing with myths and legends. This book is stronger than the first as readers are more familiar with the gods and goddesses and know Tristan's back story. Tristan continues to grow, learn and heal from the trauma he's been through. Readers may learn about myths they have not heard before. New characters are introduced and play key roles in confronting the evil unleashed in the country.
I wish Mbalia had included a glossary or brief paragraph descriptions of the various gods and goddesses at the end so readers had a quick reference to learn more.

Oh this second book did not fail as the second book in the trilogy. It was awesome. The world descriptions were beautiful. I loved how this book tackled the after mass of the first book dealing with trauma and how you can heal from it. I'm super excited for the next book. If they made a movie or a T.V. series I would so watch it. It'll be neat to have a companion "Story Box" so the people who aren't familiar with the stories can read more about the different gods and a goddesses of the different cultures. Also I think Tristan might have a small crush. Just saying.

Tristan and his friends are back, along with some new ones. This time trying to save both his world and theirs from collapsing, but is this a race Tristan can win.
This the second book in the Tristan Strong series is just as good if not better than the first, if that is possible. The fast paced, non stop action and suspense, will leave you on overload and up way past your bed time. These books bring back the old songs of the south stories along with many tall tales for a new generation to explore and enjoy. This book will even keep the attention of most reluctant readers. This is a series not to be missed.

This review will appear on my blog on 6 October.

Ok, so I might have yelped a little and startled my husband when I got approval for this one!!

Tristan Strong's adventures continue in this amazing second book in the series. I must admit that I was a little hesitant to dive in because even though it is a long book it moves so quickly, and I am often wary of book 2 in a series, however; this book did not disappoint. I am so excited that the characters of African folklore have found their place in the middle-grade literary community, it is so important for kids to be able to see themselves in the books that they are reading and this title perfectly fills that need.

I don't want to give anything away because it's just too good, but if you enjoyed the first one, this is a MUST READ. I will definitely be handselling and recommending this title for all bookfair, classrooms, and school libraries.

An action packed sequel, this book introduces new characters to the reader, including Keelboat Annie (my favorite), and a Boo Hag. Favorite characters from the first story, like Tar Baby and Ayanna, return for more adventure. When Tristan notices voices at his grandparents' farm, he's worried that nobody else can hear them except Anansi in the Story Book Phone (SBP). However, when two plat-eyes come to track him down, Tristan sees them and so does his grandmother! His grandmother helps him and promises to talk with him and tell him more about Alke. Before she gets the chance, the Shamble Man breaks through the barrier from Alke and kidnaps her. Tristan has to find a way back to Alke and needs to save his grandmother as well as Alke itself. Alke is still suffering from the last battle and has not had time to rebuild. John Henry is ill and not venturing out, he is not as powerful as he once was, since the Shamble Man took his hammer. It's up to Tristan and his friends to set the balance right and sometimes rebuilding just isn't possible until everything comes down. I did not see the end of this story coming, but I look forward to reading the next installment to see where it leads.

This book picks up soon after the events of the last book (spoilers ahead), so Tristan is still on the farm with his grandparents. When a mysterious, deadly figure called the Shamble Man kidnaps Tristan's Nana, Tristan heads to Alke to get her back.

These books are amazing! I think they are now officially my favorite Rick Riordan presents series - they are so clever in the presentation of the mythology and they touch on really difficult concepts and topics in a way that's approachable to middle school students. For example, in this book, Tristan and his friends are experiencing the fallout from the last book and they all have PTSD, which is addressed in a compassionate way. It's also addressed in such a way so that folks can understand generational PTSD along with other generational effects of racism which is tied into the Diaspora, a main plot point in this book. It's just so well done! I also love how the author ties together Black American mythology with West African mythology (and obviously the two are inextricably linked anyway) - if you have any level of familiarity with the tales, you will be delighted in how creatively they are used. If you're not familiar, you get to learn complete new stories! The books also have a "who lives, who dies, who tells your story" sort of theme running through them - they are additionally focused on the importance of stories to a group of people.

If you have a middle school student who is into fantasy, Percy Jackson, or is looking to learn more about the effects of systemic racism, give them this series. It manages to walk that narrow bridge of entertaining and educational without feeling preachy, and I cannot recommend this series highly enough! If you haven't yet, check out the first book, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, and then get ready to put Tristan Strong Destroys the World on hold for it's October 6th release!

Thanks to Disney Hyperion and Netgalley for the eARC which I received in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC! My son loved the first Tristan Strong book, which he owns, so I read that first before diving into this sequel. The story follows Tristan, a rising 8th grader, who discovered he is a magical Anansesem story teller in a parallel world filled with Black and African folktales and mythology. He returns to Alke, this amazing world, when his beloved Nana is abducted and taken there.

Stars: This story moves fast! Definitely difficult to put down. I loved how the author created such a descriptive, beautiful, haunting world in Alke. I also loved though how he breaks up the serious tone with Tristan's witty observations and commentary. I knew next to nothing about the gods and monsters Mbalia writes of, so I spent a lot of time researching those as well as I read the novel. I laughed and cried by the end.

Wishes: I'm not sure if this would work as a stand-alone, but I believe sequels rarely do. I wish the author gave us a little more background on Tristan and his life in Chicago, and developed his character a bit more. Sometimes it was difficult for me to picture what Mbalia was describing but I just hung on for the ride and enjoyed it overall.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You know how sequels are rarely as good as the first? Totally untrue in this case, Tristan Strong Destroys the World is even better than Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky. There are so many good lessons and takeaways in this on top of the great plot, plus of course the familiar characters we all enjoyed from the first book. I really liked Nana's greater role in this, as well as seeing Tristan growing and learning. I don't know if there is a book #3 in the works (I hope so!), but either way, I can't wait to read more from Kwame Mbalia and Rick Riordan Presents!

Thank you NetGalley and Rick Riordan Presents for an advanced eARC of this book. Wow, Kwame Mbalia does it again! I thought the first Tristan Strong book was great and was hoping the sequel would be just as good....it is even better! Tristan is such a great relatable hero to all kids. He's experienced loss and trauma and is struggling to deal with it. I love how Mr. Mbalia addresses this through Tristan's eyes. It's not preachy, it's matter of fact and it talks about it in a way that kids can understand. I loved the twists and turns that the story took as well as how we get a little taste of his family history along the way, too. Such a great read that hooked me from page 1. Can't wait for the next Tristan Strong adventure!

I received a copy of Tristan Strong Destroys the World from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

And honestly? I loved it. It was wonderful to be with Tristan and his cohort of African folktale heroes again. His voice - the sarcasm and witty humor of a preteen - came through so clearly and kids will be laughing out loud at his asides to the reader. And don’t get me started on the pure joy I felt at reading the return of Ayanna and GUM BABY!!! (You know you were hoping she’d be there.)
The plot was complex, yet deftly handled by Mbalia, and I could feel how much work he’s put into his craft to grow as a writer from Hole in the Sky to its sequel. He wove in characters from the first book, while introducing new ones on the second, and I loved them all. There were even a couple of scenes in the book that were so beautifully written (okay, chapter 32) that I had tears streaming down my face.
The climax was riveting (couldn’t put my Kindle down) and the denouement left me wanting SO. MUCH. MORE. And I am so grateful there will be another one. The only problem is that I have to wait.
I can’t WAIT to introduce Tristan and the gang to my fifths this fall. I’m feeling like the first book may even be our read aloud during our fantasy book club unit.
Bravo, Kwame!!!!!!!