Rick Riordan Presents: Tristan Strong Destroys the World-A Tristan Strong Novel, Book 2 - by Kwame Mbalia

About the Book

Seventh-grader Tristan must return to Alke and enlist the help of African gods and black folktale heroes when Nana is abducted from the Strong family farm in Alabama.

Book Synopsis

Bestselling author Rick Riordan presents the second book in the New York Times best-selling and award-winning Tristan Strong trilogy by Kwame Mbalia.

"Mbalia's universe continues to excite through sheer conceptual brilliance, nonstop action and adventure, and--let's be honest--the comical aggression of sidekick god Gum Baby."--Booklist

Tristan Strong, just back from a victorious but exhausting adventure in Alke, the land of African American folk heroes and African gods, is suffering from PTSD. But there's no rest for the weary when his grandmother is abducted by a mysterious villain out for revenge.

Tristan must return to Alke--and reunite with his loud-mouthed sidekick, Gum Baby--in order to rescue Nana and stop the culprit from creating further devastation. Anansi, now a "web developer" in Tristan's phone, is close at hand to offer advice, and several new folk heroes will aid Tristan in his quest, but he will only succeed if he can figure out a way to sew broken souls back together.

*"Well-paced--just like the previous installment--this sequel focuses on themes such as the meaning of diaspora and the effects of trauma, making for a more nuanced and stronger story than the first. Packs a punch."--Kirkus (starred review)

Endorsed by Rick Riordan, author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, soon to be a series on Disney+.

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY

Coretta Scott King Honor Winner!

New York Times Best Seller!

"In a lifetime full of highlights, I have to say that helping to publish this book is right up at the top!"
--Rick Riordan, New York Times #1 best-selling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

"A brilliant action adventure rooted in African American lore."
--New York Times best-selling author Jason Reynolds

"Imagine if you combined Anansi the spider, John Henry, and Marvel into like, one book."
--Kwame Alexander, New York Times best-selling author and Newbery Medalist

"Tristan Strong is a gift to the world."
--#1 New York Times best-selling author Nic Stone, author of Dear Martin

"Tristan Strong is a her to root for, a hero whose true strength is found in the indelible power of memory and story."
--J. C. Cervantes, New York Times best-selling author of The Storm Runner series

"A Marvelous Achievement."
--Daniel Jose Older, New York Times best-selling author of Shadowshaper

"Tristan Strong will punch a hole in your heart. I lived this book-an epic blend of fantasy, action, and mythology."
--Eoin Colfer, New York Times best-selling author of the Artemis Fowl series

★"A worthy addition to the diverse array of offerings from Rick Riordan Presents."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★"Overall a stellar mix of the playful and the serious, the traditional and the original, this novel marks the emergence of a strong new voice in myth-based children's fantasy."
--BCCB (starred review)

★"It brims with heart, humor, and action, successfully crafting a beautifully unified secondary world that brings the power of stories to glorious life."
--Booklist (starred review)

★"Tristan's voice rings true and sympathetic, while the irrepressible Gum Baby steals every scene."
--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

★"Mbalia returns with a sequel as impressive and even more compelling."
--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

PRAISE FOR TRISTAN STRONG DESTROYS THE WORLD

New York Times Best Seller!

★"Packs a punch."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★ "Alternately humorous and heartbreaking, this installment sees Tristan entering a dramatic new chapter of his saga that will leave readers eager for more."
--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

★ "Mbalia returns with a sequel as impressive and even more compelling, offering all the power-packed goodness of the previous volume, with well-plotted pacing and a quick-witted narrative voice."
--BCCB (starred review)

"Mbalia's universe continues to excite through sheer conceptual brilliance, nonstop action and adventure, and--let's be honest--the comical aggression of sidekick god Gum Baby."
--Booklist

"Mbalia's stunning landscapes, suspenseful action sequences, and well-paced story line--including questions of how our stories can create but also destroy--will keep readers enthralled to the very end."
--Horn Book

About the Author

Kwame Mbalia is the New York Times best-selling author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, for which he received a Coretta Scott King Author Honor award.The book was also named to best-of-the-year listscompiled by Publishers Weekly, the Chicago Public Library, and the New York Times.The second book in the trilogy is Tristan Strong Destroys the World. Kwame lives with his wife and children in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he is currently working on the third book about Tristan. Follow him on Twitter @KSekouM.