Rick Riordan Presents: Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Graphic Novel - by Kwame Mbalia

About the Book

"Seventh-grader Tristan Strong tumbles into the MidPass and, with allies John Henry and Brer Rabbit, must entice the god Anansi to come out of hiding and seal the hole Tristan accidentally ripped in the sky"--

Book Synopsis

The best-selling and awarding-winning novel about a Black boy who helps folk heroes and gods through storytelling is now a dynamic graphic novel!

"This graphic adaptation of the children's novel that began the 'Tristan Strong' trilogy will have plenty of appeal for readers who are interested in African and African American characters and folklore. The illustrations pop with energy and color."--School Library Journal

The talented team of Robert Venditti and Olivia Stephens brings to glorious full color the novel that best-selling author Jason Reynolds called "A brilliant action adventure rooted in African American lore."

Seventh grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is dreading the month he's going to spend on his grandparents' farm in Alabama, where he's being sent to heal from the tragedy.

But on his first night there, a sticky creature shows up in his bedroom and steals Eddie's notebook. Tristan chases after it--is that a doll?--and a tug-of-war ensues between them underneath a Bottle Tree. In a last attempt to wrestle the journal out of the creature's hands, Tristan punches the tree, accidentally ripping open a chasm into the MidPass, a volatile place with a burning sea, haunted bone ships, and iron monsters that are hunting the inhabitants of this world.

Tristan finds himself in the middle of a battle that has left Black American folk heroes John Henry and Brer Rabbit exhausted. In order to get back home, Tristan and these new allies will need to entice the god Anansi, the Weaver, to come out of hiding and seal the hole in the sky. But bartering with the trickster Anansi always comes at a price.

Can Tristan save this world before he loses more of the things he loves? Find out by diving into this stunning graphic novel adaptation of the original book.


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

Complete your graphic novel collection with these fan favorites:

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, adapted by Robert Venditti
• The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan, adapted by Orpheus Collar
• The Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan, adapted by Robert Venditti
• Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, adapted by Michael Moreci, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
• Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi, adapted by Joe Caramanga, illustrated by Anu Chouhan

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 lists compiled by Publishers Weekly, the Chicago Public Library, and the New York Times. The second book in the trilogy is Tristan Strong Destroys the World, and Tristan Strong Keeps Punching is the third. Kwame also co-wrote Last Gate of the Emperor with Prince Joel Makonnen and edited the instant New York Times best-seller Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood. Kwame lives with his wife and children near Raleigh, North Carolina, where he is currently working several projects, including a new middle grade series. Follow him on Twitter @KSekouM.

Robert Venditti is a New York Times best-selling author whose characters and concepts have been adapted to film and television. He has written the monthly comic book series "X-O Manowar" and "Wrath of the Eternal Warrior" for Valiant Entertainment, "Green Lantern," "The Flash," and "Justice League" for DC, and the children's novel series Miles Taylor and the Golden Cape. He has also adapted Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus graphic novels. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia and can be found on Twitter @robertvenditti.

Olivia Stephens is a graphic novelist, illustrator, and writer from the Pacific Northwest. She is the author of Artie and the Wolf Moon, a supernatural graphic novel. Olivia has also created work for a number of sites and publications, including the New York Times, The Guardian, and FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction. When not drawing, she enjoys eating spicy foods and losing her voice at rock concerns. Visit her website at www.olivia-stephens.com.