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Children of the Quicksands
City girl Simi is sent to stay with her long-lost grandmother in a remote Nigerian village.
There’s no TV, internet or phone. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside.
Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she’s tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what? Determined to find out, Simi disobeys her grandmother and goes exploring. Caught in the sinking red quicksand of a forbidden lake, her fantastical journey begins �
Winner of the 2019 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition, Children of the Quicksands is a richly imagined magical realist adventure set in West Africa by a new voice in children’s writing, Efua Traoré.
There’s no TV, internet or phone. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside.
Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she’s tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what? Determined to find out, Simi disobeys her grandmother and goes exploring. Caught in the sinking red quicksand of a forbidden lake, her fantastical journey begins �
Winner of the 2019 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition, Children of the Quicksands is a richly imagined magical realist adventure set in West Africa by a new voice in children’s writing, Efua Traoré.
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 3, 2021
29 people are currently reading
1,073 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
November 8, 2021
As a 38-year-old who usually enjoys psychological thrillers and hard-hitting mind benders, I was surprised at how drawn I was to Children of the Quicksand. I would definitely recommend it to young readers who like adventure stories with hints of magic in them. It's good to let your imagination go wild and just get lost in a tale like this one.
What I loved most about it was having a small inside into a completely different culture, believes and traditions. I know a handful of people from Nigeria and they have the quirkiest sense of humour and it was truly captured in this story. The writing was fluid and it truly seized the contrast between people who lived in big cities and those who come from smaller villages. The conversations between Simi and Jay represented this rather accurately and I can tell from each carefully chosen word by the author when writing this book, she found the balance between the characters and brought them to life quite magnificently. Iyanla’s character was so profoundly described, I could envisage how she looked in my head based on some photos of women who live in smaller parts of Nigeria and this helped me connect even more to her character.
As far as the premise itself goes, it was paced beautifully, it set up a rather magical foundation each page at a time. Simi is a city girl and having lived all her life in the bustling city of Lagos, she is unexpectedly whisked away to a small village to live with her grandmother for the school holidays. This changes her life forever as she starts to unravel hidden secrets about herself and her family.
What comes after this offers the reader a hearty overall picture of Simi’s new place and it really sets the scene up in full detail. I simply enjoyed how Simi slowly discovered her background and her purpose and how she connected with the other characters so tenderly. Towards the middle of the book, it was just too difficult to put down and I truly wanted to know how it would end and certainly was not disappointed in the least.
This is a magical tale, I say it again. It brings out a sense of adventure like no other and reshapes the pleasures of reading in young adults. Ojo dada to you readers.
What I loved most about it was having a small inside into a completely different culture, believes and traditions. I know a handful of people from Nigeria and they have the quirkiest sense of humour and it was truly captured in this story. The writing was fluid and it truly seized the contrast between people who lived in big cities and those who come from smaller villages. The conversations between Simi and Jay represented this rather accurately and I can tell from each carefully chosen word by the author when writing this book, she found the balance between the characters and brought them to life quite magnificently. Iyanla’s character was so profoundly described, I could envisage how she looked in my head based on some photos of women who live in smaller parts of Nigeria and this helped me connect even more to her character.
As far as the premise itself goes, it was paced beautifully, it set up a rather magical foundation each page at a time. Simi is a city girl and having lived all her life in the bustling city of Lagos, she is unexpectedly whisked away to a small village to live with her grandmother for the school holidays. This changes her life forever as she starts to unravel hidden secrets about herself and her family.
What comes after this offers the reader a hearty overall picture of Simi’s new place and it really sets the scene up in full detail. I simply enjoyed how Simi slowly discovered her background and her purpose and how she connected with the other characters so tenderly. Towards the middle of the book, it was just too difficult to put down and I truly wanted to know how it would end and certainly was not disappointed in the least.
This is a magical tale, I say it again. It brings out a sense of adventure like no other and reshapes the pleasures of reading in young adults. Ojo dada to you readers.
July 9, 2021
Book 205 of 2021
I just finished this beauty of a book and wow. This was so well written and well crafted.
Children of the Quicksands by Efua Traoré is a middle grade fantasy set in Nigeria, and everyone needs to read it ASAP.
This book is a beautiful mix of family, complicated relationships, the beauty of communal rural life, Yoruba tradition, mythology, and culture, friendship, and the inquisitive nature of children.
I loved reading this a lot and it was a great experience for me. I have always been enthralled with Yoruba mythology and seeing it displayed so well in this book.
Simi is shipped off to her grandmother's village while her mother goes to the UK for a work engagement. She arrives there and it's nothing like Lagos, with no electricity, phone service, or running water. We see different scenes where Simi is learning to adjust to rural life.
There is a running mystery at the heart of the book, tied to a strange lake that swallows children. Some people believe that it is Oshun taking children, while others who have modernized views and no longer believe in Oshun think that children are sinking in the quicksand.
There were many other questions that popped up in my head while I was reading, the top one being - what caused the rift between Simi's mother and Simi's grandma?
I really enjoyed reading all the mysteries and how it all tied into two Yoruba goddesses - Oya and Oshun. I also love that all my questions where answered by the end of the book. I loved the ending a lot.
Another part of this book that shone is the characters. They were so fun and made the book really interesting to read. The writing was so so good and the author knows her onions!
I enjoyed reading this a lot and highly recommend it.
💗💗💗💗
I was sent a review copy by the publishers in exchange for my honest review. ✨✨
I just finished this beauty of a book and wow. This was so well written and well crafted.
Children of the Quicksands by Efua Traoré is a middle grade fantasy set in Nigeria, and everyone needs to read it ASAP.
This book is a beautiful mix of family, complicated relationships, the beauty of communal rural life, Yoruba tradition, mythology, and culture, friendship, and the inquisitive nature of children.
I loved reading this a lot and it was a great experience for me. I have always been enthralled with Yoruba mythology and seeing it displayed so well in this book.
Simi is shipped off to her grandmother's village while her mother goes to the UK for a work engagement. She arrives there and it's nothing like Lagos, with no electricity, phone service, or running water. We see different scenes where Simi is learning to adjust to rural life.
There is a running mystery at the heart of the book, tied to a strange lake that swallows children. Some people believe that it is Oshun taking children, while others who have modernized views and no longer believe in Oshun think that children are sinking in the quicksand.
There were many other questions that popped up in my head while I was reading, the top one being - what caused the rift between Simi's mother and Simi's grandma?
I really enjoyed reading all the mysteries and how it all tied into two Yoruba goddesses - Oya and Oshun. I also love that all my questions where answered by the end of the book. I loved the ending a lot.
Another part of this book that shone is the characters. They were so fun and made the book really interesting to read. The writing was so so good and the author knows her onions!
I enjoyed reading this a lot and highly recommend it.
💗💗💗💗
I was sent a review copy by the publishers in exchange for my honest review. ✨✨
January 18, 2023
Read because I’m judging for the Cybils Award (Children’s and Young Adult Book Lovers Literary Awards). Finalist for Elementary and Middle Grade Speculative Fiction.
Review to come when the winner is announced (Feb. 14, 2023)
Review to come when the winner is announced (Feb. 14, 2023)
July 30, 2021
I fought with myself on whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars, but it was just too well written and beautiful for 3; let me explain why.
I'll be brutally honest and say that this book just didn't grip me as much as my usual 4 star books do.
If the whole book had been more like the last third, it would be a different story, but it felt slow to build, and just generally a little too mundane for me.
It might be that I'm overly used to fantasy books which throw everything at you at all times, but the real world, everyday-ness of so much of the story just didn't grab my attention enough.
(Mild Spoilers from here on)
I loved every single section that focused on the Yoruba legends. I even enjoyed most of the daily life in Ajao - Iyanla's work as the village's healer and priestess, the politics of the larger city, even the friendship between Simi and Jay (which at first I thought I would hate).
But the story itself, all the way up until Bubu's illness, just felt too slow.
I would have much preferred if Simi entering the Lands of the Quicksand a second time had happened just after the halfway point, and I had been given more time to appreciate the world below, fight against the powers holding it, and the children within. But again, that's likely just a personal choice of pacing.
However!
As I said, I thought this book was beautiful. The writing style was easy to follow, I loved the integration of Yoruba language, and the inclusion of a glossary for possible unfamiliar words at the beginning of the book (which is always a good sign for me - maps, glossaries and pronunciation guides mean I'm in for a good time). I also appreciate that it means a lot to have the everyday of Nigeria - big city, small city, and village living - actually represented! So all of my little fusses about that side being mundane for me are over-ridden by the fact that for others, it will speak to them in ways I can hardly imagine. And as a teacher, that's something I can't ignore.
And even aside from the 'boring everyday' being a bit more difficult to read, I learnt a lot because of it! Using the glossary helped me to learn what these words meant and build up the image in my head of something that is not shown or represented anywhere near enough. Even my mental images are so Europe and America-centric that the Lagos big city in my brain still kept morphing into a New York style landscape, which took effort to keep readjusting each time I caught it. Its telling that imagining the 'dusty african village' was much easier for my brain to recreate...
I love this book for that specifically and for its beautiful descriptive language, which is the main reason it deserve 4 stars rather than 3 from me. No matter whether it was constantly to my personal taste, I enjoyed it, and I can see plenty of children enjoying and benefiting from it.
I'll be brutally honest and say that this book just didn't grip me as much as my usual 4 star books do.
If the whole book had been more like the last third, it would be a different story, but it felt slow to build, and just generally a little too mundane for me.
It might be that I'm overly used to fantasy books which throw everything at you at all times, but the real world, everyday-ness of so much of the story just didn't grab my attention enough.
(Mild Spoilers from here on)
I loved every single section that focused on the Yoruba legends. I even enjoyed most of the daily life in Ajao - Iyanla's work as the village's healer and priestess, the politics of the larger city, even the friendship between Simi and Jay (which at first I thought I would hate).
But the story itself, all the way up until Bubu's illness, just felt too slow.
I would have much preferred if Simi entering the Lands of the Quicksand a second time had happened just after the halfway point, and I had been given more time to appreciate the world below, fight against the powers holding it, and the children within. But again, that's likely just a personal choice of pacing.
However!
As I said, I thought this book was beautiful. The writing style was easy to follow, I loved the integration of Yoruba language, and the inclusion of a glossary for possible unfamiliar words at the beginning of the book (which is always a good sign for me - maps, glossaries and pronunciation guides mean I'm in for a good time). I also appreciate that it means a lot to have the everyday of Nigeria - big city, small city, and village living - actually represented! So all of my little fusses about that side being mundane for me are over-ridden by the fact that for others, it will speak to them in ways I can hardly imagine. And as a teacher, that's something I can't ignore.
And even aside from the 'boring everyday' being a bit more difficult to read, I learnt a lot because of it! Using the glossary helped me to learn what these words meant and build up the image in my head of something that is not shown or represented anywhere near enough. Even my mental images are so Europe and America-centric that the Lagos big city in my brain still kept morphing into a New York style landscape, which took effort to keep readjusting each time I caught it. Its telling that imagining the 'dusty african village' was much easier for my brain to recreate...
I love this book for that specifically and for its beautiful descriptive language, which is the main reason it deserve 4 stars rather than 3 from me. No matter whether it was constantly to my personal taste, I enjoyed it, and I can see plenty of children enjoying and benefiting from it.
December 8, 2022
Children of the Quicksands is the story of Simi, a typical city girl from Lagos, Nigeria. Simi’s mum has to go the UK for an educational event so she sends Simi to her village to stay with her estranged mother (i.e Simi’s grandmother).
If you’re wondering why this arc is MAJOR, Simi’s grandmother is an Osun Priestess! And she just so happens to have a forbidden forest just a few steps off her backyard 🤣 � recipe for adventure, if you’re familiar with middle grade books.
So, on her first day at her grandma’s, Simi hears this enthralling song from a bird with golden eyes � from the forbidden forest 😭� and against her will, she finds herself at a forbidden lake, and eventually, at an underground world with an earth-red sheen. This is how Simi’s adventure starts off.
Things I Liked:
1. The innocent sarcasm that endears child narrators to me, is present in this book � in abundance. Simi is a brilliant character. She’s smart, bold and admittedly stubborn. In short, she’s a likeable baby girl 🥹
2. Again, pace. Books like this one tend to spend so much time on world-building that the first half of the book can drag on. But Traore gives us a steady, enticing pace, with brilliant world-building.
3. I also love that as the story unfolds, we get to work with 3 different mysteries � including why Simi’s mother and grandma are estranged. It’s something to keep readers engaged while they move alongside Simi on her adventure.
4. Yoruba orisha rep! � Osun and Oya feature in this book and for one, I was grateful that the feud between these two powerful goddesses isn’t about Sango 🤭. As much as I love Sango, he gets too much airtime when it comes to Osun/Oya.
Things I didn’t Like:
1. I actually wanted this one to have a sequel 🥹
If you enjoy magical realism, Yorùbá mythology, children narrators and their banter, give this one a go. Who knows, Traore might decide to bring back Simi in a YA novel 🤞🏾
If you’re wondering why this arc is MAJOR, Simi’s grandmother is an Osun Priestess! And she just so happens to have a forbidden forest just a few steps off her backyard 🤣 � recipe for adventure, if you’re familiar with middle grade books.
So, on her first day at her grandma’s, Simi hears this enthralling song from a bird with golden eyes � from the forbidden forest 😭� and against her will, she finds herself at a forbidden lake, and eventually, at an underground world with an earth-red sheen. This is how Simi’s adventure starts off.
Things I Liked:
1. The innocent sarcasm that endears child narrators to me, is present in this book � in abundance. Simi is a brilliant character. She’s smart, bold and admittedly stubborn. In short, she’s a likeable baby girl 🥹
2. Again, pace. Books like this one tend to spend so much time on world-building that the first half of the book can drag on. But Traore gives us a steady, enticing pace, with brilliant world-building.
3. I also love that as the story unfolds, we get to work with 3 different mysteries � including why Simi’s mother and grandma are estranged. It’s something to keep readers engaged while they move alongside Simi on her adventure.
4. Yoruba orisha rep! � Osun and Oya feature in this book and for one, I was grateful that the feud between these two powerful goddesses isn’t about Sango 🤭. As much as I love Sango, he gets too much airtime when it comes to Osun/Oya.
Things I didn’t Like:
1. I actually wanted this one to have a sequel 🥹
If you enjoy magical realism, Yorùbá mythology, children narrators and their banter, give this one a go. Who knows, Traore might decide to bring back Simi in a YA novel 🤞🏾
July 16, 2021
This book is amazing. Full of culture, friendship and mystery. I found myself hooked all the way throughout, I was so eager to find out why Simi was able to pass through both of the worlds within this book and was not disappointed when I found out the reason why (however, I did guess the reason towards the end of the book).
I can imagine using this in my future classrooms and I think that there will be many opportunities to explore culture within this book, relationships and so many opportunists to bring my artistic skills to life from extracts within the book. I think that the language used within this book allows the reader to vividly imagine everything that is happening within the book which will make exploring this in a classroom so much more creative. Overall an amazing book that I recommend.
I can imagine using this in my future classrooms and I think that there will be many opportunities to explore culture within this book, relationships and so many opportunists to bring my artistic skills to life from extracts within the book. I think that the language used within this book allows the reader to vividly imagine everything that is happening within the book which will make exploring this in a classroom so much more creative. Overall an amazing book that I recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2022
4/5 stars
This was a complete cover-pick that I knew very little about when I took it home from the library. That being said, I’m always here for diverse middlegrade featuring family, multicultural interests (especially ones I’m personally less familiar with) and uncovering your roots. Bonuspoints when elements of mythology are included. Check, check, double check!
This was overall a wonderfully written, adventurous and heartfelt surprise that I flew through. 10/10: would recommend to middlegrade- and (young) adult readers alike.
This was a complete cover-pick that I knew very little about when I took it home from the library. That being said, I’m always here for diverse middlegrade featuring family, multicultural interests (especially ones I’m personally less familiar with) and uncovering your roots. Bonuspoints when elements of mythology are included. Check, check, double check!
This was overall a wonderfully written, adventurous and heartfelt surprise that I flew through. 10/10: would recommend to middlegrade- and (young) adult readers alike.
June 30, 2021
Absolutely beautiful👌🏾
August 25, 2022
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book as it isn't something I would typically read but I loved being able to explore a new world so different to mine. I felt it would be helpful during the book if words were highlight which were contained in the glossary to signify when they had a definition. I loved how the author displayed two different sides of Nigeria: the rich, affluent, big city and the rural, traditional, small town. However, the ending felt rushed and rather deserved more suspense and more insight of a family being brought together after many years.
October 19, 2024
What an amazing book. The first in a while where I had absolutely no idea how it was going to end. Authentic characters, a beautifully vivid environment and a lovely end. Cracker.
May 28, 2022
Achter een zeer kleurrijk en tot de verbeelding sprekend omslag gaat een familieverhaal schuil. Niet zomaar een verhaal. Het trekt je mee in het verhaal van Simi die plots in een magische wereld terechtkomt. Een omgeving met oude legendes waarin nieuwe technologie nog niet zijn intrede heeft gedaan. Het is het Nigeriaanse dorp waar de bijzondere gerespecteerde oma van Simi woont.
De moeder van Simi moet voor een cursus het land uit, bij haar vader kan ze niet wonen. Onverwacht blijkt Simi toch een oma te hebben. Met een brief en de mededeling: ‘Je gaat naar je grootmoeder! Daar blijf je deze zomervakantie!� wordt ze naar het geboortedorp Ajao van haar moeder gestuurd. Onderweg in een stinkende taxi over een nog beroerdere weg ontdekt ze dat ze geen bereik meer heeft op haar telefoon. Eenmaal in het dorp is de schok nog groter. Hoe ga jij als 13-jarige uit Lagos twee maanden doorkomen in onbekend binnenland zonder internet, een badkamer, elektriciteit en meer? Welke geheimen gaat ze tegemoet of welke voorvallen zijn haar nooit verteld?
Oma Ijanla waarschuwt dat ze niet het oerwoud in mag gaan als Simi om vruchten bij de ube-boom wordt gestuurd. Ze krijgt een bijzondere ketting om waarna oma als de apotheker van het dorp hulp gaat bieden met haar kruidenmengsels. Een dwingend geluid laat haar toch linksaf het pad nemen naar een meer. ‘Voor haar lag een dromerig rood meer. In het midden was een grijze rots, waarvan het gladde oppervlak glansde in het avondlicht. Aan de rand van het meer stond een hoge boom, die voorover leunde alsof hij het water wilde beschermen. Het was een iroko, zag ze meteen - een geestenboom.� Een meer met drijfzand. Ze verdwijnt.
‘Zelfs de donkere hemel leek verkeerd, bijna paars.�
Dit verhaal neemt je mee op reis in een Nigeriaans kleurenpalet van oerwoud en legendes rondom de boze geesten Egun en de godinnen Oya en Oshun. Je leest over de ruzie tussen de godinnen die het weer deed veranderen en kinderen liet verdwijnen. Je ruikt de vochtige lucht, je voelt het rode zand, je ervaart de droogte. Een overlevering die uitmondt in een magische realistische gebeurtenis verweven met een familiegebeurtenis waardoor relaties verstoord zijn en door het lot in het heden bijeenkomen.
Het is interessant om te leren over voorwerpen en gebruiken in de taal Yoruba, een woordenlijst is achterin opgenomen. Een gedeelte gaat over het leven in Lagos. Een kaartje had een toevoeging geweest. De persoonlijke verhaallijn over de relatie moeder/oma/(klein)dochter leent zich voor een vervolg waardoor er (nog) meer verdieping mogelijk zou kunnen zijn. De prettige goedlopende vertaling mag ook dan weer door Tjalling Bos worden uitgevoerd.
Dit mooie ‘Kinderen van het drijfzand� zit vol met indrukken met op verschillende goede momenten een volgende stap in de vertelling. Een debuut waarin ook de kinderen van nu zich kunnen vinden door een vriendschap tussen Simi en Jay met de duidelijke uitleg die wordt gegeven over gebruiken en omgeving waarin mensen gelukkig zijn met waar ze leven. Door de vele beschrijvingen en de op momenten spannende gebeurtenissen is het een aan te raden boek voor veelal de grage tot goede lezer die meer wil weten over ander andere culturen. Vanaf 11 jaar. Door verhalen leer je andere werelden kennen!
De moeder van Simi moet voor een cursus het land uit, bij haar vader kan ze niet wonen. Onverwacht blijkt Simi toch een oma te hebben. Met een brief en de mededeling: ‘Je gaat naar je grootmoeder! Daar blijf je deze zomervakantie!� wordt ze naar het geboortedorp Ajao van haar moeder gestuurd. Onderweg in een stinkende taxi over een nog beroerdere weg ontdekt ze dat ze geen bereik meer heeft op haar telefoon. Eenmaal in het dorp is de schok nog groter. Hoe ga jij als 13-jarige uit Lagos twee maanden doorkomen in onbekend binnenland zonder internet, een badkamer, elektriciteit en meer? Welke geheimen gaat ze tegemoet of welke voorvallen zijn haar nooit verteld?
Oma Ijanla waarschuwt dat ze niet het oerwoud in mag gaan als Simi om vruchten bij de ube-boom wordt gestuurd. Ze krijgt een bijzondere ketting om waarna oma als de apotheker van het dorp hulp gaat bieden met haar kruidenmengsels. Een dwingend geluid laat haar toch linksaf het pad nemen naar een meer. ‘Voor haar lag een dromerig rood meer. In het midden was een grijze rots, waarvan het gladde oppervlak glansde in het avondlicht. Aan de rand van het meer stond een hoge boom, die voorover leunde alsof hij het water wilde beschermen. Het was een iroko, zag ze meteen - een geestenboom.� Een meer met drijfzand. Ze verdwijnt.
‘Zelfs de donkere hemel leek verkeerd, bijna paars.�
Dit verhaal neemt je mee op reis in een Nigeriaans kleurenpalet van oerwoud en legendes rondom de boze geesten Egun en de godinnen Oya en Oshun. Je leest over de ruzie tussen de godinnen die het weer deed veranderen en kinderen liet verdwijnen. Je ruikt de vochtige lucht, je voelt het rode zand, je ervaart de droogte. Een overlevering die uitmondt in een magische realistische gebeurtenis verweven met een familiegebeurtenis waardoor relaties verstoord zijn en door het lot in het heden bijeenkomen.
Het is interessant om te leren over voorwerpen en gebruiken in de taal Yoruba, een woordenlijst is achterin opgenomen. Een gedeelte gaat over het leven in Lagos. Een kaartje had een toevoeging geweest. De persoonlijke verhaallijn over de relatie moeder/oma/(klein)dochter leent zich voor een vervolg waardoor er (nog) meer verdieping mogelijk zou kunnen zijn. De prettige goedlopende vertaling mag ook dan weer door Tjalling Bos worden uitgevoerd.
Dit mooie ‘Kinderen van het drijfzand� zit vol met indrukken met op verschillende goede momenten een volgende stap in de vertelling. Een debuut waarin ook de kinderen van nu zich kunnen vinden door een vriendschap tussen Simi en Jay met de duidelijke uitleg die wordt gegeven over gebruiken en omgeving waarin mensen gelukkig zijn met waar ze leven. Door de vele beschrijvingen en de op momenten spannende gebeurtenissen is het een aan te raden boek voor veelal de grage tot goede lezer die meer wil weten over ander andere culturen. Vanaf 11 jaar. Door verhalen leer je andere werelden kennen!
April 11, 2021
Loved it! Everything I love in a middle grade story.
Simi’s mum has to leave her home in Lagos and travel to London for a month to do some training for her new job. She doesn’t want Simi to stay with dad and his new girlfriend, so sends her off to stay with her mum, Simi’s grandmother, in a fairly remote village. Simi’s mum hasn’t spoken to grandmother for as long as Simi remembers. So naturally, there are some worries about how they will get on with her. She finds Iyanla to be friendly and pleased to see her granddaughter but she’s obviously surprised by her visitor. Grandmother is a busy woman who helps with the medical needs of her village. Simi is given a gift from grandmother, beautiful pendant with a blue stone... & a basket and told to go and gather some fruit from a tree a little way away - with strict instructions not to go into the forest. Well, you guessed it, lured by a golden bird with a hypnotic call she finds herself pulled into the sinking sand by the lake. Sinking swirling until she thinks her lungs would burst, she is spat out into a place that obviously is not the forest.
I won’t tell you any more of this great story but it’s full of goddesses, village gossip, friendship, families, new and old worlds colliding. I loved it, characters I cared about, a beautiful written setting that intrigued me, goddesses, myths, bravery...ah! Do givit a read!!
Simi’s mum has to leave her home in Lagos and travel to London for a month to do some training for her new job. She doesn’t want Simi to stay with dad and his new girlfriend, so sends her off to stay with her mum, Simi’s grandmother, in a fairly remote village. Simi’s mum hasn’t spoken to grandmother for as long as Simi remembers. So naturally, there are some worries about how they will get on with her. She finds Iyanla to be friendly and pleased to see her granddaughter but she’s obviously surprised by her visitor. Grandmother is a busy woman who helps with the medical needs of her village. Simi is given a gift from grandmother, beautiful pendant with a blue stone... & a basket and told to go and gather some fruit from a tree a little way away - with strict instructions not to go into the forest. Well, you guessed it, lured by a golden bird with a hypnotic call she finds herself pulled into the sinking sand by the lake. Sinking swirling until she thinks her lungs would burst, she is spat out into a place that obviously is not the forest.
I won’t tell you any more of this great story but it’s full of goddesses, village gossip, friendship, families, new and old worlds colliding. I loved it, characters I cared about, a beautiful written setting that intrigued me, goddesses, myths, bravery...ah! Do givit a read!!
May 7, 2022
Excellent West African fantasy full of family secrets and Yoruba gods and mythology. Highly recommended for readers 10 and up.
November 5, 2021
A thrilling adventure of a young girl, shrouded in magic and culture.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, and I persevered after reading others' reviews on how they had struggled to get into it but ended up loving it, however I did not enjoy the writing style. I found, despite being a fiction book, I felt like this book had a very prescriptive writing style and the sheer quantity of short sentences frustrated me.
However, I loved the contrast in cultures between Lagos and Ajao and particularly the description of Ajao. This book was unlike any other children's book I have read and I was grateful to have some diversity pushed into my subject knowledge. It was unique and very interesting.
I found myself particularly interested in the character of Ilyanla, and would've loved to read more about her, but I also feel that the beauty of her character was the mystery. Her storytelling and cultural legends were the highlight of my reading and absolutely fascinated me.
I would definitely consider sharing this book with a KS2 class to immerse them in Nigerian culture and storytelling. I would love to encourage a class to have a go at storytelling like Ilyanla! I also think there is a multitude of cross-curricular references, such as science, RE and Pe (dance).
I really wanted to enjoy this book, and I persevered after reading others' reviews on how they had struggled to get into it but ended up loving it, however I did not enjoy the writing style. I found, despite being a fiction book, I felt like this book had a very prescriptive writing style and the sheer quantity of short sentences frustrated me.
However, I loved the contrast in cultures between Lagos and Ajao and particularly the description of Ajao. This book was unlike any other children's book I have read and I was grateful to have some diversity pushed into my subject knowledge. It was unique and very interesting.
I found myself particularly interested in the character of Ilyanla, and would've loved to read more about her, but I also feel that the beauty of her character was the mystery. Her storytelling and cultural legends were the highlight of my reading and absolutely fascinated me.
I would definitely consider sharing this book with a KS2 class to immerse them in Nigerian culture and storytelling. I would love to encourage a class to have a go at storytelling like Ilyanla! I also think there is a multitude of cross-curricular references, such as science, RE and Pe (dance).
August 5, 2022
"Alle kinderen moeten zich kunnen herkennen in kinderboeken" hoorde ik Manon Sikkel afgelopen jaren geregeld zeggen. Nooit eerder las ik een kinderboek dat vanuit de Nigeriaanse (/Afrikaanse) cultuur beschreven is. Wat vind ik het interessant en mooi om meegezogen te worden in deze wereld en dat terwijl ik zelf geen link met deze cultuur heb, laat staan als je dat dat wel hebt, waarmee je je dus kunt identificeren. Waar de schrijfster op zoek naar was, is dus in dit boek prachtig uitgekomen.
Hiernaast vind ik het een prachtig, magisch verhaal waar ik helemaal in zat. Een fantasiewereld gebaseerd op een (verzonnen legende?) maar waar ik ook zeker troost en hoop uithaal.
Een boek voor (grote!) kinderen die van fantasieverhalen houden, maar ook zeker ervan houden om andere culturen en mensen te leren kennen.
En een boek dat aandacht in groep 8 verdient, maar door een leerkracht geïntroduceerd of voorgelezen dient te worden. Want dit boek wordt niet zo maar gepakt, maar opent een nieuwe of juist herkenbare wereld. En worden we niet allemaal een mooier mens, door open te staan voor anderen en hen te leren kennen? Dit boek helpt op weg naar een mooiere wereld ❤️
Hiernaast vind ik het een prachtig, magisch verhaal waar ik helemaal in zat. Een fantasiewereld gebaseerd op een (verzonnen legende?) maar waar ik ook zeker troost en hoop uithaal.
Een boek voor (grote!) kinderen die van fantasieverhalen houden, maar ook zeker ervan houden om andere culturen en mensen te leren kennen.
En een boek dat aandacht in groep 8 verdient, maar door een leerkracht geïntroduceerd of voorgelezen dient te worden. Want dit boek wordt niet zo maar gepakt, maar opent een nieuwe of juist herkenbare wereld. En worden we niet allemaal een mooier mens, door open te staan voor anderen en hen te leren kennen? Dit boek helpt op weg naar een mooiere wereld ❤️
July 20, 2023
Diary entry/review
This book is all about Simi and her experiences of moving from Lagos to a remote, underdeveloped, small village in Nigeria. This is where she will be spending her holidays with her grandma whilst her mum is away. It is here that she discovers the secret of the forbidden lake and how the gods supposedly order one child to be taken by the lake and the quicksands. After this adventure she moves back in with her father where she realises how meaningful and important the town is to her.
I thought this book was excellent and I really appreciated the use of a new environment that I have not seen commonly in modern literature- Lagos. I was greatly interested in the many comparisons between a small town and a much bigger area Nigeria through the book, whether this is how Simi adjusts to moving into her grandmothers small town or moving from there to her dad’s house in an incredibly developed area.
I would recommend this book to any child from age 8-14 as I feel that it is a fantastic way to learn about different cultures and environments in Nigeria, whilst promoting inclusivity amongst books and children at home and in the primary classroom. This target market is so broad as I feel that the mix of fantasy, adventure and geographical themes could meet the interests of most children.
This book is all about Simi and her experiences of moving from Lagos to a remote, underdeveloped, small village in Nigeria. This is where she will be spending her holidays with her grandma whilst her mum is away. It is here that she discovers the secret of the forbidden lake and how the gods supposedly order one child to be taken by the lake and the quicksands. After this adventure she moves back in with her father where she realises how meaningful and important the town is to her.
I thought this book was excellent and I really appreciated the use of a new environment that I have not seen commonly in modern literature- Lagos. I was greatly interested in the many comparisons between a small town and a much bigger area Nigeria through the book, whether this is how Simi adjusts to moving into her grandmothers small town or moving from there to her dad’s house in an incredibly developed area.
I would recommend this book to any child from age 8-14 as I feel that it is a fantastic way to learn about different cultures and environments in Nigeria, whilst promoting inclusivity amongst books and children at home and in the primary classroom. This target market is so broad as I feel that the mix of fantasy, adventure and geographical themes could meet the interests of most children.
August 23, 2022
This book would of never been one I would pick off a shelf as a book about the gods, goddess and myths would not usually be my taste. However, I got straight into this book and found this a very quick and easy read.
I found this book was a great mix of family, complicated relationships, Yoruba traditions, mythology, friendships and the intrigued mind of children. I really enjoyed this and how the author had made every single character interesting in their own way. Although I found the book ended very quickly without telling us more on what happened next, did simi and her mother go home? What happened to the villagers? And the lake? Apart from this I would recommend this book to people
I found this book was a great mix of family, complicated relationships, Yoruba traditions, mythology, friendships and the intrigued mind of children. I really enjoyed this and how the author had made every single character interesting in their own way. Although I found the book ended very quickly without telling us more on what happened next, did simi and her mother go home? What happened to the villagers? And the lake? Apart from this I would recommend this book to people
June 25, 2022
"In Ajao the strangest of things seemed possible. Goddesses existed; they changed the weather when they quarrelled and took children through sacred lakes."
January 6, 2024
Een mooi en magisch verhaal
December 30, 2021
Vibrant and imaginative, Efua Traoré has proven to be an exciting new voice in middle grade! (I also night recommend the audiobook!)
July 30, 2022
Wat een heerlijk boek. Mooi hoe een andere cultuur beschreven wordt met geuren, kleuren, oude verhalen over goden, over hoop en geloof en hoe voorbestemd je leven is. Over loslaten en echte liefde. Ik ben onder de indruk.
July 5, 2022
Blij om een kinderboek te lezen uit een regio waar ik eerlijk gezegd nog niet veel vanaf wist. Een avontuurlijk en magisch kinderboek waarbij je je waant in een prachtige natuuromgeving. Dit verhaal biedt denk ik ook een goede manier om kinderen te introduceren aan grote thema’s zoals verlies, trauma’s en wat het is om jezelf te ontwikkelen en in jezelf te geloven.
June 19, 2023
While the story was ok, I didn't care for the writing style - it seemed choppy and off-kilter to me, with short sentences, and obviously written for a younger audience, even though it included some "big" words. I never got invested in the story or the characters.
July 24, 2021
"Children of the Quicksands" was such a wonderful little gem. I found it while browsing signed editions and was intrigued instantly. It is a captivating and heartwarming story of family, friendship, Yoruba traditions, and magic. It's a middle grade fantasy book set in rural Nigeria.
Simi has to spend her holidays in a tiny village somewhere in Nigeria. She normally lives in Lagos with her divorced mother. Her mum has to go to London for two months for her job so she sends Simi to live with her grandmother for a while. Sink's grandmother is one of the village elders, a healer, and a priestess of Oshun, an Orisha goddess. On her first day Simi is lured into the nearby forest by a mysterious golden bird and comes upon a mysterious lake. As she approaches she is swallowed by quicksand and finds herself in another world. She finds her way back but from then on everything she believed in is turned upside down.
The story was absolutely wonderful. There are several mysteries that are all connected and I had a great time figuring them out together with Simi. The characters are very well written and loveable and I absolutely loved the setting. The descriptions are evocative and vivid. The author incorporated her childhood adventures in Nigeria into the story and I'm sure that's why it feels so believable.
If you're looking for a beautifully written #ownvoices story with loveable characters and a stunning setting you should give this one a try. It would also be a great book to read in school.
Simi has to spend her holidays in a tiny village somewhere in Nigeria. She normally lives in Lagos with her divorced mother. Her mum has to go to London for two months for her job so she sends Simi to live with her grandmother for a while. Sink's grandmother is one of the village elders, a healer, and a priestess of Oshun, an Orisha goddess. On her first day Simi is lured into the nearby forest by a mysterious golden bird and comes upon a mysterious lake. As she approaches she is swallowed by quicksand and finds herself in another world. She finds her way back but from then on everything she believed in is turned upside down.
The story was absolutely wonderful. There are several mysteries that are all connected and I had a great time figuring them out together with Simi. The characters are very well written and loveable and I absolutely loved the setting. The descriptions are evocative and vivid. The author incorporated her childhood adventures in Nigeria into the story and I'm sure that's why it feels so believable.
If you're looking for a beautifully written #ownvoices story with loveable characters and a stunning setting you should give this one a try. It would also be a great book to read in school.
September 28, 2022
This book introduces to modern day Nigeria. The big city of Lagos is modern and bustling. The religion is that of modernity and development. The villages and towns, on the other hand, move slower and its inhabitants are held together by community of Nigerian folklore full of animals, spirits and gods.
As Simi, the protagonist, is forced to visit her grandmother in the small town of Ajao, the dichotomy of two world becomes evident to her. Resisting at first, she quickly sees the beauty in its rich culture and the heritage that she holds as being the granddaughter of the respected local priestess.
Without going too much further in detail, it is a lovely story about belonging, family, loss, shame and spirituality. However, it is also a testament to the Nigeria that is perhaps being forgotten as the younger generations chase riches and modernity at a cost of cultural and historical identity.
As Simi, the protagonist, is forced to visit her grandmother in the small town of Ajao, the dichotomy of two world becomes evident to her. Resisting at first, she quickly sees the beauty in its rich culture and the heritage that she holds as being the granddaughter of the respected local priestess.
Without going too much further in detail, it is a lovely story about belonging, family, loss, shame and spirituality. However, it is also a testament to the Nigeria that is perhaps being forgotten as the younger generations chase riches and modernity at a cost of cultural and historical identity.
September 26, 2022
This book had me gripped from start to finish, so much so that I finished it in a day! This magical story set in Nigeria started when Simi was sent to stay with her grandmother she had never met in a remote village in Nigeria. Away from the bustling, vibrant city of Lagos, Simi found herself in a village where she was stripped of all her modern day necessities. I absolutely loved being exposed to a different culture through this book which showed me the beauty and authenticity of it. I felt like I got to experience a tiny glimpse of one of the many amazing cultures that make up our beautiful world.
June 30, 2022
It took me a few chapters to get into this book but once I did I was hooked!! It is a beautifully written magical fantasy adventure set in Nigeria, West Africa. There are many themes covered in this book but the main ones that protrude are grief and belonging. It is a tale of friendship and family intertwined with Nigerian myths and legends. The way the author uses Yoruba language makes you feel closer to the characters, their culture and their traditions. Certainly a book that gripped me and kept me turning those pages!
August 23, 2021
What an excellent book! Personally, I struggled to get into the story at the beginning but I preserved and as the storyline itself picked up I found it a lot more of an enjoyable read. Simi the main character passes through both worlds and along the way discovering new friendships and exploring her family history The way culture is portrayed in this book along with friendship and mystery gives so many different opportunities for exploring this book in the classroom. Just from looking at the front cover of the book, children would be able to come up with many ideas as to what this book is about along with bringing the book to life in the classroom (real life context) for the children to immerse themselves in the text even more. I think this would be a great read in the classroom and one which has many cross curricular links and in particular exploring culture through art. Children could also explore culture and relate this to their life comparing how we all live differently. I was a little confused as to why there was a glossary at the beginning of the book as this isn't something you would usually find, however I actually found this very useful and began to realise why this has been included! The glossary would be great for using in the classroom too.
Overall, a fantastic book to use in a KS2 classroom and one which has many talking points!
Overall, a fantastic book to use in a KS2 classroom and one which has many talking points!
May 5, 2022
I loved the adventure and sense of magic woven in with a new culture and mythology (Yoruba) I knew nothing about. For Nigerian children, seeing themselves in this book must be wonderful and for the rest of us it is a revelation. I especially love that there is a glossary in the FRONT of the book which puts you immediately in the right head space to appreciate the story.
Simi is a city girl sent to her unknown grandmothers for the summer - no Wi-Fi, running water, takeaways or flush toilets... Just dust, heat, a family mystery, a forbidden lake and some old stories of how children sometimes go missing. The clash between the old ways and the new is not just about Simi trying to find her place in the village for the summer, but also amongst the chief and his advisors with Simi's grandmother a staunch defender of the old ways and the pact made between Oshun and Oya.
The magic of the myth and it's pull on Simi brings everything to a great conclusion with all questions answered (although it felt a little rushed on the other side of the quicksands at the end).
This would make a great read aloud, not only for it's story but for relating to being taken outside your comfort zone and discussing the conflict between the traditional and contemporary ways.
Simi is a city girl sent to her unknown grandmothers for the summer - no Wi-Fi, running water, takeaways or flush toilets... Just dust, heat, a family mystery, a forbidden lake and some old stories of how children sometimes go missing. The clash between the old ways and the new is not just about Simi trying to find her place in the village for the summer, but also amongst the chief and his advisors with Simi's grandmother a staunch defender of the old ways and the pact made between Oshun and Oya.
The magic of the myth and it's pull on Simi brings everything to a great conclusion with all questions answered (although it felt a little rushed on the other side of the quicksands at the end).
This would make a great read aloud, not only for it's story but for relating to being taken outside your comfort zone and discussing the conflict between the traditional and contemporary ways.
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