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Mayowa and the Sea of Words: ‘Joyful and truly original’ – Katherine Rundell, author of Impossible Creatures
The first title in a dazzlingly imaginative adventure trilogy about one girl's power to change the world through the magic of book-jumping.
Perfect for fans of Pages & Co. Amari and the Night Brothers and The Book of Stolen Dreams.
DO NOT JUMP ON THIS BOOK!
Have you ever jumped on a book? Perhaps not. Most people would think it was a rather unusual thing to do.
Ten-year-old Mayowa has always thought that her Grandpa Edward, who dyes his beard emerald green and jumps on books in private, is rather unusual too. Until one day she jumps on a book for herself, and uncovers a huge family secret …
Mayowa can book jump.
By jumping on a book, she can harness the emotions inside it and channel them directly into other people. And when the opportunity to use her power to save the lives of countless refugees presents itself, Mayowa wants to jump in with both feet.
But Mayowa and her grandpa aren't the only book jumpers in existence. And not everybody wants to use this power for good …
Brimming with heart, Mayowa and the Sea of Words is a modern classic in the making. Perfect for everyone who knows the true power of a good book …
Perfect for fans of Pages & Co. Amari and the Night Brothers and The Book of Stolen Dreams.
DO NOT JUMP ON THIS BOOK!
Have you ever jumped on a book? Perhaps not. Most people would think it was a rather unusual thing to do.
Ten-year-old Mayowa has always thought that her Grandpa Edward, who dyes his beard emerald green and jumps on books in private, is rather unusual too. Until one day she jumps on a book for herself, and uncovers a huge family secret …
Mayowa can book jump.
By jumping on a book, she can harness the emotions inside it and channel them directly into other people. And when the opportunity to use her power to save the lives of countless refugees presents itself, Mayowa wants to jump in with both feet.
But Mayowa and her grandpa aren't the only book jumpers in existence. And not everybody wants to use this power for good …
Brimming with heart, Mayowa and the Sea of Words is a modern classic in the making. Perfect for everyone who knows the true power of a good book …
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 20, 2024
20 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Chibundu Onuzo
10 books667 followersChibundu Onuzo was born in Nigeria in 1991 in Lagos and is the youngest of four children. She is a History graduate from King's College London and is currently an MSc student in Public Policy at the University College of London.
(from http://freduagyeman.blogspot.com/2013...)
(from http://freduagyeman.blogspot.com/2013...)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 26, 2024
This is a spoiler free review! ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
“You cannot forget the truth, nor can you cover it up. It’s a song that can never be silenced and a flame that cannot be put out.”
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°
☆ Synopsis
Ten-year-old Mayowa is sent to stay with her Grandpa Edward while her parents are away and decides to jump on a book, doing so fills her with a range of new and exciting, albeit scary sensations. Her Grandpa rushes to her aid and explains that he and Mayowa have a special gift of book jumping which in essence is when someone can absorb and redirect the emotions that books evoke in their readers. It is a rare talent believed to be limited to her family and under threat of dying out. That is, until the pair discover there may be someone else with this special power and whoever is using this talent is using it for evil – to put the lives of refugees in danger while voting in Parliament. Will young, inexperienced Mayowa and her elderly grandfather be able to discover who the hidden book jumper is and harness their powers for good and prevent the deaths of innocent people?
☆ My thoughts
This book has a wonderful cast of diverse characters and tackles heavy topics, like the topic of refugees, in a sensitive way. Politics is a central theme to the novel and I loved that the author was not afraid to include this in a middle grade book, I think it makes for an important read. The inclusion of disabled characters too was a lovely addition to the book, especially as that was also handled very delicately. Despite the serious themes handled in the book, it remains fun and upbeat throughout, and that was helped by the addition of the little footnotes which added to the atmosphere and storytelling.
The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter displaying Mayowa’s growth throughout were lovely too, matching the absolutely gorgeous cover art for this novel, which was one of the reasons I picked it up in the first place.
This is the sort of book I would have loved as a child and I loved even as an adult, despite being well above the age of the target audience for this book. Books like this prove that children are fully capable to understand heavy themes, such as equality, diversity and disability, and that they can be taught in a way that still remains fun and accurate for the target age demographic.
What a delightful little read! I was intrigued by the beautiful cover art and the warning “do not jump on this book!” in the blurb and I’m so glad I decided to request this title.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“You cannot forget the truth, nor can you cover it up. It’s a song that can never be silenced and a flame that cannot be put out.”
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°
☆ Synopsis
Ten-year-old Mayowa is sent to stay with her Grandpa Edward while her parents are away and decides to jump on a book, doing so fills her with a range of new and exciting, albeit scary sensations. Her Grandpa rushes to her aid and explains that he and Mayowa have a special gift of book jumping which in essence is when someone can absorb and redirect the emotions that books evoke in their readers. It is a rare talent believed to be limited to her family and under threat of dying out. That is, until the pair discover there may be someone else with this special power and whoever is using this talent is using it for evil – to put the lives of refugees in danger while voting in Parliament. Will young, inexperienced Mayowa and her elderly grandfather be able to discover who the hidden book jumper is and harness their powers for good and prevent the deaths of innocent people?
☆ My thoughts
This book has a wonderful cast of diverse characters and tackles heavy topics, like the topic of refugees, in a sensitive way. Politics is a central theme to the novel and I loved that the author was not afraid to include this in a middle grade book, I think it makes for an important read. The inclusion of disabled characters too was a lovely addition to the book, especially as that was also handled very delicately. Despite the serious themes handled in the book, it remains fun and upbeat throughout, and that was helped by the addition of the little footnotes which added to the atmosphere and storytelling.
The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter displaying Mayowa’s growth throughout were lovely too, matching the absolutely gorgeous cover art for this novel, which was one of the reasons I picked it up in the first place.
This is the sort of book I would have loved as a child and I loved even as an adult, despite being well above the age of the target audience for this book. Books like this prove that children are fully capable to understand heavy themes, such as equality, diversity and disability, and that they can be taught in a way that still remains fun and accurate for the target age demographic.
What a delightful little read! I was intrigued by the beautiful cover art and the warning “do not jump on this book!” in the blurb and I’m so glad I decided to request this title.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2024
Graphic: Xenophobia, Hate crime, War, and Racism
Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Misogyny
Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
While this had a pretty good story and message to show, I think the writing was lacking a fair bit. Everything was just super convenient and Mayowa specifically was just such a stereotypical "Chosen one". Every plan and idea worked practically without resistance and without much thought either.
The characters where pretty fun, a half Nigerian, half English family - with a blind mother. Decently diverse set of characters, though no queer people. Mayowa was a fun main character but not super complex. She had character growth for sure but she was also very much a stereotypical "chosen one" character. She was way too smart, everything she thought of just worked without issue regardless of how wild it was. The powers just came to her too naturally, too easily. She was quickly teaching her grandpa how to use the magic after very little training.
The world building was pretty interesting, but very limited. The logosalting was neat, a different form of "words have power" but whenever a different form was mentioned then it was literally just "I'll have to research that later" and never mentioned again... The history of the power mainly focused on the misogynistic rules and the war criminal/racist/etc past uses and not really anything about the origins or how it works or anything like that.
The footnotes as well where incredibly confusing. Why did they exist? So much of them would have fit fine within the text, and other bits where either a bit aggressive or just completely nonsensical. Didn't think you could have worse footnotes in a book than Babel aha..
The messages where nice, and very topical especially at the moment with the current political climate here in the UK. But the fantasy part and the writing really needed some additional work.
June 14, 2025
Ten year old Mayowa is a logosater, which means she can book jump and she can harness the emotions inside a book and channel them directly into the world, like: courage, love, fear...
The tradition to jump on books are not so much encouraged in the family, still Mayowa does that (yes, very bad habit) But her Nigerian and blind mother bans her, which is fair. Until the big break and her parents need to tour across the USA. This means that Maj need to live at one of her grandfather's, either the one in Nigeria or the on in England.
I have a weak heart for anything with London, so this was a such a heartwarming read. Reading brittish, seeing flats, living in mansions, talking about parties and Disneyland, longing for books and afternoon tea.
On the first page I was stuck. The Illustrations were incredible playful and pleasent to the eye.
Also which author use reference Oxford reference system, or footnotes to comment the characters behaviour? This one, and I liked it. It's interactive and I smiled through the whole book. The comments are so hilarious - judgy and contains some facts and disclaimers.
It's a fun way to feel the authors presence, even though she wrote the book therefore the characters are her piece of work 🤭. I mean - jumping on books, not knocking on the door and so on - interesting and bad behaviours. Which of course is a way to tech children of good behaviour.
I also liked how open and inclusive this book were. Having an interracial couple, a blind mother, jazz musician (I mean that there ain't that many people that are jazz musicians but they are becoming more and more popular in literature), refugees and some rich grandpa's that lives kind of wealthy (they have mansions!).
This is such a ride - really. I wanna own this book and all the other ones in the serie!!!
Mayowa and the sea of words are such an incredible heartwarming read full with funny moments and people. The closeness to the character and the sweet candies of moments, was such a delight. This novel also includes friendship, society standards, racism, family secrets, patriarchal heritage, emotions and wisdom. I felt this is the kind of book, children need to read.
The tradition to jump on books are not so much encouraged in the family, still Mayowa does that (yes, very bad habit) But her Nigerian and blind mother bans her, which is fair. Until the big break and her parents need to tour across the USA. This means that Maj need to live at one of her grandfather's, either the one in Nigeria or the on in England.
I have a weak heart for anything with London, so this was a such a heartwarming read. Reading brittish, seeing flats, living in mansions, talking about parties and Disneyland, longing for books and afternoon tea.
On the first page I was stuck. The Illustrations were incredible playful and pleasent to the eye.
Also which author use reference Oxford reference system, or footnotes to comment the characters behaviour? This one, and I liked it. It's interactive and I smiled through the whole book. The comments are so hilarious - judgy and contains some facts and disclaimers.
It's a fun way to feel the authors presence, even though she wrote the book therefore the characters are her piece of work 🤭. I mean - jumping on books, not knocking on the door and so on - interesting and bad behaviours. Which of course is a way to tech children of good behaviour.
I also liked how open and inclusive this book were. Having an interracial couple, a blind mother, jazz musician (I mean that there ain't that many people that are jazz musicians but they are becoming more and more popular in literature), refugees and some rich grandpa's that lives kind of wealthy (they have mansions!).
This is such a ride - really. I wanna own this book and all the other ones in the serie!!!
Mayowa and the sea of words are such an incredible heartwarming read full with funny moments and people. The closeness to the character and the sweet candies of moments, was such a delight. This novel also includes friendship, society standards, racism, family secrets, patriarchal heritage, emotions and wisdom. I felt this is the kind of book, children need to read.
May 4, 2024
*4.75 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Like most readers, I love a magic system that's related to books, and this was a great one. I really loved this story, the characters, the plot and the subplots. The family dynamics were very interesting too. It was an overall great middle grade. It was fun and engaging and spoke of important topics too. I have no notes and I cannot wait for book 2.
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Like most readers, I love a magic system that's related to books, and this was a great one. I really loved this story, the characters, the plot and the subplots. The family dynamics were very interesting too. It was an overall great middle grade. It was fun and engaging and spoke of important topics too. I have no notes and I cannot wait for book 2.
September 25, 2024
Sept 2024: Mayowa and the Sea of Words
✨Amazing book by @chibundu.onuzo
✨️Illustrated by @paulazorite
Mayowa starts to jump on books since she saw her Grandpa Edward did it and was curious to know why. She figured it out during summer she had to stay with Grandpa Edward while her parents joined a music tour in America.
Mayowa was born a logosalter - a superpower to harness the reader's emotion from a book she jumped on, to the people around her. But where does this superpower bring Mayowa to?
Let me divide this book into 2 parts. The first is the intro to the diverse characters, the discovery and lessons of logosalting. Mayowa befriends Hamza and his mother, war refugees from Wahatan who happened to be her grandpa's new neighbour. Hamza introduced Mayowa to the war and the refugee world.
The second part is where the adventure begins. The conflict starts when the MP of Grimsfell, David Hayward introduced a bill concerning the refugees' right. Readers will go through the democratic process of voting, campaigning and passing the Boat Bill. The tension and suspense expanded in this part.
✨️✨️✨️
I agreed with Wunmi, Mayowa's Nigerian mom where books are prized possessions thus jumping on books is not allowed in the house. However, channelling the emotions felt by readers is a new and interesting superpower to me. For example, in The Wind and The Willow, Tagalog version, logosalter can feel joy, playfulness and nostalgia depending on one's emotional palette. You will get curious to know how this superpower is used to help the refugees safely landed on the shore of the UK!
The footnotes are amusing and some characters seem real! There are also references made to the Bible, if I'm not mistaken. I take note of the list of books that Mayowa and Grandpa jumped on, but I was hoping for a quick scene where Mayowa reads those books rather than just jumped on it hehe
The topics set in this book i.e. racism, misogynism, primogeniture and refugees perhaps are quite heavy for younger readers but they are important to talk about especially in today's world. Or maybe we should not underestimate the kids nowadays like how David Hayward think of Mayowa?
This is the first book of a trilogy and I can feel Mayowa is about to discover more superpowers! Thank you #Pansing for this review copy. This book is available at all good bookstore.
✨Amazing book by @chibundu.onuzo
✨️Illustrated by @paulazorite
Mayowa starts to jump on books since she saw her Grandpa Edward did it and was curious to know why. She figured it out during summer she had to stay with Grandpa Edward while her parents joined a music tour in America.
Mayowa was born a logosalter - a superpower to harness the reader's emotion from a book she jumped on, to the people around her. But where does this superpower bring Mayowa to?
Let me divide this book into 2 parts. The first is the intro to the diverse characters, the discovery and lessons of logosalting. Mayowa befriends Hamza and his mother, war refugees from Wahatan who happened to be her grandpa's new neighbour. Hamza introduced Mayowa to the war and the refugee world.
The second part is where the adventure begins. The conflict starts when the MP of Grimsfell, David Hayward introduced a bill concerning the refugees' right. Readers will go through the democratic process of voting, campaigning and passing the Boat Bill. The tension and suspense expanded in this part.
✨️✨️✨️
I agreed with Wunmi, Mayowa's Nigerian mom where books are prized possessions thus jumping on books is not allowed in the house. However, channelling the emotions felt by readers is a new and interesting superpower to me. For example, in The Wind and The Willow, Tagalog version, logosalter can feel joy, playfulness and nostalgia depending on one's emotional palette. You will get curious to know how this superpower is used to help the refugees safely landed on the shore of the UK!
The footnotes are amusing and some characters seem real! There are also references made to the Bible, if I'm not mistaken. I take note of the list of books that Mayowa and Grandpa jumped on, but I was hoping for a quick scene where Mayowa reads those books rather than just jumped on it hehe
The topics set in this book i.e. racism, misogynism, primogeniture and refugees perhaps are quite heavy for younger readers but they are important to talk about especially in today's world. Or maybe we should not underestimate the kids nowadays like how David Hayward think of Mayowa?
This is the first book of a trilogy and I can feel Mayowa is about to discover more superpowers! Thank you #Pansing for this review copy. This book is available at all good bookstore.
February 8, 2026
I went into this for the premise of the power of books, as Mayowa our protagonist can harness their emotions and push them out into the world, but my word, it blew me away. Onuzo did so much more. Mayowa navigates the world of social justice, democracy, refugee safety and protection, and so much more. It explores the tenets of a just society, not shying away from challenging topics but delivering them in understandable terms for younger readers. An incredible read for children and adults alike during our political turbulent times. I loved it.
April 30, 2025
3.5 - the writing didn’t blow me away, but I loved the concept of jumping on books to channel all the emotions of people who had read it. And I loved that it was used to talk about a big topic of refugees and politics in a kids book. That bit was very well done.
June 4, 2025
The story was sweet and had a nice message about refugees / the power of words. I liked the writing style too the sassy footnotes reminded me a bit of Lemony Snicket!
August 4, 2025
I knew this was 5 stars as soon as I found out it has illustrations. And the illustrations are amazing
Important themes. Fun read. Tackled serious issues about imperialism, racism and sexism in a good way for younger readers to understand. Also how dare that man promote miscegenation. Was not a fan of bare feet.
Important themes. Fun read. Tackled serious issues about imperialism, racism and sexism in a good way for younger readers to understand. Also how dare that man promote miscegenation. Was not a fan of bare feet.
January 12, 2026
Read this for a project at work. A lovely story.
May 3, 2024
“When she was old enough to look things up on Wikipedia, Mayowa Althea Howard had seen that the other Althea had 'broken down barriers.' After that, Mayowa always strode purposefully through the turnstiles on the London Underground.”
I absolutely loved “Mayowa and the Sea of Words”. Wildly imaginative and witty at every turn, Chibundu Onuzo weaves more than magic into every page. Logosaltering has skipped a generation, and Moyowa demands to be taught the gift that her father never possessed.
I loved every single hilarious footnote that was generously sprinkled across each page, and the irreverent humour and clever inclusions of so many children’s and adults’ classics.
“What’s the white man’s burden?,” Mayowa asked, scribbling as fast as she could. “The belief that white men are supposed to rule the world because of a deficiency in melanin.”
Tackling important issues like refugees in the UK, the vileness of selfishness and hatred in racial supremacy (with a slur on Mayowa skilfully depicted), as well as the economics of labour (Mayowa’s parents and maternal grandfather work for passion, which explains their utter lack of money, as compared to her Nigerian paternal grandfather who was swimming in it).
Mayowa’s friendship with Wahatan refugee Hamza is charming, and totally natural even though they come from such vastly different worlds. Hamza’s mum has a beautiful pink headscarf, and Grandpa Howard says grace before a meal - the mentions of Moses holding his hands up, and a wise man born in Bethleham made me feel seen and represented in a way that I hardly ever experience.
Can’t wait for book two of this trilogy already!
I absolutely loved “Mayowa and the Sea of Words”. Wildly imaginative and witty at every turn, Chibundu Onuzo weaves more than magic into every page. Logosaltering has skipped a generation, and Moyowa demands to be taught the gift that her father never possessed.
I loved every single hilarious footnote that was generously sprinkled across each page, and the irreverent humour and clever inclusions of so many children’s and adults’ classics.
“What’s the white man’s burden?,” Mayowa asked, scribbling as fast as she could. “The belief that white men are supposed to rule the world because of a deficiency in melanin.”
Tackling important issues like refugees in the UK, the vileness of selfishness and hatred in racial supremacy (with a slur on Mayowa skilfully depicted), as well as the economics of labour (Mayowa’s parents and maternal grandfather work for passion, which explains their utter lack of money, as compared to her Nigerian paternal grandfather who was swimming in it).
Mayowa’s friendship with Wahatan refugee Hamza is charming, and totally natural even though they come from such vastly different worlds. Hamza’s mum has a beautiful pink headscarf, and Grandpa Howard says grace before a meal - the mentions of Moses holding his hands up, and a wise man born in Bethleham made me feel seen and represented in a way that I hardly ever experience.
Can’t wait for book two of this trilogy already!
May 19, 2025
A sweet story with a positive message, but the magic system is very abstract/worthy, especially for kids.
June 17, 2024
Mayowa's grandfather jumps on books. It's just a thing he does, but her parents are not keen on the idea. When Mayowa is forced to spend the summer with her seemingly eccentric grandfather, she gets a chance to see his odd habit up close. At her insistence, Mayowa's grandfather finally unveils the family power he had inherited.. And how it relates to him jumping on books.
A children's tale about compassion, social responsibility and the power of strong emotion, this is a wonderful read. The footnotes work really well, here, and are entertaining at an adult and child level.
Some of the "lessons" felt a little heavy-handed, but the over-arching story of Mayowa and her grandfather using their power to combat feelings of spite and hatred for refugees is a lovely one. The potential familial link between the antagonist and the heroes here felt rushed and a bit of a slap-dash explanation, but I suspect it was a plot device to explain how the opposition had power. Could have explored this for a bit more of a rounded story, but perhaps that would be too heavy for the reading level this is at.
Overall, a great concept. I'd read more of Mayowa and her grandfather.
A children's tale about compassion, social responsibility and the power of strong emotion, this is a wonderful read. The footnotes work really well, here, and are entertaining at an adult and child level.
Some of the "lessons" felt a little heavy-handed, but the over-arching story of Mayowa and her grandfather using their power to combat feelings of spite and hatred for refugees is a lovely one. The potential familial link between the antagonist and the heroes here felt rushed and a bit of a slap-dash explanation, but I suspect it was a plot device to explain how the opposition had power. Could have explored this for a bit more of a rounded story, but perhaps that would be too heavy for the reading level this is at.
Overall, a great concept. I'd read more of Mayowa and her grandfather.
September 1, 2024
Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for an advance copy of this book.
Whilst I liked the idea of the story, I wasn’t a firm fan by the time I had finished. The blurb described how young Mayowa used a strange skill that involved jumping on books; a power that she utilises in an undisclosed way to save the lives of many refugees. This description, coupled with the bright, decorative cover, piqued my interest. However, there are several points that caused me to develop a negative overall view of the book.
Firstly, I didn’t appreciate how the author constantly used Mayowa’s parents’ names when she was in the same scene as them. I felt it diminished their relationship and isn’t the way the intended audience would expect to read about the main character’s mum and dad. I also felt there were detailed that were included in the book for detail’s sake such as Grandpa Edward’s green hair, Mayowa’s purple strand, and much of the information about Grandpa Razak considering we were never going to meet him, we were never going to travel to Nigeria, and the parents were taking a tour of America whilst leaving Mayowa behind in London. It took far too long to get to the crux of the story by sending mum on a music tour providing Mayowa with an opportunity to harness her power. Even the way the villains were always described by their working relationship rather than a closer bond that could have been highlighted irked me.
Given that the main character is 10 years old, I would expect the audience to be around 8-12 years old. With this in mind, I was quite annoyed by the amount of politics in the book. There are themes of parliamentary votes regarding Great Britain’s stance when it comes to refugees. Personally, I don’t think this is a topic that should be flippantly put to children. The author takes a firm stance on their own political views which rightly or wrongly, is not the shared view of the nation. I also didn’t appreciate how lightly the author breezed over the likelihood of racism and labelling. It’s not a book I would share with my 9-year-old even though we have had extremely in-depth conversations about racism, prejudice, and discrimination. The book leaves unanswered queries and questions that not all members of the target audience will be mature enough to absorb, particularly if immigration and racism hasn’t touched them/crossed their path in any way.
It's not often I struggle to find anyone to whom I would recommend the book to as I think there is potential in most things even if the audience is highly niche. However, in this case I cannot think of who this book would suit in its current form. I would be inclined to suggest it be reworked for an older audience and include more pertinent details and less fluff and stuff that only appears to serve to beef up the word count. My message to anyone looking at buying this book for a youngster would be, 'proceed with caution'.
Whilst I liked the idea of the story, I wasn’t a firm fan by the time I had finished. The blurb described how young Mayowa used a strange skill that involved jumping on books; a power that she utilises in an undisclosed way to save the lives of many refugees. This description, coupled with the bright, decorative cover, piqued my interest. However, there are several points that caused me to develop a negative overall view of the book.
Firstly, I didn’t appreciate how the author constantly used Mayowa’s parents’ names when she was in the same scene as them. I felt it diminished their relationship and isn’t the way the intended audience would expect to read about the main character’s mum and dad. I also felt there were detailed that were included in the book for detail’s sake such as Grandpa Edward’s green hair, Mayowa’s purple strand, and much of the information about Grandpa Razak considering we were never going to meet him, we were never going to travel to Nigeria, and the parents were taking a tour of America whilst leaving Mayowa behind in London. It took far too long to get to the crux of the story by sending mum on a music tour providing Mayowa with an opportunity to harness her power. Even the way the villains were always described by their working relationship rather than a closer bond that could have been highlighted irked me.
Given that the main character is 10 years old, I would expect the audience to be around 8-12 years old. With this in mind, I was quite annoyed by the amount of politics in the book. There are themes of parliamentary votes regarding Great Britain’s stance when it comes to refugees. Personally, I don’t think this is a topic that should be flippantly put to children. The author takes a firm stance on their own political views which rightly or wrongly, is not the shared view of the nation. I also didn’t appreciate how lightly the author breezed over the likelihood of racism and labelling. It’s not a book I would share with my 9-year-old even though we have had extremely in-depth conversations about racism, prejudice, and discrimination. The book leaves unanswered queries and questions that not all members of the target audience will be mature enough to absorb, particularly if immigration and racism hasn’t touched them/crossed their path in any way.
It's not often I struggle to find anyone to whom I would recommend the book to as I think there is potential in most things even if the audience is highly niche. However, in this case I cannot think of who this book would suit in its current form. I would be inclined to suggest it be reworked for an older audience and include more pertinent details and less fluff and stuff that only appears to serve to beef up the word count. My message to anyone looking at buying this book for a youngster would be, 'proceed with caution'.
May 5, 2024
When you look at a book cover and the first words you see are WARNING DON’T JUMP ON THE BOOK you know that you need this at the top of your TBR pile and you need to read it as soon as you finish your current book.
This is exactly what I need and I didn’t regret it for a second.
Have you ever jumped on a book? Perhaps not. Most people would think it was a rather unusual thing to do. Ten-year-old Mayowa has always thought that her Grandpa Edward, who dyes his beard emerald green and jumps on books in private, is rather unusual too. Until one day she jumps on a book for herself, and uncovers a huge family secret …Mayowa can book jump.By jumping on a book, she can harness the emotions inside it and channel them directly into other people. And when the opportunity to use her power to save the lives of countless refugees presents itself, Mayowa wants to jump in with both feet.But Mayowa and her grandpa aren't the only book jumpers in existence. And not everybody wants to use this power for good
There are 2 important things in my mind about this book, 1 is the fact that this is the author's debut YES DEBUT MG book honestly you would think that she had been writing MG for years. And the second that this is the first book in what promises to be an amazing Trilogy.
There are so many things to talk about in this book so we will start with the characters.
The characters are so diverse. Mayowa mum is Nigerian and also blind. Her grandfather helps refugees out and we get to see what refugees in England face. The issues involving the characters are so sensitively done with a lot of research observely done. The friendship between Mayowa and Hamza is so lovely and they get to see the others person's point of view.
There is also a lot of politics mentioned in this book as this plays a massive part in the story.
It’s an interesting look on how the house of lords works, and how slow things get done in this country.
I absolutely adored the concept of jumping on books to release magical powers, though of course we shouldn’t really jump on books.
I really can’t wait for the next book in the series.
September 24, 2025
This middle-grade adventure story is well-written and features an array of diverse characters, including main character Mayowa, who finds out she has a magical ability to pull emotions from books and project them onto other people. It was particularly nice to see disability represented very positively and realistically, in the form of Mayowa’s mum’s blindness and how it is presented.
The story is also educational about world affairs and political issues, as Mayowa has to decide whether and how to use her power – along with the allies she makes while her parents are away – to help with a political crisis centred on refugees seeking asylum in the country (which also becomes a personal cause for her as her new friend is one of said refugees).
I love the unique magic system at work in this story and it is a fun fantasy adventure, particularly for book-loving children (and adults!).
There is a very overt political message throughout the book, that turning away refugees is selfish and inhumane – personally, I agree with this position and so have no problem with it but obviously it is a contentious issue at the moment, in the UK and abroad, and not everyone will agree!
As someone who firmly believes in the power of books and the emotions they invoke, I really love the concept of this story and that it tackles some heavy, thought-provoking issues in an interesting and accessible way. Those who prefer their children not to be exposed to current events and controversial topics would likely want to steer clear of this book on that basis, but I would definitely share it with my children alongside a lot of discussion about the topics contained and the views represented.
The story is also educational about world affairs and political issues, as Mayowa has to decide whether and how to use her power – along with the allies she makes while her parents are away – to help with a political crisis centred on refugees seeking asylum in the country (which also becomes a personal cause for her as her new friend is one of said refugees).
I love the unique magic system at work in this story and it is a fun fantasy adventure, particularly for book-loving children (and adults!).
There is a very overt political message throughout the book, that turning away refugees is selfish and inhumane – personally, I agree with this position and so have no problem with it but obviously it is a contentious issue at the moment, in the UK and abroad, and not everyone will agree!
As someone who firmly believes in the power of books and the emotions they invoke, I really love the concept of this story and that it tackles some heavy, thought-provoking issues in an interesting and accessible way. Those who prefer their children not to be exposed to current events and controversial topics would likely want to steer clear of this book on that basis, but I would definitely share it with my children alongside a lot of discussion about the topics contained and the views represented.
August 4, 2024
In Mayowa and the Sea of Words by Chibundu Onuzo, ten-year-old Mayowa thinks it’s strange that her grandfather has a habit of jumping on books in private. That is, until she discovers he is a logosalter—one who can harness and channel emotions inside a book by jumping on it—and that she, too, has the same gift.
Mayowa learns to use her powers but not without a mishap or two. When a hateful bill against refugees is introduced in the United Kingdom parliament, Mayowa must master her gift, and together with her grandfather, stop evil logosalters from using their powers to pass the bill.
With a feisty protagonist and interesting magic system, this is a fun read that also touches on heavy issues like racism, xenophobia and the plight of refugees. The prose is engaging and easy for younger children to understand, with the themes of acceptance and empathy tackled beautifully. I absolutely love the idea of harnessing powers from books because indeed, books have the power to change people and the world. I recommend this middle-grade book for those 9 years and older.
Thank you Definitely Books Kids (Pansing) for sending this newly-released title over! This book is available at all good bookstores.
Mayowa learns to use her powers but not without a mishap or two. When a hateful bill against refugees is introduced in the United Kingdom parliament, Mayowa must master her gift, and together with her grandfather, stop evil logosalters from using their powers to pass the bill.
With a feisty protagonist and interesting magic system, this is a fun read that also touches on heavy issues like racism, xenophobia and the plight of refugees. The prose is engaging and easy for younger children to understand, with the themes of acceptance and empathy tackled beautifully. I absolutely love the idea of harnessing powers from books because indeed, books have the power to change people and the world. I recommend this middle-grade book for those 9 years and older.
Thank you Definitely Books Kids (Pansing) for sending this newly-released title over! This book is available at all good bookstores.
November 3, 2024
I really wanted to like this Black middle grade novel more than I did. Especially as the mum in this is blind, so there's disabled rep.
The concept of book jumping and the emotional power of words was cool.
My main issue is the writing. Everything felt oversimplified -- kids can keep up, so it doesn't have to be so stale! Because of the writing, it made me iffy about the refugee crisis being the main topic of the book. It didn't speak to the complexities of the subject, or the emotional impact because simplifying things made them devoid of feeling.
They also say using book jumping to sway people's choice is a bad thing to do (as people then lack autonomy), but afterwards they proceed to do that for the rest of the novel. So... murky morals.
There's also some handing down of parental trauma. It's depicted as being okay?! Rather than the mum working through that herself. Which made me itchy about the disability rep too. Slightly due to oversimplifying things again.
I also felt like the villains were flat and 2D, and their reasons for being villains felt too cartoonist and under-explained. Even for a middle grade novel!
The concept of book jumping and the emotional power of words was cool.
My main issue is the writing. Everything felt oversimplified -- kids can keep up, so it doesn't have to be so stale! Because of the writing, it made me iffy about the refugee crisis being the main topic of the book. It didn't speak to the complexities of the subject, or the emotional impact because simplifying things made them devoid of feeling.
They also say using book jumping to sway people's choice is a bad thing to do (as people then lack autonomy), but afterwards they proceed to do that for the rest of the novel. So... murky morals.
There's also some handing down of parental trauma. It's depicted as being okay?! Rather than the mum working through that herself. Which made me itchy about the disability rep too. Slightly due to oversimplifying things again.
I also felt like the villains were flat and 2D, and their reasons for being villains felt too cartoonist and under-explained. Even for a middle grade novel!
August 1, 2025
There are lots of positives here for me. It's interesting to see an MG book by an Igbo writer, and it makes a change to read a novel by someone with an unashamedly positive view of Christian faith. It's also good to see a book that addresses the rise of anti-refugee sentiment. I liked the idea of logosaltering - potentially turning a mob mentality towards peace through the power of words.
Personally, I think that footnotes are a bad idea in a novel - they take me out of the story. As a teacher, I dislike hearing that girls are bad at maths - it reinforces a unfortunate and unnecessary stereotype. I know that this is fiction, but I think that the idea of Parliament passing a bill to 'drown refugees' was unhelpful (and I speak as a volunteer for a refugee charity) - there are plenty of egregious actions towards refugees without going there. I think that Inkheart has a more effective version of the logosaltering idea, because those with the gift have to read the text aloud and summon the characters - the connection with actual reading was thinner here.
In conclusion, lots to like but some issues too.
Personally, I think that footnotes are a bad idea in a novel - they take me out of the story. As a teacher, I dislike hearing that girls are bad at maths - it reinforces a unfortunate and unnecessary stereotype. I know that this is fiction, but I think that the idea of Parliament passing a bill to 'drown refugees' was unhelpful (and I speak as a volunteer for a refugee charity) - there are plenty of egregious actions towards refugees without going there. I think that Inkheart has a more effective version of the logosaltering idea, because those with the gift have to read the text aloud and summon the characters - the connection with actual reading was thinner here.
In conclusion, lots to like but some issues too.
July 13, 2024
What a truly amazing & delightful children's Book but also one that is great for Adults to Read too as it covers so many diverse topics within our society today. i wish we did have the power to harness the emotions held within written words to unleash the greater good just as Mayowa & her Grandad Edward do , along with some help from special friends. #NetGalley, #GoodReads, #FB, #Instagram,# Amazon.co.uk,#
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March 29, 2024
This is a wonderful book for anyone who enjoys reading, and loves books just for existing!
Mayowa realises that she has more in common with eccentric, green-bearded Grandpa Edward than she thought, once she discovers that she too shares the family talent for book jumping.
Unfortunately there are always villains around who wants to turn something good into something bad for their own purposes. Can she and Grandpa Edward find a way to do the right thing?
A charming story that's worth checking out. It gets 3.5 stars!
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Mayowa realises that she has more in common with eccentric, green-bearded Grandpa Edward than she thought, once she discovers that she too shares the family talent for book jumping.
Unfortunately there are always villains around who wants to turn something good into something bad for their own purposes. Can she and Grandpa Edward find a way to do the right thing?
A charming story that's worth checking out. It gets 3.5 stars!
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
March 25, 2024
This is absolutely a new favourite! I love the magic system (jumping on books! So transgressive yet whimsical!) and the way it finds real-world applications to oppose hate speech, racism, and intolerance. The book's theme centres around a refugee family, and this topic is presented at a perfect pitch for Middle Grade but without sacrificing any emotional depth. The author has truly captured the essence of British culture, the good and the bad and all the contradictions in between, and done so in a moving, humorous, and captivating way.
July 6, 2024
3.75 ⭐️
This was such a fun and interesting concept. I loved the fact that it's books that give someone a special power.
I think this book does a great job of talking about really important topics in a way that young people will understand and that's so important, especially now.
This is definitely a book that children should be reading! Very enjoyable but also educates you on important social topics in a way that's kid friendly.
I definitely recommend!
- Thankyou NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the eARC! -
This was such a fun and interesting concept. I loved the fact that it's books that give someone a special power.
I think this book does a great job of talking about really important topics in a way that young people will understand and that's so important, especially now.
This is definitely a book that children should be reading! Very enjoyable but also educates you on important social topics in a way that's kid friendly.
I definitely recommend!
- Thankyou NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the eARC! -
June 20, 2024
Unusual and brilliant concept. Masterful storytelling that celebrates literature at it's core. Eye-catching illustrations. Charming characters. Up-to-date topics explored in an age appropriate way. And great lessons combined with wit, adventure, and emotional depth. Though I several times over the recommended target age, I very much enjoyed this and think that the target readership would love it even more.
August 23, 2024
Jumping on books just to channel emotions seemed goofy to me lol
Please don’t write on jumping on food (ex. Jollof rice) next 😂
The author did a good job in the pacing of the book. Definitely grabbed my interest and kept it. The MC does get annoying and at times I applauded the patience of her grand father.
I like the authors style of writing and will give another book by him a chance.
3.5 maybe but not a 4 lol
Please don’t write on jumping on food (ex. Jollof rice) next 😂
The author did a good job in the pacing of the book. Definitely grabbed my interest and kept it. The MC does get annoying and at times I applauded the patience of her grand father.
I like the authors style of writing and will give another book by him a chance.
3.5 maybe but not a 4 lol
June 1, 2025
This was a great kids fantasy story, filled with wonder and excitement it would be great in any class library. The links to themes of refugees and the boat bill were written really well. It will give children a good insight into some of the political problems refugees face, explained in child friendly way. I look forward to reading the next books in the series and learning more about Mayowas talents
April 5, 2024
Gosh, this is steeped in themes of racism, family history, injustice and politics… but without being stifling or serious. There’s so much magic and joy in discovery. It’s glorious and it’s fun. It’s learning and understanding; it’s embracing your power and it’s full of love. This will be perfect for older readers.
September 4, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Interesting fantasy for fans of Anna James' Pages and Co. series, but seemed a bit young for my 6th through 8th grade readers (Mayowa is 10). The footnotes were a bit of a distraction; haven't really seen any this extensive since Stroud's Bartimaeus books, so maybe this is a British thing. Will pass on purchase.
Interesting fantasy for fans of Anna James' Pages and Co. series, but seemed a bit young for my 6th through 8th grade readers (Mayowa is 10). The footnotes were a bit of a distraction; haven't really seen any this extensive since Stroud's Bartimaeus books, so maybe this is a British thing. Will pass on purchase.
May 4, 2024
A joyous read with a sea of emotions! A beautiful commentary on real world issues such as racism and refugees with hints of fantasy and a lot of heart. Very humorous with laugh out loud footnotes perfectly blended with more serious or tense moments.
July 12, 2024
A beautiful book
A lovely book that draws on good feelings is an excellent read for middle, grade kids and beyond. I emplore everyone to read this original thinking book as it develops empathy.
A lovely book that draws on good feelings is an excellent read for middle, grade kids and beyond. I emplore everyone to read this original thinking book as it develops empathy.
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