Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky & Destroys the World: a journey into West African folklore

"Everybody wears life's scars a little differently." 

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia is an adventure-filled story based on West African mythology and folklore.  7th grader, Tristan, is reeling over the loss of his first boxing match and also grieving over his best friend, Eddie. The only item that Tristan has left of Eddie is their shared journal where they'd recorded old stories recounted by Tristan's Nana.  When the journal goes missing during the night, Tristan chases the thief into a thicket of bottle trees on his grandparents' farm in Georgia. Although his grandparents warn him never to venture there, he feels like he doesn't have a choice. A struggle ensues and Tristan's strength actually tears into the thicket and he ends up falling through a passageway into another world, Alke.  In this world, mythical characters actually live and they need Tristan to restore order since he tore a rip in their sky allowing haints to enter.  The question is, will Tristan be the one to save the day when there are real heroes around, like, John Henry?  What is so special about their journal?

"May the stories you hear sound just as good the second time around."

In the second book, Tristan Strong Destroys the World, Kwame Mbalia continues Tristan's story.  He has returned safely to his grandparents' home.  During a boxing match in the barn he hears ghostly voices and sees people asking for help.  With help from the trickster, Anansi, Tristan learns that John Henry has been attacked and his hammer was stolen.  The sinister figure comes after Tristan and kidnaps his Nana.  Tristan has no choice but to return to Alke to save her and understand why she was taken in the first place. Upon returning to the other world, Tristan encounters new characters from West African mythology and folklore who will either help or hurt him.  This is a fast-paced, adventurous story that discusses how to deal with trauma in order to grow.  

"And you know, stories are easy to carry.  Don't weigh nothing. Don't cost nothing."

Both of these books' themes resonate with readers. Storytelling is an important part of these books because it's what groups of people rely on to continue their culture.  Mbalia has done that for a new generation of readers and even adults who may not have heard of many of the folklore characters in the stories.  Mbalia also creates a world of supportive people who drive one another forward despite fears of failure.  This sense of community is brought up when in the end of the second book when everyone is asked,

 "Who stepped up for you, when no one else would?"  

As a teacher and librarian, I would ask my students to share these important stories and consider who has their best interests at heart.  Another way that these books could be used with readers is to go back and read the original stories of the characters.  Some are more well-known but the others may require a bit more digging.  In those stories, how are the characters portrayed? Are they the same or different as Mbalia writes them?  

In 2020, Mbalia won the Coretta Scott King honor award for Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky. The Coretta Scott King Award is given "to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. "