Cameron Battle and the hidden kingdoms by Jamar J. Perry

Author Jamar J Perry started writing “for Black boys who needed to understand that they were magic, that they could also have joy, that they could be vulnerable and emotional, that they could be the hero in their own stories” (quote from Perry’s website).

This book, based on Igbo and West African mythology, is Perry’s first and has so many great aspects to explore. It features three 12-year-olds as the protagonists: two boys and a girl. All three children are dark-skinned, mentioned in a matter-of-fact way rather than overemphasized. Their ties to traditional stories, responsibilities and relationships are very important to them.

This is especially true of title character Cameron. He was orphaned two years ago and is desperate to feel connection to his parents. They left a special book for him in the attic, but his grandmother has forbidden access to it. Of course, where tweens are concerned, rules are meant to be broken so during a sleepover the book is soon back in Cameron’s hands.

This sets off a magical chain of events where Cameron and his friends Zion and Aliyah are transported to another world. Cameron is given a great responsibility and the three children must work together to survive various challenges and save the day. They are supportive of each other’s weaknesses and use each other’s strengths to full advantage.

There is a lot of necessary world-building and character introduction throughout this book - I did end up skimming over some to get to the action (and still felt that I had enough context to keep up). There are strong themes of friendship, responsibility, family bonds, cultural values and good vs evil.

The relationship between Cameron and Zion is worth a separate mention. The boys are very close - they are comfortable with their love for each other, sharing a bed and finding solace in physical touch. There are no labels put on this relationship and no explicit acts. It raises an interesting talking point about young men being able to openly express their feelings as well as being able to give and receive comfort and support without embarrassment.

Themes: Igbo/West African mythology, Friendship, Adventure, Magic, Cultural values, Diversity, Good vs evil.

Kylie Grant