Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
Mbalia, K. (2019). Tristan strong punches a hole in the Sky. Disney HYPERION. ISBN 9781368039932
Seventh grader Tristan Strong has felt one experienced one of the most heartbreaking blows anyone can feel; he lost his best friend, Eddie, in an accident, and he blames himself. Set to live with his grandparents as he grieves the death of his best friend, Tristan is sent away with nothing more than his clothes and a journal his best friend left to him; Tristan wants nothing more than to go home, that is until a thief comes in the middle of the night to steal Eddie's journal. Determined to not lose his last connection to Eddie, Tristan is swept into a whole new world (quite literally) rich with African American folk heroes and West African gods. Wanting nothing more than to go home, Tristan rushes to save this new world before it's too late.
Tristan Strong was such a fun read. Filled with new characters and plot twists throughout the book, readers are transported to a new world full of African culture. As Tristan Strong is a Rick Riordan Presents book, I went into it with high hopes, and it did not disappoint me. Like every other Rick Riordan and Rick Riordan Presents title, each author does a fantastic job of weaving the stories from their cultures into entertaining (yet digestible) pieces for readers of all cultures. In Tristan Strong, we get to read (and get educated) about important important African figures such as John Henry and High John the Conqueror. We learned about Gum Baby, who is another version of Tar-Baby from African folklore, Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear, Brer Fox, and Anansi the Weaver (all African folklore characters), and multiple West African gods such as Nyame, Mmoatia, and Miss Sarah and Miss Rose. Each time one of these new characters was introduced to readers, they were given a small info blurb about each character that gave context as to why and how they were important in African culture. Slavery and the experience that slaves had are mentioned but also done tastefully.
We, as readers, also get to read about Tristan's internal struggles, which make him feel like a relatable character. Throughout many points in the book, Tristan states how, despite his last name being Strong, he feels anything but that. He expresses that at times, he feels like a disappointment to others, but also a disappointment to himself, and how could these important African figures rely on him to save their world when he couldn't have his best friend. Or when he couldn't win his first boxing fight? As the story progresses, readers get to grow with Tristan, and by the end of the book, Tristan has come to terms with his best friend's death and has grown emotionally as well. That is important because young readers, especially those who see themselves in this book, learn that it is okay to express emotions and it is okay to grieve, as those are important aspects of being human. Readers also learn, that while expressing these emotions are okay and encouraged, it is crucial to not dwell on them so long that you lose sight of what is important. In the end, Tristan did all of that and more. He lived, grieved, grew, and, most importantly, became a more confident and better version of himself because of the trials he faced. At the end of the day, Tristan was able to help save the new world and return to his own world, ready for whatever adventure he faced next.
What do readers think of Tristan Strong? Janice M. Del Negro from School Library Journal states that Tristan Strong is "rife with action, [and] the story is rooted in the emotional journey of the protagonist." Bayley from Bayley Readers Book states, "Mbalia does not condescend to his readers, but rather expertly presents his story and message in a clear and understandable way for young and old readers alike." If you enjoyed reading this book, like I did, you will be happy to know that Tristan's story does not end here, there are two more books in this series, Tristan Strong Destroys the World and Tristan Strong Keeps Punching. If you enjoy this writing style, make sure to check out any books from Rick Riordan Presents or any books by Rick Riordan.
Feeling inspired after reading Tristan Strong? Use that inspiration to create your own version of Eddie's journal so you can also log and tell the stories from your culture! If drawing isn't your thing, you can recreate a scene from the book (or tell the story of your own culture) by using an online book-making tool such as Book Creator.
Awards and Honors for this title:
- 2020 CABA Award Winner
- NYT Bestseller
- 2020 Charlotte Huck Recommended Title
- Junior Library Guild Selection
- Coretta Scott King Honor Award
References
Bayley. (n.d.). Review: Tristan Strong punches a hole in the sky by Kwame Mbalia. Bayley Reads Books. https://bayleyreadsbooks.com/thebookandi/review-tristan-strong-punches-a-hole-in-the-sky-by-kwame-mbalia
Del Negro, J. M. (2019, November 1). Tristan strong punches a hole in the Sky. School Library Journal. https://www.slj.com/review/tristan-strong-punches-a-hole-in-the-sky
Mbalia, K. (2019). Tristan strong punches a hole in the Sky. Disney HYPERION. ISBN 9781368039932
Tristan strong punches a hole in the Sky. Kwame Mbalia. (2024, September 18). https://www.kwamembalia.com/tristan-strong-punches-a-hole-in-the-sky/
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