A young Kenyan boy struggles to control his newfound power and fight a growing evil.Following the events of Mwikali and the Forbidden Mask (2022), Odwar is struggling to get a good night's rest. For several weeks he's had the same terrible nightmare, set in a shadowy dark realm ruled by a monster his friend dubs the Shadow Queen. He isn't sure what she wants, but it can't be anything good. Odwar decides that if he finds his Entasim, "a magical object that intensified superpowers," he'll be able to banish the nightmares and the Shadow Queen. Mwikali, Xirsi, and Soni, his friends and fellow Intasimi warriors, have noticed that something is wrong with Odwar, but he keeps putting off revealing the full truth in order to keep them safe from the Shadow Queen. But as the Shadow Queen's influence starts to leak into the real world, Odwar must find the strength to get help before the entire world is consumed in shadow. Nguru's sequel centers a different student at Nairobi's Savanna Academy while maintaining the intrigue, action, and magic of the first entry. The Kenyan lore weaves a stunning background for the internal and external battles that unfold within and between Odwar and the Shadow Queen. The last few pages leave readers with a taste of what's to come in a no-doubt highly anticipated third book.An adventure of strength and compassion. (Fantasy. 9-13)