Middle Grade Books With African Folklore

Middle Grade Books With African Folklore

In conjunction with Black History Month, today’s blog post features middle grade books that incorporate African folklore and mythology or are inspired by African cultural traditions. These are great for readers who enjoy magical worlds, mythic figures, and stories rooted in African and African-diasporic folklore.

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

A 7th-grader who accidentally opens a portal to a mythic world filled with West African gods and African-American folk heroes like Anansi the trickster. Adventures, humor, and mythology all blend together.

Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor

A middle-grade fantasy inspired by Nigerian myth and Igbo culture about a boy who gains powers from a magical artifact tied to ancestral spirits.

Kwame Crashes the Underworld by Craig Kofi Farmer

(African-inspired fantasy) A Ghana-set adventure where a boy enters the underworld of Asamando — great if you want more African myth adventure.

Children of the Quicksands by Efua Traoré

Set in Nigeria, this story has folklore elements and mystery woven into its plot as a girl learns about her family history

and cultural traditions.

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste

A spooky fantasy inspired by Caribbean folklore that has its roots in West African spiritual traditions — full of mischievous spirits and forest magic.

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander & Daniel Minter

A lyrical, illustrated middle-grade book about a girl’s journey through West African history and heritage, blending imagination with ancestral memory.

Hallie Christensen

Hallie Christensen is a children's author who never received a Barbie Jeep for Christmas because her parents knew she would run away from home if she did (she was a venturesome/defiant kid). Hallie loves to write books full of adventure and hope. She grew up in a small town in Alabama surrounded by professional storytellers - her family. Her middle grade fantasy Enchanted Misadventures with Great-Aunt Poppy was published in 2021 (Sweetwater Books). When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, attending rock concerts from musicians her parents’ age, and of course, reading. She’s a member of SCBWI and loves connecting with other readers and writers on social media. Hallie resides in northern Alabama with her husband and a couple of cats. For more info on what Hallie's up to and her current WIPs, visit her website at www.authorhalliechristensen.com.