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Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
610 pages
A propulsive, mythic adventure where a grieving boy must harness the power of Black American folklore to heal both a fractured world and his own broken heart.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a whirlwind where deep emotional truths collide with larger-than-life mythology. It moves at a propulsive, urgent pace, sweeping the reader from the quiet, heavy ache of a boy's grief into a volatile supernatural realm filled with burning seas and iron monsters. The mood balances the haunted weight of survivor's guilt with the wondrous, action-packed energy of a classic adventure. The prose is earnest and culturally rich, breathing vibrant life into Black American folk heroes while keeping the emotional stakes deeply personal. It is a perfect fit for middle-grade readers who crave high-stakes fantasy that does not shy away from the messy, difficult journey of finding self-confidence and healing after a profound loss.
- Mood
- volatile
- wondrous
- haunted
- action-packed
- Tone
- earnest
- adventurous
- urgent
- mythic
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- processing grief · finding inner strength · the power of storytelling · Black American folklore · overcoming guilt
- The writing
- Action-packed and emotionally grounded, blending the urgency of a supernatural adventure with the rich textures of folklore.
- The arc
- A grieving boy burdened by guilt discovers his own inner strength and resilience through a mythic, world-saving adventure.
- Who it's for
- Middle-grade readers who love fast-paced supernatural adventures woven with rich cultural mythology and deep emotional resonance.
Content notes
- grief
- loss of a friend
- fatal vehicle accident
- fantasy violence
About the book
Seventh-grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is dreading the month he's going to spend on his grandparents' farm. But on his first night there, a sticky creature shows up and steals Eddie's notebook. Tristan chases after it, and a tug-of-war ensues between them underneath a Bottle Tree. In a last attempt to get it away from the creature, Tristan punches the tree, accidentally ripping open a chasm into the MidPass, a volatile place with a burning sea, haunted bone ships, and iron monsters. Tristan finds himself in the middle of a battle that has left black American folk heroes John Henry and Brer Rabbit exhausted. In order to get back home, Tristan and these new allies will need to entice the god Anansi, the Weaver, to come out of hiding. Can Tristan save this world before he loses more of the things he loves?
Description from Open Library.
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