Brittle Paper fam, a new middle grade book titled titled Amaka in New York hits the stands. An exciting detail about the book is that it was written by Olachi Okoroafor, who is only ten years old and in fifth grade.

The novel was published by London-based Accomplished Press on October 27. It draws from Okoroafor’s experience living in the US. The book touches on themes of skin color, immigration, and culture shock through the eyes of a young girl named Amaka who struggles to adapt to life in New York City after moving with her family from Lagos.

Olachi lives in California with her parents and three siblings. Her major literary influence is the children’s book author Enid Blyton. She is also interested in coding and movie production.

Read the synopsis below and a sample chapter here.

Amaka is on the move from Lagos to New York. Amaka hopes to make new friends, but she encounters bullies at school who make her school days miserable. She has to overcome challenges with fitting in and being different because of her skin color, her hair, and her accent. Will she return to Lagos, or would she be able to stand up for herself?

Congratulations to Olachi Okorafor. Here’s to more intriguing story ideas and a brighter future ahead.

BUY Amaka in New York: Amazon | Okada