Shakti

May 1, 2023
Middle schooler Shakti discovers her powers. Shakti has two moms: Pregnant Mom, who reads Black, is a microbiology Ph.D. student; Amma, Shakti's biological mother, is a programmer and a witch from a line of Indian women closely connected to the Hindu goddess Durga Ma. Shakti hasn't learned much magic--last time Amma taught her a spell, she accidentally summoned Kali Ma, goddess of death and destruction. After moving to Amherst, Massachusetts, Shakti quickly befriends Chinese American Xi, another new kid, but there's a weird energy on campus. Harini, Emily, and Kelly--queen bees known collectively as HEK--misbehave with impunity and seem to have the teachers under their spell. Shakti and Xi bond with other social outcasts, but after discovering HEK performing dangerous spells in the woods, they realize that there's something more sinister than run-of-the-mill bullying going on, putting the entire town at risk. Amma warns Shakti against trying out the magic in the spell book handed down from her ancestors, but, desperate to protect her unborn sibling, Shakti is unable to stand by--and the consequences are more than she bargained for. Ali's luminous, expressive, jewel-toned illustrations steal the show, highlighting the broadly diverse cast and supernatural happenings. Readers will have to suspend disbelief over wild violets and fiddleheads in the New England autumn, but Sindu's protagonist lives up to the meaning of her name, "energy of the universe," as she learns lessons about anger, balance, courage, and compassion. Powerful and enthralling. (land acknowledgment) (Graphic fantasy. 10-13)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2023

Gr 3-7-Indian American tween Shakti, 12, and her moms just moved to Amherst, Massachusetts. Used to moving, Shakti hopes her family will finally stay so she can make friends. On her first day of seventh grade, she meets Xi, who shares her love for manga, and both start to notice that strange things are happening at the school. A group of mean girls-Harini, Emily, and Kelly (HEK)-seem to have control over everyone. Shakti and Xi soon learn HEK are a coven of witches putting a curse on the school and the town. The friends enlist the help of Shakti's mom Rita (Amma), who is a witch. Shakti calls on the Hindu goddess of protection and strength, Durga Ma, to stop the coven's spell, but without peace in her heart, Shakti also summons Kali Ma, who represents destruction. Shakti works with Amma to learn how to find peace and tame Kali Ma before she destroys Mom Terri, her unborn baby brother, the town, and everyone in it. VERDICT Vibrantly illustrated by Ali, Sindu's debut graphic novel braids Hindu mythology with the importance of family and friendship, creating an accessible book that will be of interest to many readers.-Rebekah J. Buchanan

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2023
Grades 3-7 Struggling to adjust to yet another new school, 12-year-old Indian American Shakti bonds with quirky Xi over manga and mayo-topped pizza but discovers that her teachers are bound by a spell cast by three spiteful girls. When the bullying trio's magic threatens to put the entire town under their sway, Shakti risks using her own untested powers, accidentally summoning the destroyer goddess Kali Ma, twin of Shakti's defender goddess, Durga Ma. Only by acknowledging her own anger can Shakti put a stop the destruction--to save her newborn brother and to restore peace and health to the town. In Lambda Award-winning Sindu's first graphic novel, myth and magic illuminate a young girl's path to self-awareness. Swirling, richly saturated illustrations by Ali convey captivating magic in both the world of Hindu legend and Shakti's everyday world. Angled panels and dramatic perspectives ramp up tension as Shakti scrambles to undo her inadvertent chaos. This feminist fantasy affirms that all emotions are valid--and valuable--in maintaining a life of balance.

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Starred review from May 15, 2023
In this vibrantly illustrated graphic novel by Sindu (Blue-Skinned Gods, for adults) and Ali (Babajoon’s Treasure), Indian American witch Shakti must harness her ancestral magic to defeat the dark spells plaguing her town. Shakti’s mothers—Indian American witch Rita and pregnant, magicless Terri, who reads as Black—have always warned Shakti that her magic is more volatile than Rita’s. In addition to Shakti’s connection to Durga Ma, the Hindu goddess of strength and protection, she has a special kinship to Durga Ma’s twin Kali Ma, the goddess of destruction and liberation. Though initially wary of teaching Shakti how to use her magic, they recognize she needs to learn how to defend herself after classmates inexplicably begin using dark spells to bully Shakti, her friends, and even the teachers. Alongside new best friend Xi, who is queer and cues as East Asian, Shakti learns protection spells, but the duo will need more than that to stop the dark magic. Ali’s richly colored art teems with cultural and naturalistic patterns and texture, and immersive interludes and brief asides provide expansive context into how Shakti’s nature-based magic functions. Fiercely courageous characters and a gripping narrative further elevate this exhilarating fantastical adventure. Ages 8–12.