- Science Fiction
- Onyeka collection
- Ages 9–12
Onyeka
Part of the collectionOnyeka→A complete Afrofuturist superhero trilogy about a girl whose Afro hair channels power, and who grows from anxious newcomer to leader across three fast, culturally rich adventures.
- Books3 / 3
- Arcs1
- Span2022–2024
- StatusComplete
The series
At a glance.
A complete three-book Afrofuturist superhero saga. In The Academy of the Sun, Onyeka learns her Afro holds psychokinetic power and trains at a secret Nigerian academy while chasing the truth about her missing father. The Rise of the Rebels turns her and her friends into fugitives allying with rebel Solari against the tyrant Dr Dòyìnbó, and The Heroes of the Dawn sends them on a rescue mission to England as an energy crisis and old enemies close in, bringing Onyeka's journey to a place of hard-won confidence and belonging. The books build directly on one another, growing from discovery to leadership across a richly imagined, solar-powered vision of Nigeria.
A complete Afrofuturist superhero trilogy about a girl whose Afro hair channels power, and who grows from anxious newcomer to leader across three fast, culturally rich adventures.
Primary themes
Overall tone
- Exciting
- Adventurous
- Suspenseful
- Inspirational
Read in publication order (1–3); the plot is continuous and each book builds on the last.
One arc
The shape of the series.
- INarrative arcModerate sensitivity
The Onyeka trilogy
Onyeka's complete three-book journey from anxious newcomer to Solari leader.
The single, continuous story of Onyeka's journey from a girl who hates her hair to a young leader who commands its power. Book one is discovery and the unmasking of Dr Dòyìnbó; book two is life on the run, shifting alliances and mistrust as the Solari resist a plan to seize Nigeria; book three is a rescue mission to England, an energy crisis and the final reckoning that closes Onyeka's arc in belonging and confidence. Threads of the missing parents, the nature of the Ike, and who can truly be trusted run the length of the trilogy.
Book 1Onyeka and the Academy of the SunSimon & Schuster Children's UK · MMXXIIOnyeka and the Academy of the SunBook 2Onyeka and the Rise of the RebelsSimon & Schuster Children's UK · MMXXIIIOnyeka and the Rise of the RebelsBook 3Onyeka and the Heroes of the DawnSimon & Schuster Children's UK · MMXXIVOnyeka and the Heroes of the Dawn
Fit check
Right for your reader?
Where the series lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- 15
- 17
- 19
- Best fit · 9–12
- Read aloud · 8–11
- Independent · 9–13
Reluctant-reader friendliness
Workable
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Adult crossover
Low
Grows with the reader
Not especially
Sensitivity envelope
Moderate overall, and consistent.
Content notes
- Absent parent
Where it sits
In conversation with other series.
Similar in feel
Different shelves, same wavelength.
- Amari and the Night Brothers →
About the author