Anyia: It Begins (Book 2 | Black Girl Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure

Great I read it with my Granddaughter and my little cousins and they love it. Thank you for the positive role model for them to look at.

I bought this for one of my nieces and she loved it 😍

Anyia: It Begins is about a chief's daughter who sees more for her life than training to be the future wife of a chief in another small village. She dreams of being a warrior. In this book, she is given an opportunity to do more. But is she willing to give up things she has taken for granted in order to fight for the greater good? This book starts off a little slow but soon builds to an adventure that makes you want to read more in the series.

Anyia is being groomed in her Nagoran Village to be a Yora. She spends plenty of time with her mother who trains her on how to be the best Yora for the village. Some day Anyia will marry a chief and she will need to know her duties. But for now, even after her warrior training, she is stuck in the village unaware of what’s happening outside of its walls because of the Magic Treaty. Magic has been banned to keep the piece with Empress Zarina. When her older brother returns from a trip on the outside, he informs her that things are changing and Empress Zarina, a known enemy, is wreaking havoc.

Anyia remembers a time when she was a little girl using the Travel Hut to venture out into other villages. During this time magic was allowed. Anyia now feels magic making its way through her body and out of her fingertips. Visitors have come to her village and are being greeted by her father the Chief. One is a Palon named Sana. Palon’s are pale skinned and wear elaborate beads around their bald heads. Anyia realizes her mother is not there to greet the visitors with her father.

Anyia was summoned to meet with her father, she and her brother learn that their mother and her warriors were captured by Empress Zarina. The Palon Sana stresses to the Chief that the only person who can save her is Anyia. But before that can happen Anyia must become a Palon herself. Since Anyia has magic, she will have to go without it, or the treaty will be broken, and Empress Zarina will be able to take over other villages. For her to save her mother and the others she will have to blend in as a Palon assistant. With the help of Sana’s assistant Tanya, her transformation begins. Anyia has no doubt that she is strong enough for the task. The only question is can she blend in, learn the duties of an assistant, and find her mother?

Author and illustrator Jacquitta A. McManus has created another wonderful girl power adventure. Inside these pages are beautifully illustrated images of the characters and the action of the scenes. Although it’s not quite a graphic novel, but with the vivid imagery it feels like one. The story is perfect to engage readers but is a fast read ideal for read-a-loud sessions in a classroom or at home.

When I read the first book in the series, I wondered what Anyia would be coming with in the sequel. Did not see that twist!
Our defiant princess returns and shows us just how much of a warrior she truly is. We see two different sides to Anyia - the empathetic side that truly cares for the people of her village, wants to be all 'womanly' and please her mom by taking her Yora duties seriously; and then there's the brave persistent side that has a hankering to save her village.
We see both sides uniting when she willingly surrenders her powers indefinitely. It's a hard pill to swallow, but she gladly does so in order to rescue her loved ones. Her decision to do so proves just how much of a warrior she truly is.
I am eagerly awaiting the trilogy as I'm curious about Mrs. Bulo. Something just ain't right with that woman - she's devious. Jacquitta, please get to writing. I'm drooling over here!

Anyia is the typical rebellious teen. She's young, adventurous, brave and determined to break the traditional stereo-type being forced on females in her tribe.
Although she defies orders, teens (females in particular) can make connections to her character.
I love the quality of the text and graphics. The invented vocabulary is a huge bonus for me, as I'm a firm supporter of this.
The letter to the reader at the front of the book is a welcoming touch that's sure to make any reader feel special.
The overall story line will make any reader eager to read the next book in the sequel. There are important lessons re: obedience, rules, patience and following traditions that makes this book a suitable additive to Middle Grade Curriculum. Job well done!

Wonderful story with lots of different words and lands that definitely expand your imagination and transport you to a faraway place. This is a great book for any reader advanced beyond picture books. Great stepping stone to chapter books. This book is 53 pages long with beautiful illustrations sprinkled throughout. The illustrations are clean and bright and colorful. Sure to impress young readers. There are also activities in the book such as finding your way through a maze and many labyrinths. As a wonderful bonus, there is also a step by step guide on how to draw Anyia, included. Some readers may be disappointed that Anyia doesn't get into much "warrior" action. However, this looks like it is intended as a series, so stay tuned.

This was an awesome book, beautifully illustrated as well. It is larger font with quite a few pictures so is a very quick read.

Was very adventurous

Great book for my 7yr old, now 8yr old who will have this in her book collection for awhile.

This was unexpected. Really great writing and I'm curious as to how it ends....why the abrupt ending though, is it my kindle? Where is the next one?

Great writing! Very expressive and engaging. My 4 yo daughter fell in love with the characters and followed the plot easily.

I discovered this book by complete accident and I'm so happy I did. My 12 year old daughter loved it. It has the magic of Harry Potter, the intrigue of The Hunger Games and characters that look like my daughter. She read the whole thing over the course of an afternoon and is anxiously awaiting the 2nd book!

A quick fun read for younger and adult readers alike. Great representation of African characters and history. You will not be disappointed with this novel one bit. I enjoyed the illustrations, they really gave the book that extras layer of detail.

This was a book that I could actually use to enforce my daughter's behavior. She was so upset that when she got in trouble I wouldn't read more of the book to her. Even after completing the book she's intrigued to hear more of the story. I love how it shows a little brown girl owning her power. YES!!!!!! Great read for little girls.

First, I want to say that I do recommend this book for children and pre-adolescents. Older than that, and I think kids will lose interest. Young children who cannot yet read it for themselves would probably enjoy the book being read to them. Upper elementary school teachers might find this to be a good tool for the classroom.

So the main character, Anyia, is a rebellious young girl who dreams of becoming a warrior despite the traditions of her people that forbid girls from fighting. She craves a life beyond that of her village and disobeys her father's orders repeatedly, but learns a lesson of patience and trust (in herself and her parents) in the end. She is a very relatable character for children and could be a decent role model. Unfortunately, this is really just a short story and not a full-fledged book, so neither Anyia nor her tale get developed very fully. The whole story feels rather rushed (and somewhat forced at times) and comes across as the first installment of a longer adventure. Moreover, the book could use some serious editing. Aside from the occasional typo (or spelling error), the syntax and use of punctuation make parts of the book somewhat hard to read. Nothing terrible, just a bit confusing.

Also, the author has created a fictional world complete with species and other vocabulary that readers will not be familiar with. As an adult, I could generally figure out what the terms referred to (at least vaguely), but I think kids will be left rather confused as to what an Erow tree or a Yora is. If she had included explanations or even a glossary, it wouldn't be an issue, but readers are left to simply guess at the meanings behind the words.

Finally, I want to say that this book is a fun read for kids, but not great literature. That said, I can think of a number of fun exercises that the book could really be used for in classroom settings, including editing and grammatical exercises, writing exercises in which students write their own continuation of the story, and class discussions about the lessons and values learned in the story.

The story is about a young Nagaron princess named Anyia, who is adventurous, persistent, and willful. Her dream is to become a warrior like Amoonda, the only female warrior. However, this would mean disobeying her father. The story is a powerful message of persistence and courage in the pursuit of your dreams. It also demonstrates that you must also respect and understand the importance of family and tradition. Anyia serves as delightful role model for young girls as she is brilliant, strong, brave, and wants to push her boundaries and far exceed what is expected of her in life. The author has a very intriguing, engaging, and creative writing style that is perfect for children of all ages. There is active dialogue to keep the reader engaged. The vocabulary is age appropriate, while teaching new vocab such as glowered, jeopardizing, mindlessly, craftsmanship, sinister, redistribute, labryrinth, and many others. The fonts and illustrations are perfect. The illustrator does an excellent job bringing the text to life. I love the interactive activities throughout the book.

My little one really enjoys the women as warriors and I LOVE the warrior vs. princess concept!

Have you ever had a dream of becoming one thing when everyone expected you to become something else? In the lands of Ethonia, Anyia lives in Nagoran Village, where her father is Chief over several neighboring villages. However, the Empress Zarina wishes to break the treaty and bring war to Ethonia. Anyia wants to become a great warrior like the legendary female warrior Amoonda and bring honor to her village. She even disobeys her father's orders to stay in the village because she wants to go see Amoonda. However, she is expected to become a Yora like her mother to lead the ladies of the village in the crafts of cooking and cleaning, and she chafes under what she sees as the restrictions of the village. Her father says that her disobedience dishonors him and appoints a youth named Dekka to watch her.
However, Anyia runs off and is captured by some of Zarina's Thor warriors for Zarina to use as a means of breaking the treaty. Will Anyia escape? And will she ever learn that her first responsibility is to her family and her village? Author Jacquitta A. McManus says that it was daydreaming which led to the idea of "Labyrinth's Door" to provide the background for stories in faraway lands where magic was real and anything could happen. Anyia--"Dream of a Warrior" is a fantasy adventure MagBook that is the first installment of Anyia's journey. It certainly is an exciting tale in which Anyia, and the readers, come to understand some important lessons about the need for showing proper respect in their treatment of others. Yet, Anyia also shows a great deal of spirit and determination. Included in the book are a section on learning to draw Anyia, a maze, and some word puzzles that will appeal to youngsters. I look forward to reading further episodes in the life and times of Anyia.

I received a copy of this book from the author for review.

Anyia is a wonderful role model for young girls. She's smart, strong, and she wants to push her boundaries and far exceed what is expected of her in life. Her world is exotic and stimulating. McManus has an easy, creative writing style that is perfect for children of all ages. The illustrator, Tujour Byrd, is just as talented! I also loved that there are different activities included, particularly a learn-to-draw section. It takes the story to the next level and really gets the kids involved.

Labyrinth's Door: Anyia "Dream of a Warrior" is a perfect, short chapter book for elementary through middle school age children. I cannot wait to read about Anyia's next adventure!

As an African I can relate to this story. Many would think this story is just fantasy and imagination for kids. For this book, its true but not in real life. Growing up in Africa during the 70s, children dream of becoming warriors and not Disney prince and princess.

Anyia didn't want to cook and clean for the rest of her life with the other woman of the village. Her dream was to become a warrior like Amoonda and bring honor to her village. It didn't matter to her that females were forbidden to fight in battle. Anyia thought that following old traditions was mindless.

Going against her father's wishes of becoming a Yora, Anyia would constantly escape her village risking breaking the treaty between her father and Empress Zarina which led to Anyia being captured by Thor warriors. The book does take you on an adventure with great illustration. I highly recommend this book for classroom reading.

My first reaction is that the book itself looks clean and simple. It is very colorful and the illustrations are beautiful. The intro letter is welcoming. The overall font and size of the lettering throughout is easy on the eyes and provides a quick read. The puzzles, similar to Sudoku, and maze look simple, yet appropriately challenging for this age group.
I first looked through the book before I read it and found myself guessing what was happening in the story based on the pictures.
The overall story is engaging. It has a definite resolution and I was pleased with the ending because Anyia accomplishes the goal that is set up in the beginning. In the process of pursuing her goal she meets many unique and interesting characters. The action is great and the environment in which Anyia lives is very imaginative. I became fascinated with Anyia's world. I read it again with my little girl and she was captivated. The themes in the story brought up the opportunity to talk about the importance of obedience and responsibility.
The story flows wonderfully, and woven into the action are mysteries that make for an exciting teaser and left me, and my daughter, eager for more of Anyia's adventures. I can't wait to find out how her personal journey, the chief and Empress Zarina's war, as well as Amoonda's involvement and the role of the Treelins develops in the coming installments. I am eager to know when more Anyia tales are coming. By the way this story begins, her tale has only just begun. I'm looking forward to the next adventures!

This is a wonderful book & my daughter Rain loves it! The story is beautiful and the characters are well thought out and inspiring. Anyia is a great roll model for young girls of any culture or background. I hope to see more of her and her journeys. Thank you for opening a door for young girls to enjoy adventure and know that they have the ability to break the mold!

What kid doesn't challenge traditions? Without really understanding how traditions come to pass, most kids think they are cumbersome and old school. Kids feel there are too many rules and beliefs which just adds extra pressure to their existing growing pains. Anyia is no different.
Anyia is left with the burden of becoming the next Yora, just like her mother. This exciting adventure begins in the village of Nagoran. Anyia is the daughter of the Chief. She will take over her mother's responsibilities as Yora. For Anyia this is mindless work, cooking and cleaning for the rest of her life with the other woman of the village.

The village needs warriors. The Empress Zarina and her magic will jeopardize all that they have known and loved in regards to traditions. Anyia wants to have the choice to fight and preserve the lands that belong to her people.
"I do believe in most of the traditions. And my father is to be respected...he is a man of gravitas. I just don't know how I can be the daughter he expects while still following my own heart. My own dreams," she said. "He only wishes me to become a Yora like my mother."

She closed her eyes and whispered, "I am a warrior. I am a warrior. I am a warrior."
Anyia is on a quest to find Amoonda. She is a warrior and can teach her everything she knows. With her help Anyia will be able to fight the war with her father and protect the lands and the traditions. You have to finish reading the story to see if Anyia completes her quest.

Note: Parents and Teachers
This is a wonderful adventure for girls and boys. This is a good book to bring about dialogue for family, traditions, growing up and following your heart. There are drawing instructions and puzzles in the back of the book which just add even more fun to this book.