Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom

Starred review from July 1, 2021

Gr 4-8-Raised by her single mother in London, Kiki Kallira has grown up listening to her mother's stories of family and folklore from India. When her anxiety is overwhelming, she takes comfort in these stories and reimagines her ancestors as characters she draws in her sketchbook, which provides an escape both literal and metaphorical. Steeped in Hindu mythology, Mandanna's fast-paced modern take on a classical myth explores the legend of Mysore and the Goddess Chamundeshwari's victory over the demon king, Mahishasura. While this story is celebrated in the real city of Mysore annually during Dussehra, in Kiki's it begins when a doorway opens from her world to one she created in her sketchbook, filled with her mother's folktales with her own fresh spin. Inside the sketchbook world, it is up to Kiki to defeat the demon king before he escapes to the real one. Armed only with her pencil, she makes an unlikely hero, but one that demonstrates the power young people can wield when they trust their talents. Mandanna creates vibrant, relatable characters, including secondary figures like Ashwini and the Crows who are fleshed out enough for readers to connect. VERDICT While the myth itself may not be familiar to all readers, Mandanna has created an engaging fantastical story that will strongly appeal to readers of Rick Riordan, Roshani Chokshi, and Sayantani DasGupta.-Monisha Blair, formerly at Rutgers Univ., NJ

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Indian folklore meets fantasy adventure in this captivating novel. Eleven-year-old Kritika "Kiki" Kallira lives in London with her Mum, an immigrant from the state of Karnataka in the south of India; she's never met her father, who died before she was born. Kiki's mother is an animator, and Kiki, who struggles with anxiety and spiraling, obsessive thoughts, finds solace in sketching in her notebooks and imagining stories, especially ones inspired by the Hindu mythology they've shared. Now, though, Kiki has unleashed the Asura king Mahishasura from his exile through the drawings in her sketchbook. As she travels and travails between London and Mysore, the heroes and demons she's sketched come to life, and she is faced with seemingly insurmountable tasks and complex obstacles. In her quest to save the world, Kiki shows readers the power of asking for help, believing in oneself, and overcoming fear. The worldbuilding is full of vibrant images and detailed descriptions about Mahishasura's kingdom and palace, Lalith Mahal. The novel draws inspiration primarily from the story of Mahishasura--who wanted to be immortal--and how he was defeated by the goddess Chamundeshwari. Anxiety and mental health are also explored with honesty and finesse; many young readers will resonate with her struggle to quiet demons both internal and external. An action-packed, evocative portrayal of courage, friendship, and belonging. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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