Children of Stardust

Zero Adedji lives solo on his home planet of Anasi 12, working as a guide for lost travelers. Secretly, though, he wants nothing more than to join one of the Saba guilds, licensed teams of intergalactic adventurers equipped with adhesive Kobastickers, which offer the wearer magical abilities. When he inadvertently becomes host to the Jupiter Kobasticker, a desperately sought-after object that offers the power to conduct electricity, Zero is recruited to the exclusive Shango Heart Guild to learn how to use it. Zero becomes fast friends with rising Saba stars Camih Sitso and Ladi Hyung, and the trio soon faces their first major challenge: recovering the Mask of the Shaman King, an ancient artifact whose reality-distorting power could unleash a fiend imprisoned in the Oblong Dimension. The friends embark on a thrilling adventure, facing a medley of enemies who seek the mask for their own nefarious ends. Through it all, Zero must both learn to wield the Jupiter’s power and maintain secrecy around hosting it; the mystical object is rumored to grant immortality to its 26th host—and Zero is the 25th. Inspired by Adodo’s love for African mythology and science fiction, this fast-paced debut is a fun-filled space opera with strong themes of friendship and courage. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 9–12. (Oct.)