Njinga: The Warrior Queen

Gr 4-8—book focuses on the Queen of Matamba, born around 1583 into the royal household of Ndongo in central West Africa. Njinga grew up watching her father hold back Portuguese invaders and resolved to do anything to preserve the independence of her people, even allying briefly with the Portuguese and, eventually, joining forces with the flesh-eating Imbangala. The text highlights Njinga's admirable pride, determination, and strength without skating over the murkier parts of her legacy, such as the mysterious deaths of her brother and nephew. Visually, the book is pleasingly designed, with African prints forming the backdrop for colorful photos, maps, and illustrations. In some spots, however, the design makes sidebar information look like part of the main text, which disrupts the flow. In at least one such case, confusion is the result: a statement about Njinga being accused of eating her nephew's heart after joining the Imbangala appears four pages before that alliance is covered in the main text.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD