The Boy with Wings

by Sir Lenny Henry (Author) Mark Buckingham (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

It's Tunde's twelfth birthday and he's in for a surprise . . . he sprouts wings! Along with his friends, Tunde must save the world. Readers will adore Lenny Henry's first middle grade book, The Boy with Wings, that's packed with captivating illustrations by Keenon Ferrell. Plus, it includes an exclusive comic book adventure illustrated by Mark Buckingham!

An ordinary kid is about to become an extraordinary hero! Wings? Check. A super-cool, super-secret past? Check. An impossible mission to save the world from a fur-ocious enemy? Check. When Tunde sprouts wings and learns he's all that stands between Earth and total destruction, suddenly school is the least of his problems.

Luckily, his rag-tag group of pals have got his back, and with his new powers, Tunde is ready to fly in the face of danger. So what if he can't even stand up to the school bully? He's the boy with wings - this is his destiny. No pressure then . . .

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$12.99

Kirkus

A thrilling tale brimming with spirit.

Publisher's Weekly

British actor and comedian Henry (Black British Lives Matter, for adults) touches on issues of inclusivity, prejudice, and personal pride in this lively fantasy adventure. While Tunde, an adopted British-born Caribbean 12-year-old, publicly claims that he doesn’t mind not knowing anything about his birth family, his private feelings are "bendier and twistier than a rubber band in a microwave." Still, he’s happy with his parents, who share and help him connect with his heritage, and who support him through relentless school bullying surrounding his "beaky" nose. When birds of all kinds begin defending Tunde from bullies, Tunde is grateful for their help, if a little weirded out. But nothing about the events could have prepared him for his suddenly sprouting wings. Tunde is soon summoned by a bird-like people called the Aavians to help combat their enemies, the mammalian Furleenians. Animated illustrations by Ferrell (Looking for Happy) depict Tunde’s school struggles alongside his high-flying adventures. Though Tunde’s unearthing of his paranormal past evokes standard superhero fare, Henry’s effusive first-person prose and solid grasp on heartwarming familial and friendship dynamics make for a high-spirited origin tale. A classic-feeling superhero comic by Buckingham (Dead Boy Detectives) concludes, depicting further adventures. Ages 8-12. 

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.


Sir Lenny Henry
Lenny Henry has been a comedian since the age of 16. He has risen from being a cult star on children's television to becoming one of Britain's best-known comedians, as well as a writer, philanthropist, and award-winning actor. Henry's Production Company, Douglas Road, has achieved success in partnership with Burning Bright on the recently acclaimed The Commonwealth Kid documentary and has a host of other programs in the pipeline. As a co-founder of Comic Relief, Henry has helped raise £1 billion for various causes over the last 30 years. He has been a Trustee of the National Theatre since February 2016 and was awarded a Knighthood in 2015 for services to drama and charity.

In autumn 2019 Faber published Henry's memoir "Who Am I, Again?" around which he wrote a live show that toured the UK for two months. Henry is writing a follow-up memoir, two books on the topic of diversity, and a series of children's books published through Pan Macmillan. Lenny will also be writing his own TV drama series through 2022 and is starring in Amazon's adaptation of Lord of The Rings. This is Lenny Henry's first book available in North America.

Keenon Ferrell is an illustrator and animator based in New York, New York. He makes artwork inspired by music, fashion and sports. He also has a love for storytelling, fantasy and history which can be seen throughout his work. Keenon's clients include Netflix, Capital One, StoryCorps and Sony Music Entertainment, to name a few.

Mark Buckingham has been creating comics for thirty-five years, building a reputation for design, storytelling, and a chameleon-like diversity of art styles. He is best known as the regular artist on Bill Willingham's multiple-award-winning Fables series and for his work with Neil Gaiman on Miracleman, Sandman, and Death. He previously collaborated with Lenny Henry on his memoir Who Am I, Again?.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781524880002
Lexile Measure
800
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publication date
June 20, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV013010 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Adoption
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
Superheroes
School children
Superhero fiction
Wings (Anatomy)
School fiction

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