Zephyr nabs Badoe’s junior fiction novel about 'carnival, magic and liberty'

Zephyr has nabbed Yaba Badoe’s junior fiction novel, Man-man and the Tree of Memories, a story of "carnival, magic and liberty" about a family escaping the legacy of slavery to celebrate a future of freedom. The book will be illustrated in full colour by Joelle Avelino. 

Publisher Fiona Kennedy acquired world rights to the text from Matthew Hamilton and to the art from Joelle Avelino. Man-man and the Tree of Memories will be published in hardback and as an e-book and audiobook during Black History Month on 12th October.

Set in contemporary times, it tells the story of Man-man, who is preparing for carnival with his friends. The publisher’s synopsis said: "[Man-man’s] mother is ill and even as he dances, he calls desperately to the Queen of Revels, to make her well again. She plunges Man-man into Africa’s past and reveals his family’s heritage."

Badoe is a documentary filmmaker, a writer, and a judge for the Jhalak Prize 2023. She has been nominated for the Distinguished Woman of African Cinema award. Her debut, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars (Zephyr), was shortlisted The Branford Boase Award, while her third novel, Lionheart Girl (Zephyr), was Jhalak Prize longlisted and Edward Stanford Children’s Travel Book of the Year shortlisted.

She commented: "Man-man’s love of dance and movement gripped me at the start of his story and propelled me to the end. I enjoyed writing him and, now more than ever, I’m convinced it’s the pulse and rhythms of Africa which make carnival so special."

Avelino added: "Yaba’s mesmerising storytelling is full of the essence of carnival from beginning to end. I’ve loved bringing her words to life, capturing the movement and magic of the story in my illustrations."

Kennedy said: "We are thrilled to be working with Yaba and Joelle – what a team – on this glorious, exuberant, important story. Full of Yaba’s hallmark rich, spellbinding writing, this is a novel that demanded to be illustrated in colour, and Joelle has perfectly captured all its moods and magic in her spectacular art."