From Lisa Moore Ramée, author of the Walter Honor Award–winning A Good Kind of Trouble, comes her debut middle grade fantasy―an absorbing, imaginative adventure about a Black boy who has the magical ability to bring maps to life. Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky and A Tale of Magic.
When Walt and his family relocate to Blackbird Bay, Walt thinks it’s the most boring place on earth. While his twin sister, Van, likes to spend her time skateboarding, Walt prefers to hide out in his room and work on his beloved map world, Djaruba. But shortly after their arrival, Walt discovers something extraordinary: He has the ability to make maps come to life.
Suddenly his new hometown doesn’t seem so boring after all. And when a magical heirloom leaves Walt, his new friend Dylan, and Van, stranded in the fantastical world that Walt created, he’ll need to harness his new power to get them home.
But things are changing. People have gone missing, and it’s clear that a malevolent rival to the kingdom―a fellow mapmaker―has nefarious plans for Walt. If he’s not stopped soon, Djaruba could become nothing but a shadow of itself or, worse, gone forever. And if a mapmaker can destroy one world, could Earth be next?
- Black Boy Magic: Walt’s greatest passion is drawing maps. He never imagined his creativity was a superpower that could bring entire worlds to life—or put them in peril.
- Trapped in a Fantasy World: When Walt, his twin sister Van, and their new friend Dylan get stranded in Djaruba, they’re in a world of his own making. But getting home is much harder than drawing a new map.
- Dragons for Kids: Djaruba is filled with incredible creatures, including race-ready dragons. But a rival mapmaker has been making some dangerous changes to Walt’s creation.
- Coming of Age Fantasy: To save the worlds he loves, Walt must learn to be the hero he never thought he could be, proving that true strength isn’t about size, but imagination.
Lisa Moore Ramée was born and raised in Los Angeles and now lives in Northern California with her husband, daughter, obnoxious cat, and rambunctious (but sweet) dog. She's a devout believer in dreams coming true and is the author of A Good Kind of Trouble, a Walter Dean Myers Honor Book, The Everybody Experiment, Something to Say, and MapMaker. You can visit her online at lisamooreramee.com.
