THE BOY WITH WINGS

In actor and comedian Henry’s latest, an adopted 12-year-old English boy has an epic adventure after discovering his origin story.

As one of the few Black kids at his primarily White school, Tunde Wilkinson often feels like an outsider, but his adoptive parents, Ron and Ruth (British Caribbean), make sure to show him examples of influential Black people so that he knows he is capable of anything. He has his close-knit group of friends—Jiah Patel (cued as Indian), Kylie Collins (who is assumed White and uses a wheelchair), and Nev Carter (cued as Black). This supportive community becomes vital after Tunde disobeys his parents’ wishes never to play sports because it would risk his safety. During a game, Tunde sprouts wings, shocking everyone and unveiling his identity to the alien species looking for him. With the truth revealed, Tunde and his friends are tasked with preventing intergalactic war and ensuring lasting peace. This is a funny, fast-paced story with an authentic voice; the use of wacky, emphasized fonts will immediately hook readers. Children will be invested in Tunde’s attempts to lead with kindness and be courageous in the face of adversity. The illustrations are detailed but simple enough to inspire young artists to re-create their own adventures with Tunde and his friends. Tunde’s exploits continue at the end with a comic book feature written by Henry and illustrated by Buckingham, hinting at more to come for the dynamic group.

A thrilling tale brimming with spirit.