Stringfellow, Lisa

Though the land of Kun used to be lush and green, Amara has only ever known her homeland as a dry, dusty desert. When the griots vanished more than a decade ago, they took their magic with them, along with goddess Oala's gifts of rain and plenty, leaving Kun controlled by a powerful and uncaring king. And though her foster mother, Zirachi, assures her that Kun is not under a curse, Amara can't help but wonder if her own origin, which is shrouded in mystery, is somehow linked to the broken kingdom. When Amara and Zirachi are attacked by the Nkume, the fearsome king's guard, Amara must flee, leaving all that she has known behind. With nowhere to go but knowing that she is under Oala's protection, Amara sets off to do the impossible: find the griots and save Kun before the kingdom blows away like dust.

Three months after her mother's death, twelve-year-old Kela is still grieving and feels haunted by the last argument she had with her mother. But when Kela and her friend Lissy stumble across an ancient-looking comb in a coral cave, Kela finds herself coming face-to-face with the mermaid Ophidia. Ophidia's magic requires that she make a bargain with whoever finds her comb in exchange for a wish. Kela's greatest wish is for her mother to be alive again, but she soon learns this wish may come at much too high a cost.