Another great book in the Koku series. I love the mix of Nigerian and London colloquialisms. It's great to see books that the children at my school would enjoy and see themselves and their family represented in writing. In this book, we learn more about the impact that Koku's sickle cell has on him and how it makes him feel. The story starts with Koku in hospital having had a severe crisis over the summer holidays. Because of this, he wasn't able to go back to Olori to see his friends. When disaster strikes while he's on a video call with Moremi, Koku's powers reach through the phone into Olori. From that moment, Koku's starts to lose control over his powers. Thankfully, Okenla, the S,àngó's leader, comes to his rescue and sends tickets for Koku and his uncle to return to Olori during the October half term. But will being back in Olori help Koku regain control of his ghost powers, or will it just put him in more danger.

One of the big themes in this book is living up to the expectations of others, especially parents. Koku's dad asks him to do something that would potentially destroy the world as Koku knows it, but could also mean that he is reunited with his mother. Meanwhile, Okenla's son, Jayie is struggling under the expectations that he will be the next leader of the S,àngó, when all he wants to do is make Afrobeats. The story focuses on whether you should make choices that are right for you or whether you should do what is expected of you by your parents.

It’s my honour to write the first review of Koku Akanbi: The King of Lost Souls.

Kòkú and his loved ones are back with more adventures. Resuming from where the last story left off, Kòkú embarks on new journeys to save ….

- Kòkú and his friends are relatable
- They learn and grow up
- The world building and the engaging prose are 5/5 stars. It is as if this magical world truly exists
- If you are familiar with the series, you will know of this detail, but spoiling it for the newcomers would be a little be nasty. It is considerate and inclusive of Adebisi to have written a character with a chronic disease
- Besides all the magic, the lively, enthralling world and characters, Kòkú and most of the characters are realistic, authentic, and experience problems teens and grownups can experience
- I like the supportive grownup characters. I also love the evil ones
- I like that not everything is toxically buoyant in these stories
- It is as if the colours come alive from the page
- I love the way the characters talk

I recommend this to children over 10, and ideally towards 12 and up for a full experience and due to the length and complexity of this novel,

Already looking forward to the next book and my child being able to read this through with me.
He likes Kòkú. He is young to be more patient and engaging with this book.