Mayowa and the Sea of Words

By: Chibundu Onuzo

Published by Bloomsbury USA, 2026-01-06

<p><b><i>'Joyful and truly original' – </i>Katherine Rundell, author of <i>Impossible Creatures</i></b><br><br><b>WARNING: DO NOT JUMP ON THIS BOOK!</b><br><br>Have <i>you </i>ever jumped on a book? Perhaps not. Most people would think it was a rather unusual thing to do.<br><br>Ten-year-old Mayowa has always thought that her Grandpa Edward, who dyes his beard emerald green and jumps on books in private, is rather unusual too. Until one day she jumps on a book for herself, and uncovers a huge family secret ...<br><br>Mayowa <i>can</i> book jump.<br><br>By jumping on a book, she can harness the emotions inside it and channel them directly into other people. And when the opportunity to use her power to save the lives of countless refugees presents itself, Mayowa wants to jump in with both feet.<br><br>But Mayowa and her grandpa aren't the only book jumpers in existence. And not everybody wants to use this power for good ...<br><br>The first title in a dazzlingly imaginative adventure trilogy about one girl's power to change the world through the magic of book-jumping. Brimming with heart, <i>Mayowa and the Sea of Words</i> is a modern classic in the making. Perfect for everyone who knows the true power of a good book ...<br><br><b><i>'Onuzo has crafted an exhilarating fantasy tale'</i> – Financial Times</b><br><b><br>'<i>A future classic that fizzes with originality' </i>– A.F Steadman, author of <i>Skandar and the Unicorn Thief</i></b><br><br><b><i>'Beautiful storytelling' – </i>Clare Weze, author of <i>The Lightning Catcher</i></b></p>