MoHagani vs King Salmon - by M C Mohagani Magnetek & Janine Carrington (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

King Salmon has gone too far... Not only is he a loudmouth, no good, interrupting king, but now he's talking about MoHagani's mama! Even if it's only good things, that rowdy fish is going to pay--today.

"MoHagani vs King Salmon" is an African American folktale influenced by Alaska Native storytelling traditions and set in Alaska with a rambunctiously modern twist. Set in the beautiful parks and waterways of Alaska every page is an in your face, high energy, unforgettable adventure made for audiences of all ages.

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BlueInk Review

STARRED REVIEW

Mohagani vs King Salmon

M.C. MoHagani Magnetek, illus. by Janine Carrington

Edutainment Nite Publishing, (paperback) $12.00, 9798990369245 (Reviewed: January 2025)

M.C. MoHagani Magnetek's unique comic-book-style picture book pits a human and fish in an over-the-top battle to the death to demonstrate the power of words.

An Alaska-based writer and anthropologist, MoHagani sets herself up as an unreliable narrator from the start by admitting she's decided to "tell a lie about how I became King Salmon." And with no one willing to listen to her story, she directly addresses readers with the statement, "I'm just gonna tell my story to you."

What unfolds is a series of "yo' mama" jokes, made by her adversary King Salmon who- "still salty from some drama...when he was a fry living in Salmon Creek"- calls MoHagani on the phone to taunt her, saying, "Yo' Mama is soooo old she looks at her watch every time she hears Tik Tok."

After he continues his jokes, ignoring her warnings to stop, MoHagani dives off the Douglas Bridge, then swims "142 miles to meet King Salmon at Port Alexander as soon as he left the North Pacific Ocean." An epic tussle ensues, with punches, tail whipping, smacks, beat downs

and reversals of fortune. Although MoHagani eventually emerges victorious, her win leads to an unforeseen outcome.

An Author Note explains, "Anthropologically speaking, Yo' Mama jokes are deeply rooted in African American language and culture in which problems are solved with using our words...A good Yo' Mama joke must be an exaggeration and delivered quickly while showcasing cleverness and originality." All three qualities enrich this big-hearted tale with jokes that are surprisingly cruelty-free: "Yo' Mama goes to college so she knooowwws that a quarterback is a refund."

Janine Carrington's vibrant illustrations of the exasperated yet persevering MoHagani and the snarky blowhard King Salmon pulse with energy and spirited conflict, and the book design immerses readers in the colorful Alaskan land- and ocean-scape.

An entertaining tale written in a conversational tone, this cultural celebration of Alaska Native storytelling and African American folktales is a multigenerational winner.