Rick Riordan Presents: Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem - by Roseanne A Brown (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In order to steal the Midnight Drum and free her powerful grandmother, twelve-year-old vampire Serwa deceptively collaborates with her rival Declan, a Slayer, but joining forces compels Serwa to confront truths about herself she's tried hard to deny."--]cProvided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents the highly anticipated sequel to Rosanne A. Brown's explosive novel about a preteen vampire slayer, inspired by Ghanaian folklore.

"Rosie writes her characters with such lyrical power, wit, and empathy that you can't help falling in love with Serwa Boateng, her family, and her friends."
--Rick Riordan, New York Times best-selling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

After a lifetime of fighting creatures of black magic, twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng has just learned a devastating secret: she herself is half vampire! Now not only is she dealing with vampire puberty, she's on the run from the organization of Slayers she trained her whole life to join.

Serwa's only ally is her aunt Boahinmaa, an obayifo who urges Serwa to embrace her vampire side. Boahinmaa and her underlings are on the hunt for the Midnight Drum, from which they hope to free Serwa's grandmother. When they learn that the Abomofuo have hidden the Midnight Drum deep within the Smithsonian Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C., what do they do? Stage a heist to steal it, of course!

For their plan to succeed, Serwa will have to get close to her rival, a Slayer named Declan Amankwah, without revealing her real nature. Declan gets under her skin like no one else . . . and might just force Serwa to confront some truths she's tried hard to deny.

With both sympathy and laugh-out-loud humor, Rosanne A. Brown captures all the discomfort of a girl stuck between two worlds in this second book in the unputdownable Serwa Boating saga.

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR SERWA BOATENG'S GUIDE TO VAMPIRE HUNTING

NAMED A BEST OF THE YEAR BOOK by Publishers Weekly!

A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION!

"Rosie writes her characters with such lyrical power, wit, and empathy that you can't help falling in love with Serwa Boateng, her family, and her friends."
--Rick Riordan, New York Times #1 best-selling author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

"Move over, Buffy! Slide aside, Van Helsing! There's a new slayer in town. Sharp wit and sharp swords will have readers rooting for Serwa!"
--Kwame Mbalia, New York Times best-selling author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

"Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting is a thrilling middle grade adventure with a fresh take on vampires and characters that you will not only root for but love with all your heart. This novel had a hold on me from page one. Roseanne really knocked it out of the park!"
--Claribel A. Ortega, New York Times best-selling author of Witchlings

★"This textured, richly mythological story will keep the pages turning as readers are drawn into Serwa's world. A superb, action-packed series starter."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★"Via Serwa's savvy narration, Brown melds Ghanian folklore, smart action, thoughtful commentary about liminal spaces, and a healthy dose of tween hijinks, making for an exhilarating introduction to Serwa Boateng's magic-filled world."
--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

★"Brown's middle-grade debut is an action-packed, Ghanaian-influenced contemporary fantasy that explores the bonds of family, friendship, and what happens when you don't know (or are kept from) your own history."
--Booklist (starred review)

PRAISE FOR SERWA BOATENG'S GUIDE TO WITCHCRAFT AND MAYHEM

★ "This sequel to Brown's explosive Ghanaian contemporary fantasy brings all the action and heart of the first book and turns it up to an eleven."
--Booklist (starred review)

About the Author

Roseanne A. Brown (she/her) was born in Kumasi, Ghana, and immigrated to the wild jungles of central Maryland as a child. Writing was her first love, and she knew from a young age that she wanted to use the power of words to connect the different cultures she called home. She worked as an assistant teacher, journalist, and editorial intern before writing two young adult novels, a Black Panther graphic novel, and the prequel to this book, Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2022. Rosie currently lives outside Washington, D.C., where she can usually be found valiantly attempting new yoga positions or failing to protect her socks from her dog. She is only a little bit convinced that most actors are secretly vampires. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @RosiesRambles.