On a day when life should have been near perfect for twelve-year-old gymnast Charlemagne Mack, she faces a few startling moments that will change the direction of her life. Raised in meager surroundings, she learns those who have money, have power.  In this particular instance, a person whose family is rich takes her coveted and well-earned gymnastics title.  Reeling from this disappointment, Charlemagne learns all the things she grew up knowing as real, aren’t as real as she thinks.  She, in fact, learns she is the long awaited Orisha, Queen of the Sky Conjurers.  The Sky Conjurers are a people who have special powers but have been chased out of their galaxy by those who want their powers for their own evil use.  Some have been captured and enslaved, while others are in hiding in an attempt to avoid this fate.  Charlemagne’s mother was once the Queen and now some several years after her death, has passed the royal legacy onto her. 

Wait a minute, a twelve-year-old queen?  This is almost too much for Charlemagne to grasp, especially as she realizes danger is all around her, and those closest to her may not be trustworthy.  She knows her hip-hop, smart talking ways are not going to get her out of it.  While she learns her history and what will be expected of her, Charlemagne goes through a growth process that will move her beyond her childhood dreams and into the adult realm.

In CHARLEMAGNE MACK:  Rise of the Queen, Personal Journal #1, Stephen M. Jones take readers on a fantastic journey through the world of witches, demons, spells and potions through the eyes of a young Black girl still grappling with pre-teen issues as she must come to terms with being the hope of her race.  Told expressly from Charlemagne’s personal journal, we feel her angst over learning her family history, despite the lies she’s been told.  We see her face misfortunes in her own unique way and turn them into triumphs, and we see her use her natural sense of right and wrong to determine where friendships lie.  I was blown away by this neat story Jones has created and the way he delivered.  Parents and youths alike will be amazed by this new persona for the way she teaches and inspires one to overcome adversity, look for the positive, and be all you can be.  As a big lover of the fantasy genre, I can’t wait until Journal #2 appears.

Reviewed by Brenda M. Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers