Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (Tristan Strong, #1)” as Want to Read:
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
(Tristan Strong #1)
by
Seventh-grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is dreading the month he’s going to spend on his grandparents’ farm in Alabama, where he’s being sent to heal from the tragedy. But on his first night the
...more
Get A Copy
Kindle Edition, 496 pages
Published
October 15th 2019
by Disney Hyperion
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (Tristan Strong, #1)

Don’t get me wrong. Greek myths are great! But you can’t swing a gorgon’s head in any bookstore without hitting at least a dozen Greek-myth-inspired books.
Try finding great adventures based on Western African gods and heroes like Nyame or Anansi. Try finding stories about modern kids who encounter African-American folk legends like High John, John Henry and Brer Rabbit. Those books are a lot harder to locate, despite that fact that millions of kids would relate to those gods and heroes even mor ...more
Try finding great adventures based on Western African gods and heroes like Nyame or Anansi. Try finding stories about modern kids who encounter African-American folk legends like High John, John Henry and Brer Rabbit. Those books are a lot harder to locate, despite that fact that millions of kids would relate to those gods and heroes even mor ...more

**4.5-stars rounded up**
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is a debut!? Really!?
Hold up, y'all. I need a moment to wrap my mind around that.


This is a hella ambitious first novel.
I am really dang impressed. Kwame Mbalia, you should be proud!

With the initial swooning out of the way, let's get into the review, shall we?
Tristan Strong, a 7th grader from Chicago, has recently been having a tough time. After losing his best friend, Eddie, in a horrific bus crash, Tristan is struggling with his g ...more
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is a debut!? Really!?
Hold up, y'all. I need a moment to wrap my mind around that.


This is a hella ambitious first novel.
I am really dang impressed. Kwame Mbalia, you should be proud!

With the initial swooning out of the way, let's get into the review, shall we?
Tristan Strong, a 7th grader from Chicago, has recently been having a tough time. After losing his best friend, Eddie, in a horrific bus crash, Tristan is struggling with his g ...more

Mar 30, 2019
The Artisan Geek
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favourites
------------------VIDEO REVIEW------------------
4/10/19
FINISHED! What a story, I laughed and I cried, but I mainly laughed! So fun to read a book about African gods!! :D My review will be up next week!! ;)
2/10/19
A HUGE thank you to Disney Hyperion for gifting me a copy of this book! #Blessed
30/3/19
Did I hear that correctly? Black American Gods??? My gosh this book sounds so good!! I can't wait!
You can find me on
Youtube | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Website ...more

4/10/19
FINISHED! What a story, I laughed and I cried, but I mainly laughed! So fun to read a book about African gods!! :D My review will be up next week!! ;)
2/10/19
A HUGE thank you to Disney Hyperion for gifting me a copy of this book! #Blessed
30/3/19
Did I hear that correctly? Black American Gods??? My gosh this book sounds so good!! I can't wait!
You can find me on
Youtube | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Website ...more

Somehow, this book had me laughing, crying, and screaming “WHOA, plot twist” at my family.
I very much underestimated this book. I think because it’s technically a middle-grade read, I was expecting it to be slow, easy, and predictable. Let me tell you, it was none of the above. I’m not even sure where to begin here, so let’s just go with the characters. Tristan is the most developed protagonist I have read about in a long while. I loved that he wasn’t sure of himself in every step of his quest ...more
I very much underestimated this book. I think because it’s technically a middle-grade read, I was expecting it to be slow, easy, and predictable. Let me tell you, it was none of the above. I’m not even sure where to begin here, so let’s just go with the characters. Tristan is the most developed protagonist I have read about in a long while. I loved that he wasn’t sure of himself in every step of his quest ...more

Jul 10, 2020
Drewthereader20
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
new-releases,
debut-authors,
audiobook,
yallwest-2020-tbr,
fall-tbr,
tbr-shelf,
2020-favorites,
fantasy,
hardcover,
2020-reads
Finished reading this at work tonight! Such a great first book by Kwame! Super excited for the sequel now!(:

Jul 23, 2020
Jessica
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
african-american-black,
fantasy
I received a copy of this book for free as part of an Instagram tour (Storygram Tours specifically) I did to promote the book.
So first off I just want to say that it is incredibly refreshing to read a book about mythology that isn’t Greek. I know very little about African/African American mythology so it was fun to learn about it through reading this book.
Since this is the first book in a new series, it is a little slow. That is understandable since there is a lot of world building and set-up ...more
So first off I just want to say that it is incredibly refreshing to read a book about mythology that isn’t Greek. I know very little about African/African American mythology so it was fun to learn about it through reading this book.
Since this is the first book in a new series, it is a little slow. That is understandable since there is a lot of world building and set-up ...more

Mar 16, 2020
Marc *Dark Reader of the Woods*
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
middle-grade
It's a pretty good middle-grade book, with absolutely fantastic cover art, I mean just look at that thing. I am not in the target demographic, so take my comments as you will. I am at least superficially familiar with some of the myths and characters informing this story, with my earliest exposure being the controversial Disney film (aren't they all?) Song of the South, which was never released on home video in the U.S., but since I didn't live there I had access to it.
I would have preferred to ...more
I would have preferred to ...more

oh how I love adventurous middle-grades full of witty characters, twists and turns, and lush mythology.

Oct 15, 2019
J. Greene
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
my-favorites,
my-favorite-series
I never wanted to be a superhero as a child, but I wanted to do heroic things. Tristan Strong epitomizes the dreams of young black children who want to do and be both; be heroes/heroines and do heroic things. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is the Harry Potter for young black children. (A heavy claim, I know.) It is a grabbing combination of African folklore, African American history, African mythology, and the innate magic that is Blackness.
Tristan Strong just lost his best friend. His ...more
Tristan Strong just lost his best friend. His ...more

This book truly captures the heart of middle grade for me: the lovable characters, the fun adventures, and the humor, all paired with important themes and messages. Generational trauma and the importance of remembering the pains of the past were tackled so well here, especially for the target audience of children, as well as general themes of grief and guilt. Tristan was such a wonderful protagonist, a kid who wants to be a hero but still with fears and doubts, especially because of how he belie
...more

this book didn't pull any punches (pun intended) and hit all the right places. i love the pacing very much and it has a lot of action-packed scenes that kept my restless brain engaged. i also adore the characters and the humor in the dialogue. gum baby is obviously the star of this book and im looking forward to seeing more of her in the sequel. i don't really know much about african american folktales and west african mythology so it was a pleasure to be introduced to all these interesting stor
...more

Apr 18, 2018
Sana
marked it as anti-library
DUUUUDE. I don't even care that it's MG, Imma read it
...more

I hate to feel so lukewarm about a book coming from such a cool storytelling tradition (as soon as I saw that it's based on African-American folklore, I was all over it), but honestly it was a slog. It is a very long book for middle grade, with lots of locations, characters, and SYMBOLISM.
The best parts of the story were in the beginning, where Tristan is interacting with his family. I think Tristan's recurring thoughts on adults are a great theme - adults are always telling him what to do, with ...more
The best parts of the story were in the beginning, where Tristan is interacting with his family. I think Tristan's recurring thoughts on adults are a great theme - adults are always telling him what to do, with ...more

**EDIT 2/4/2019**
Y'all this cover gave me CHILLS. Like real, legit chills.
**EDIT 10/12/2019**
SWEET PEACHES THAT WAS GOOD! Real review to come.
**EDIT 10/24/19**
You can find more of my reviews here at my blog: Take Me Away...
I have started and restarted this review so many times. I even had to stop one night so I could sleep on it. But I just didn't think I could get this review right. There's so much in this book tto hhat I didn't think I'd ever see in a book, let alone one for kids.
Tristan St ...more
Y'all this cover gave me CHILLS. Like real, legit chills.
**EDIT 10/12/2019**
SWEET PEACHES THAT WAS GOOD! Real review to come.
**EDIT 10/24/19**
You can find more of my reviews here at my blog: Take Me Away...
I have started and restarted this review so many times. I even had to stop one night so I could sleep on it. But I just didn't think I could get this review right. There's so much in this book tto hhat I didn't think I'd ever see in a book, let alone one for kids.
Tristan St ...more

This was fabbity fab! I'ave always had a soft place in my heart for John Henry, and I love the Brer Rabbit stories as well. Seeing them, along with other African and African American myths and folktales, brought to life in gorgeous detail, was a delight. And Tristan was pretty great, too. He reminded me of Miles Morales, and I loved how he used his "power." I can't believe this is Mbalia's first book, because it's just . . .well, fab!
...more

Wow.
What an important series. I am so thankful for Rick Riordan’s ability to raise other amazing writers up.
This book was a wild ride and I loved it. Mythology has never been one of my favorite genres, but this book was just incredible.
We get to travel with Tristan through African (and African American) mythology and legends while he also learns to heal from his own loss.
Loved it. Loved how much I learned about some myths/legends and folklore that I had never been exposed to, and I can’t wai ...more
What an important series. I am so thankful for Rick Riordan’s ability to raise other amazing writers up.
This book was a wild ride and I loved it. Mythology has never been one of my favorite genres, but this book was just incredible.
We get to travel with Tristan through African (and African American) mythology and legends while he also learns to heal from his own loss.
Loved it. Loved how much I learned about some myths/legends and folklore that I had never been exposed to, and I can’t wai ...more

my new favorite middle grade!

One of the newest additions to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky offers a middle grade adventure story that integrates figures from West African mythology and African American folk heroes as characters. It's fast-paced and action packed with rich symbolism and subtle (for middle grade) messaging about the importance of collective memory and unity among Black people from different places. It's also a story of a seventh-grader from Chicago grieving the dea
...more

Chicago teenager Tristan Strong is sent to his grandparents in Alabama for the summer after his friend Eddie is killed in an accident. On his first night there, a creature steals Eddie's journal and Tristan chases him into the woods, where Tristan accidentally punches a hole into the ground near a bottle tree, breaking one of the bottles and tearing a hole into another realm. He and the creature (Gum Baby) (the thief) fall into the realm taking a freed haint with them. Tristan finds himself in a
...more

Sep 24, 2018
Samm | Sassenach the Book Wizard
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
releases-2019
This was so much damn fun! I don't know a ton of West African folklore but I know I've interacted with it in very brief capacities through out films and TV and some books. It was cool to have a contemporary setting that pulls in West African folklore. It was all fun and quick. I loved Tristan Strong as a character. His life hasn't been easy but he has pieces that...honestly most people can see a connection to. I am super curious to see how we will fix the fantasy world/setting which was ripped o
...more

3.5 stars. This was fun, action-packed story, even while its main character was dealing with a heavy load of grief and guilt over his best friend's death, as well as the pressures from his family to be someone he doesn't feel he is.
The mix of African and African American myth with a contemporary viewpoint in the main character is nicely handled. Tristan is a good kid who's struggling with multiple things; being catapulted into a magical and mystical realm and having to fight his way through mul ...more
The mix of African and African American myth with a contemporary viewpoint in the main character is nicely handled. Tristan is a good kid who's struggling with multiple things; being catapulted into a magical and mystical realm and having to fight his way through mul ...more

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Tristan's parents send him from his home in Chicago to stay with his grandparents in Alabama for the summer so that he can try to find a new way forward after the death of his best friend Eddie in a bus accident. He feels inadequate for several reasons; he failed to save his friend, he doesn't box as well as his father, and his Granddad thinks he is soft and doesn't work hard enough. His Nana, who tells him lots of stories, is the only one who seems to understand. ...more
Tristan's parents send him from his home in Chicago to stay with his grandparents in Alabama for the summer so that he can try to find a new way forward after the death of his best friend Eddie in a bus accident. He feels inadequate for several reasons; he failed to save his friend, he doesn't box as well as his father, and his Granddad thinks he is soft and doesn't work hard enough. His Nana, who tells him lots of stories, is the only one who seems to understand. ...more

Tristan Strong was my most anticipated middle grade read for 2019 and of course that meant I put it off. I shouldn’t have. It was great. I ended up reading it with Sammie and Leelynn. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with me and discussing the book.
This is a really important book for African(-American) youths because it stands strong amidst the themes of slavery within the African (-American) folklore and legends. I think Leelyn talks about this theme better in her review than I as a wh ...more
This is a really important book for African(-American) youths because it stands strong amidst the themes of slavery within the African (-American) folklore and legends. I think Leelyn talks about this theme better in her review than I as a wh ...more

2.5/5
What is it with 2020 and all these books I’m excited for letting me down?
This book was one I was anticipating reading. West African gods and African American folk heroes along with middle grade adventure? Sign me up! And while I loved reading about these legends, there were many elements to this book that left me unsatisfied.
But I’ll first talk about what I liked. I did enjoy reading from Tristan’s perspective. As well, the parts about him and Eddie were emotional. I’m a sucker for angst, w ...more
What is it with 2020 and all these books I’m excited for letting me down?
This book was one I was anticipating reading. West African gods and African American folk heroes along with middle grade adventure? Sign me up! And while I loved reading about these legends, there were many elements to this book that left me unsatisfied.
But I’ll first talk about what I liked. I did enjoy reading from Tristan’s perspective. As well, the parts about him and Eddie were emotional. I’m a sucker for angst, w ...more

Aug 08, 2019
Sci-Fi & Scary
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
request-netgalley
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia took me right out of my comfort zone of known mythos and plunked me down in an unfamiliar world that I ended up totally invested in.
I loved the main character. Tristan Strong – who feels like he’s failed every time something important has happened – has no desire to be a hero. If he tries, who knows what else bad will happen. I feel that. Feel that down to my bones. I know there are many younger readers who will be unfortunately familiar w ...more
I loved the main character. Tristan Strong – who feels like he’s failed every time something important has happened – has no desire to be a hero. If he tries, who knows what else bad will happen. I feel that. Feel that down to my bones. I know there are many younger readers who will be unfortunately familiar w ...more

Not rating this one. Middle grade fantasy just isn't for me. I suspected that might be the case but my book club had chosen this one and I thought I'd give it a try. But after 5 chapters, I knew this wasn't my thing. I'm sure it's a great book for anyone who loves this genre. My son loves all of Rick Riordan's stuff so I'm going to give this one to him and I'm sure he'll love it.
...more

Absolutely earns the hype. Fantastic coming-of-age story, full of american folklore and joyous afrofuturism, built around a core of grief and how it must be acknowledged but not allow it to overcome you.
Definitely went through some culture shock with how everybody just says what's on their mind, good and definitely bad, (cue Jasmine doing canadian shock and "you can't just say things like that" faces), but once I shook myself clear of that it was just a delight. ...more
Definitely went through some culture shock with how everybody just says what's on their mind, good and definitely bad, (cue Jasmine doing canadian shock and "you can't just say things like that" faces), but once I shook myself clear of that it was just a delight. ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Middle Grade Marv...: Middle Grade Marvels - December BOTM n°1 | 1 | 7 | Nov 21, 2020 12:26AM | |
Play Book Tag: Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky - Kwame Mbalia (4 stars) | 1 | 5 | Jun 28, 2020 07:10AM |
Other books in the series
Tristan Strong
(3 books)
Articles featuring this book
The idea for The Gilded Ones came to author Namina Forna in a dream. The recurring image was one of a young girl in armor walking up a...
101 likes · 9 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“My fists were everywhere.
Black fists in black gloves delivering black power two jabs at a time.”
—
2 likes
Black fists in black gloves delivering black power two jabs at a time.”
“Everybody has a story, Nana used to say when I was younger. Listen to it, and they’ll be friendly. Engage with it, and they’ll be your friend.”
—
1 likes
More quotes…