Shuri (Shuri: Black Panther Novel #1)

by Nic Stone

Overview

From New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes an all-new upper middle grade series based on one of the Marvel Universe's break-out characters- Shuri, from Black Panther!

An original, upper-middle-grade series starring the break-out character from the Black Panther comics and films: T'Challa's younger sister, Shuri! Crafted by New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone.Shuri is a skilled martial artist, a genius, and a master of science and technology. But, she's also a teenager. And a princess. This story follows Shuri as she sets out on a quest to save her homeland of Wakanda. For centuries, the Chieftain of Wakanda (the Black Panther) has gained his powers through the juices of the Heart-Shaped Herb. Much like Vibranium, the Heart-Shaped Herb is essential to the survival and prosperity of Wakanda. But something is wrong. The plants are dying. No matter what the people of Wakanda do, they can't save them. And their supply is running short. It's up to Shuri to travel from Wakanda in order to discover what is killing the Herb, and how she can save it, in the first volume of this all-new, original adventure.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338633689
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	05/05/2020
Series:	Shuri: Black Panther Series , #1
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	8 MB
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Nic Stone is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Dear Martin and Odd One Out. She was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, and the only thing she loves more than an adventure is a good story about one. After graduating from Spelman College, she worked extensively in teen mentoring and lived in Israel for a few years before returning to the US to write full-time. Growing up with a wide range of cultures, religions, and backgrounds, she strives to bring these diverse voices and stories to her work. Learn more at nicstone.info.

Editorial Reviews

05/18/2020

At 13, Princess Shuri has already accomplished so much as a scientist that she’s on the path to becoming Wakanda’s minister of technology and advancement. Even with all of her achievements, though, her mother and T’Challa—her brother, king of Wakanda and the current Black Panther—still treat Shuri like a child who doesn’t truly understand the propriety required of her. When the heart-shaped herb that ignites the Black Panther’s powers begins rapidly dying, Shuri is appalled at her family’s surprising lack of urgency regarding the problem. Frustrated, she and K’Marah, a protector in training, set off on a secret mission to find what’s killing the plants and how to stop it before the last herb dies out forever. Girl power reigns supreme in this novel companion to the Black Panther universe, and Stone (Clean Getaway) engagingly portrays the mind of a genius, teenage princess (complete with mission log–esque journal entries). In Stone’s handling, Shuri takes center stage and exhibits her intelligence, wit, and unique strengths while showing that a princess is more than enough to save a nation. Ages 9–12. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Shuri: A Black Panther Novel

"The combination of best-selling Stone and the scene-stealing Shuri from the blockbuster Black Panther is a match made in high-demand heaven." — Booklist, starred review

"Shuri does not disappoint and will delight readers with her showcasing of her lab and her inventions... Recommended for Black Panther fans and newcomers alike, this is a first purchase for all collections."— School Library Journal, starred review

"An enjoyable romp . . . " — Kirkus

A 2021 YALSA Quick Pick for Young Readers

From the Publisher

★ 04/01/2020

Gr 5–7—Princess Shuri takes center stage in this action-packed novel from Stone. Challenge Day is about to arrive in Wakanda and the heart-shaped herb has been poisoned. While no one doubts that T'Challa will be victorious and the herb won't be needed to create a new Black Panther should someone defeat him, Shuri, 13, can't help but worry. She's been told that female warriors don't challenge the sitting Black Panther but become Dora Milaje, his protectors. Shuri sets off on a covert mission with her best friend and Dora Milaje–in-training, K'Marah, to find the source of the poison and figure out how to reverse its effects. With help from Storm of X-Men, Shuri and K'Marah must figure out a way to save Wakanda from its enemies. Known especially for her intelligence in the Marvel universe, Shuri does not disappoint and will delight readers with her showcasing of her lab and her inventions, including the Panther Mobile, later renamed the Predator. Interspersed throughout the narrative are Shuri's Mission Log notes. VERDICT Recommended for Black Panther fans and newcomers alike, this is a first purchase for all collections.—Marissa Lieberman, East Orange Public Library, NJ

School Library Journal

2020-02-09
The fate of Wakanda is in Princess Shuri’s hands in this original Black Panther tale.

In this apparently alternate universe to the Black Panther film’s, much is different (including many character’s personalities and the history of Shuri’s family), but one thing is the same: Shuri’s a technological genius. At 13, she loves her personal lab but is less than enthusiastic about royal duties. Third-person narration interspersed with Shuri’s first-person mission logs both use language that boomerangs from disorientingly formal to distinctly American, even though most characters are African. Furthermore, an excess of exposition bogs down the narrative. When Shuri alerts the Queen and King T’Challa (the current Black Panther) that the heart-shaped herb—which gives the Black Panther superhuman powers—is dying, bizarrely, neither one seems to take the news seriously. Thankfully, Shuri does, and her quest to find answers takes her beyond Wakanda’s borders. At one notable point, Shuri’s confusion with what Western readers may recognize as racial microaggressions teases a deeper theme. In the end, Shuri saves the day, but the supposed villain’s quarrel with Wakanda is understandable—similar to Killmonger’s in the film. But unlike the film, this narrative chooses not to engage with the issue in a rushed conclusion.

Offering an enjoyable romp but minimal depth, this demands readers willing to suspend devotion to canon. (Science fiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews