Zetta Elliott, author of The Oracle’s Door (Rosetta Press), talks about historical fantasy and explains that if people don’t understand Black history, it might be difficult to understand things going on in our country today.
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About the book: The Oracle’s Door by Zetta Elliott. Published by Rosetta Press.
Before Ma became the most powerful witch in Brooklyn...before Ma met a boy named Jaxon who helped her deliver three baby dragons to the realm of magic...long before Ma ended the war and vanquished the Scourge by choosing exile...she was just a curious, determined girl living on the South Side of Chicago. Lavinia Robinson, or "Vinny" as she's called by her best friend L. Roy Jenkins, is always ready for adventure-even if it means breaking the rules. So when a faraway voice dares her to open a rainbow-edged door in the sky, Vinny doesn't hesitate and discovers a world filled with dragons and other amazing creatures! But when her own world threatens to burn during the Red Summer of 1919, can Vinny summon enough magic to save the ones she loves? Told in alternating viewpoints-Ma as a centenarian and a ten-year-old novice witch-THE ORACLE'S DOOR reveals the parallels in Vinny's and Jaxon's lives while introducing young readers to tumultuous early twentieth-century Chicago. With her distinct blend of fantasy and history, Zetta Elliott weaves one last story with her beloved characters that is sure to enthrall young readers.
Transcript:
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