An orphaned boy in contemporary Senegal must decide between doing what
is right and what is easy as he struggles to keep a promise he made to
his dying father in this "stirring" (School Library Journal) middle
grade debut novel laced with magical realism.
Eleven-year-old Mor was used to hearing his father's voice, even if no
one else could since his father's death. It was comforting. It was also
a reminder that Mor had made a promise to his father before he passed:
keep your sisters safe. Keep the family together. But almost as soon
as they are orphaned, that promise seems impossible to keep. With an
aunt from the big city ready to separate him and his sisters as soon as
she arrives, and a gang of boys from a nearby village wanting everything
he has--including his spirit--Mor is tested in ways he never imagined.
With only the hot summer months to prove himself, Mor must face a
choice. Does he listen to his father and keep his heart true, but risk
breaking his promise through failure? Or is it easier to just join the
Danka Boys, who despite their maliciousness are at least loyal to their
own?
One Shadow on the Wall is about love and loss, family and friendship,
and creating your own future--even when it's hard to do.