Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms is a vivid, powerful and thrilling fantasy story with roots entrenched in African myths, tales and history.

The story features young, orphaned  Cameron who is coming to terms with the mysterious disappearance and loss of both parents, through re-reading their cherished Book of Chidani (stories passed down by Cameron's ancestors that his parents read to him of a magical kingdom that saved the Igbo people many years ago); a book forbidden to him since just after his parents died.

The magical world of Chidani, with its tales of gods, queens and the shadowy malevolent mmo figures (spirits of the dead), turns out to be anything but imaginary when Cameron and best friends Zion and Aliyah get swept through a portal into Chidani itself and find a land under threat and sister queens embroiled in deadly war.  The queen's sister has allied with the Death God, Ekwensu, and plans to destroy the barriers between two worlds to ultimately rule all. Only a Descendent of the Book of Chidani can possibly stop this danger...  So steps Cameron, unknowingly at first, into these shoes. He is just a boy, a reluctant hero, disorientated and disbelieving at first that Chidani exists yet thrown into battling mmo wielding swords and riding gryphons across the land.

A whole world is carefully created by the author drawing on African myths, culture and sense of ancestry. There is a real sense of honouring past traditions and experiences within the story, as we learn the Book of Chidani was created specifically for enslaved Igbo people to remember their past .

The young trio of characters are vulnerable and full of fear but their bonds with each other, their fierce love and loyalty to one another, lifts them above this into acts of courage and determination. They all face their internal fears and weaknesses as well as threatening external forces and grow in skills and self belief throughout the book. They are taught to be warriors, practicing Dambe , a mystical martial art , in order to defeat the armies of the Queen’s sister and the Ekwensu himself.

Epic, stunning fast and dramatic fight and battle scenes explode across the pages throughout the fight for Chidani . The descriptions are detailed, exhilarating  and the relationship between Cameron and his friends, especially his bond and love for Zion, are sensitively and warmly explored. The author clearly celebrates its young characters depth of loyalty and selfless acts to protect each other.

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms is a fantastic quest story full of dark magic and the bravery and strength it takes to defeat it.

320 pages / Reviewed by Jenny Caddick, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+

From the onset I was captivated by the front cover of this book, three powerful characters clearly determined and ready for the adventure that awaits them. Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms is the new book from Jamar J. Perry. This book is inspired by West African and Igbo history and mythology. The adventure-filled fantasy introduces us to the character of Cameron Battle an ordinary black boy from Atlanta, or so he thinks. Little does Cameron know that his life is entwined in a past beyond his lifetime that will lead him on a journey to greatness.

Cameron lives with his grandma, having lost his parents two years previously. The only relic he has left of them is the Book of Chidani, which has been locked away in the attic by grandma. Cameron has fond memories of the stories his mother would read to him from the book about the Kingdom of Chidani and beauty of the land. During a sleepover, a storm begins to brew outside and strange encounters start to happen to Cameron. He and his friends Zion and Aliyah decide to unearth the Book of Chidani that has been locked in the attic. But when they enter the attic the book is awaiting them and something is not right; the book has a blue glowing light that reaches out to them and then magically transports them to the Kingdom of Chidani.

It is in the beautiful land of Chidani that Cameron discovers that all of the stories that his mother had told him as a child are real and that the Kingdom is now in extreme danger. The people of Chidani have been awaiting the arrival of the last Descendant to return and save them. Cameron and his friends have been summoned by Queen Ramala who wants them to seek the three gifts from the Gods that have been stolen by her evil sister and help save the Kingdom of Chidani and close the barriers between worlds. 

This book is full of adventure, West African history and mythology. As a reader, you learn about ancient tribes, mythological creatures, African folklore and discover the power of magic. I would recommend this book to children in Upper Key Stage 2, because it gives the reader a cultural experience and takes them on a journey.

The themes at the heart of this story are about family, friendship and love. Cameron is a complex character and, having grieved for his parents, he struggles to identify with his thoughts and feelings. However, Cameron does begin to understand his queerness and find acceptance with this, and this theme is prominent in that it is calling for the reader to find acceptance with who they really are.

320 pages / Reviewed by Hayley Summerfield, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+