Okereke, Chioma: Water Baby

LONGLISTED FOR THE INAUGURAL CLIMATE FICTION PRIZE ‘Rare is the book that enlightens as much as it entertains. Beautifully imagined and full of characters to love‘ EMMA STONEX, author of The Lamplighters ‘A compelling and powerful novel‘ CHERIE JONES, author of How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House ‘An adventurous and insightful read‘ ROSANNA AMAKA, author of The Book of Echoes She‘s the Pearl of Makoko and the world is her oyster. In Makoko, the floating slum off mainland Lagos, Nigeria, nineteen-year-old Baby yearns for an existence where she can escape the future her father has planned for her. With opportunities scarce, Baby jumps at the chance to join a newly launched drone-mapping project, aimed at broadening the visibility of her community. Then a video of her at work goes viral and Baby finds herself with options she could never have imagined - including the possibility of leaving her birthplace to represent Makoko on the world stage. But will life beyond the lagoon be everything she‘s dreamed of? Or has everything she wants been in front of her all along? Readers love Water Baby ‘ Exquisitely written and thought-provoking ‘ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘One of my favourite books ever, Water Baby is impossible to put down ‘ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ I was instantly transported to Makoko thanks to the vibrant imagery‘ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A beautiful story with characters you get to know and want to follow‘ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Okereke is a talented storyteller with an exquisite craft for character development‘ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A truly contemporary and captivating story of resilience, freedom within constrictions, hope and change‘ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A transportive, joyful read‘ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐