Children of the Quicksands

City girl Simi is sent to stay with her long-lost grandmother in a remote Nigerian village where there’s no TV, internet, or phone. The village is quiet at night, filled only with the sounds of wildlife. Simi's witchlike grandmother is a source of wisdom and medicine for the villagers but remains secretive about their family's past. Curious about their history, Simi defies her grandmother and explores the village, only to find herself trapped in the quicksand of a forbidden lake. Her journey takes a fantastical turn as she enters a parallel world beneath the lake. Simi must navigate this new world and unravel the truth as she discovers children are mysteriously disappearing. 'Children of the Quicksands' by Efua Traoré, winner of the 2019 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition, is a magical realist adventure that introduces readers to Yoruba myths and the rich culture of West Africa.