The Case of the Missing Kolo - Korobá by Àlàbá Ònájìn

About the Book

"Set in Makoko the Nigerian fishing village, ten-year-old Korobâa helps her friend find who stole her wooden piggy bank before the annual harvest festival"--

Book Synopsis

A charismatic young sleuth takes on a case close to home in this new graphic novel series set in a vibrant African community.

Ten-year-old Korobá knows everyone in Makoko, the Nigerian fishing village where she lives.

She knows her way up and down the bright, colorful waterways, knows where to sell fried shrimp, and knows what to look for at the crowded daily market. Makoko is her playground, and she roams free with her best friends, Saidat and Joba, and her adorable dog, Popi.

The last thing Korobá would expect in Makoko is a thief. Yet Saidat's wooden piggy bank--her Kolo--has been stolen. The children of Makoko save coins in their Kolo all year long, waiting to spend their money at the annual harvest festival. Saidat saved and saved, but now she will have nothing. It's not fair!

Korobá knows what good detectives do...(sort of?). Should the primary suspect be Saidat's grumpy cousin, visiting on vacation? Or could it be the village carpenter, who has been doing some work on Saidat's house? It's up to Detective Korobá to catch the thief and find the missing Kolo before Breaking Day!

Buckle up, budding mystery fans... It's time to join Korobá and friends on their thrilling chase for the culprit. With rich, detailed illustrations--featuring some very important clues--that bring Makoko to life, this one-of-a-kind graphic novel series is a modern day Tintin meets Encyclopedia Brown.

Review Quotes

An engaging, character-driven story. . . . This accessible introduction into young detective Korobá's world is both narratively efficient and visually exquisite; a promising start to a planned series of graphic mysteries.
--School Library Journal (starred review)

First-time graphic novel readers will easily follow the flow of the story, and mystery readers will find a well-paced whodunit.
--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Onajin (Oh No, Ojó!) evokes?Scooby-Doo?vibes in this energetic caper. . . . Saturated hues inject warmth into straightforwardly paneled comics that center the everyday trials and triumphs of a vibrant fishing community.
--Publishers Weekly

Ònájìn's illustrations are magnificent, particularly in their portrayal of a Nigerian fishing village. . . . A spectacular series starter for aspiring gumshoes.
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

About the Author

Àlàbá Ònájìn is the Nigerian-born author/illustrator of Waaa Waaa Goes Tawa!, as well as multiple collaborations with UNESCO, portraying the lives of prominent African women. Ònájìn also illustrated an adult graphic novel, On Ajayi Crowther Street, which was a Publishers Weekly Graphic Novel Critics Poll Honorable Mention and a GQ Best New Book. Korobá The Case of the Missing Kolo is his first graphic novel for children.