Akata Witch (retitled What Sunny Saw in the Flames in Nigeria and the UK) is a 2011 fantasy novel written by Nigerian-American author Nnedi Okorafor. It was nominated for the Andre Norton Award and it is the first novel in the Nsibidi Scripts Series, where it is followed by two sequels Akata Warrior and Akata Woman published in 2017 and 2022 respectively. Background Nnedi Okorafor based the novel in Nigerian culture, politics, cosmology, folklore, and tradition to create many of the entities and spirits in the novel. Plot Twelve-year-old Sunny Nwazue was born in America yet lives in Nigeria. She is Black and albino, and cannot go out in the sun for long periods because of her albinism. Sunny discovers that she has magical abilities which makes her a "free agent" in the magical community called the Leopard People in West Africa. As a free agent, she needs to learn about the magical community. Her magical teachers connect her with three other magical students to become a coven, a group of magical Leopard People assembled to pursue a purpose. The group is cultivated by leaders in the magical communities to try to capture Black Hat Otokoto, a serial killer who also knows magic. Characters Sunny Nwazue is an American-born Nigerian. Aged 12 and albino, Sunny loves to play soccer but is unable to spend long periods in the sun. Because of her pale skin and hair, people call her a witch. Orlu is Sunny's classmate at school and a "Leopard Person" Chichi is Orlu's friend who becomes close with Sunny. Chichi can see Sunny's magical abilities better than anyone else. Sasha is another American-born Nigerian. He was sent to Nigeria by his parents as punishment for using his magic inappropriately. Black Hat Otokoto is the main antagonist of the novel. A powerful witch, he targets children for his evil deeds. Themes The novel deals with themes of ethnicity, identity, and dealing with whatever gifts or curses life provides. Publication history The novel was published as What Sunny Saw in the Flames in both Nigeria and the UK; akata has a derogatory meaning in Nigerian dialects. The original edition's title is meant to face and criticize its derogatory meaning. Reception Kirkus Reviews called the novel "ebulliently original." The New York Times recommended it as one of "7 great fantasy novels for teenagers," saying that Okorafor "weaves an enchanting spell in this