Willow Smith Discusses Black Shield Maiden w/Alex Elle

MahoganyBooks is thrilled to host singer, songwriter, and activist Willow Smith as she discusses her debut book, Black Shield Maiden, a riveting science fiction fantasy novel steeped in African roots and Viking lore. We are looking forward to you joining us for this powerful exchange and are excited to welcome our beloved conversation host, Alex Elle.

Grab your teens & come out for an exciting summer evening of book fun!

A big thank you to our partners and co-hosts at the DC Public Library and the DC Public Library Foundation for your generous supporter of this event.

Note: ASL Interpreter on-site

About the book: Black Shield Maiden

From Willow Smith and Jess Hendel comes a powerful and groundbreaking historical saga about an African warrior in the world of the Vikings.

Lore, legend, and history tell us of the Vikings: warrior kings on epic journeys of conquest and plunder. But the stories we know are not the only stories to tell. There is another story, one that has been lost to the mists of time: the saga of the dark queen.

This saga begins with Yafeu, a defiant yet fiercely compassionate young warrior who is stolen from her home in the flourishing Ghānaian empire and taken to a distant kingdom in the North. There she is thrust into a strange, cold world of savage shield maidens, tyrannical rulers, and mysterious gods.

Yafeu may have lost her home, but she still knows who she is, and she’s not afraid to be the flame that burns a city to the ground so a new world can rise from the ashes. She will alter the course of history—and become the revolutionary heroine of her own myth.

Event guidelines are subject to change.

• IMPORTANT: Only books purchased at MahoganyBooks or sponsored by the library will be signed.
• Books will be pre-signed.
• Parking is limited. Ridesharing highly encouraged.
• Note: all books must be picked up at our National Harbor location within two weeks of the event date. Those not retrieved will be donated to a local organization.
• Please email us at least seven days in advance at events@mahoganybooks.com should you need any accommodations to attend this event.
• Photographs may be taken during the event WITHOUT FLASH.
• Non-refundable but tickets can be transferred.
• Please tag us and use #mahoganybooks #blackbooksmatter #blackshieldmaiden

— Let’s have an amazing evening, The MahoganyBooks Team