Inspiring Young Readers

posted on 06 Oct 2026

Xirsi and The Final Battle by Shiko Nguru, illustrated by Wanjira Kinyua

As I had become engrossed in the third instalment of this exciting series set in Kenya, I looked forward to finding out how the band of intrepid young adventurers would continue to fight evil monsters in order to restore peace and harmony to their homeland and beyond. Although it was useful to know the back story, I also think that the roller coaster events and well-drawn characters would make this a stand-alone read.

Xirsi is the now thirteen-year-old member of the four Intasimi Warriors whose mission is to use their various hereditary powers to protect their culture and heritage against the dark forces of the Underworld. The third instalment showed him to be facing up to his responsibilities as well as learning to master his special skills and digest the complicated history of his ancestors. He has clearly matured since starting at the prestigious Savanna Academy in Nairobi with his friends and is relishing a visit back to his forested home town of Boni. He soon realises that something is afoot when his brothers fail to meet him as usual at the airport, but it takes a while for him to uncover what the problem is. His peaceful village, has an economy based around gathering Wild Honey but has been recently terrorised by poachers who seem determined to disrupt and destroy. Xirsi consults with the other three Warriors when they come to visit and they resolve to solve more ancestral riddles in order to save the community and restore order. 

Once again, the author paints a vivid picture of this beautiful natural environment which Xirsi cares for deeply. He already knows that his destiny is to understand and protect its fragility, but it soon becomes apparent just how closely tied he is to every creature that lives there. When looking for honey with his brothers, he has what can only be described as a mystical experience: he first notices a distinctive Miri bird and then discovers that he has left his body on the forest floor and has become a bird himself flying over the magnificent canopy of trees with enhanced eyesight.

I loved the moment when he sees a waxworm on a leaf:

‘He nosedived down to the leaf in a flash and snatched up the worm with his mouth. Then knocking his head back, he swallowed the slimy creature whole.’

This is when he realises that his life has changed forever and that he has the ability to temporarily inhabit another creature, which could be extremely useful. His teacher explains that he has found his ‘Entasim’( an ancient and  protective ritual charm), a moment which he has been waiting for and that the ability to ‘skin change’ into this bird was one that had been shared by his own ancestor Gasura Winn. It takes a while for him to understand this extraordinary power but he very worried about how to control it – what if he becomes trapped and cannot return to his own body? But this is only the first revelation of his extraordinary powers which he learns are much more significant than he could ever imagine.

 Xirsi is a very likeable character who cherishes solitude and thinking time as well as enjoying the company of his friends. He is a problem solver who has gained respect from them because his curiosity, patience and tenacity means that he gets things done. But he is not without flaws and certainly has self- doubt which makes him believable. When it becomes clear that they need to find a mysterious scroll in the Seif bin Salim Library in Mombasa, he is determined to untangle the curious riddles. He is helped the truly terrifying hybrid creature with the head of an owl, who turns out to be the friendly and knowledgeable librarian.:

The perilous adventures of the foursome are shaped by the wisdom of ancestral advisors alongside the memories of Xirsi’s mother and other influential real- world characters such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu:

‘If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor’. 

I am not going to reveal the complex twists and turns or the outcome of the final battle because you will want to experience this for yourself – you will not be disappointed

I strongly recommend this fast paced and multi layered story that would captivate young readers who love to escape to a fantasy world with echoes of reality. Although it is the final book in the series, I would hope that the characters might re- emerge to fight dark forces at some point and can see how their adventures might translate into graphic novels and film.  On the other hand, it is the beautifully described environments and moments of fear and jeopardy that are special and could be subdued in different formats.     

 It is produced by Lantana Publishing and should be available from your local independent bookshop, who will order you a copy if not already on their shelves.    

Karen Argent

October 2026