Daughters of Oduma
(Book)

Sixteen-year-old Dirt, a retired elite female fighter, must enter the South God Bow tournament to protect her found family of younger sisters and their beloved Mud Fam.

Eat. Dance. Fight. This is the life of the girls who compete in the Isle's elite, all-female fighting sport of Bowing. At sixteen Dirt is old, and has retired from competition. She spends her days coaching the younger sisters of the Mud Fam and dreading her birthday, when she'll have to leave her sisters to fulfill whatever destiny the Gods choose for her. The Mud Fam is sure to win the upcoming South God Bow tournament, and the tiny Fam needs the new recruits that come with victory. Then an attack from a powerful rival leaves the Mud without their top Bower, and Dirt is the only one who can compete in the tournament. Dirt has never wanted to be a leader-- but defeat at the tournament would mean the end of her beloved Fam. And no way is Dirt going to let that happen. -- adapted from jacket

Ages 12 and Up.,Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

780L,Lexile