Wheatle, Alex

Alex Wheatle is the author of several bestselling books – including the young adult title Home Girl: A Novel, the modern classic Brixton Rock, and the Crongton series – and his body of work has been named a finalist for the 2021 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature. In Cane Warriors: A Novel (Black Sheep), Wheatle tells the story of 14-year-old Moa, a slave at a sugarcane plantation in Jamaica, as he experiences a key but often overlooked event in the island’s history: Tacky’s Rebellion, a major revolt by enslaved Africans that took place in 1760. When Moa learns of the rebellion, he wants to join and become a cane warrior. But before he and his friend Keverton can escape, they must face their first great task: to kill their overseer, Misser Donaldson – and time is ticking. The Guardian noted that “Alex Wheatle departs from his award-winning contemporary novels for a superb foray into historical fiction. [An] affecting story of courage, bloodshed, and commitment to freedom at all costs.”