MINECRAFT: BATTLE OF THE BLOCK

17 hours ago

2 min read

Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

Written by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, Minecraft: Battle of the Block is an original middle-grade novel that connects the creativity of Minecraft with real-world community activism. As young Nzinga recreates her former Philadelphia neighborhood in the game, she discovers that protecting its real-life counterpart presents an entirely different challenge.

A young girl learns how to make a difference both in the real world and in the world of Minecraft in this exciting original novel!

Ever since her family moved to the suburbs and Nzinga started middle school, she’s been really lonely. Her only consolation has been working on Phantasy Philly, a special build she and her team will present at a huge Minecraft convention in just a few weeks. Nzinga, her brother Samir, and her cousin Jannah have decided to recreate and reimagine a blocky version of their old Philadelphia street. Now that summer is here, Nzinga can’t wait to return to the old neighborhood and finish their build.

But when Nzinga and Samir arrive at their grandmom’s house, things aren’t how she pictured. Jannah, usually a design whiz, seems distracted and unwilling to work on their project. Incessant drilling can be heard all hours of the day as new apartments are constructed, replacing beloved parts of their street. The constant noise makes it hard to think straight, let alone get anything done.

Nzinga sees how noise pollution and redevelopment are hurting the street, but what can she do about it? And how is she supposed to fight that battle while also inspiring her team to build their ideal Minecraft neighborhood? As Nzinga struggles to answer these questions, she may just learn how even the quietest voices can have the biggest impact.

PUBLICATION DETAILS

LANGUAGE	BINDING	EDITION	ISBN	YEAR	PAGES
English	Hardcover		9780593972335	2026	288
English	Paperback		9798217375097	2026	288
English	eBook		N/A	2021	272