In Akata Witch, one subtle point that I picked up on was Okorafor’s re-imagining of humans’ relationships with non-human animals. Most obviously, Okorafor labels humans with superpowers/special abilities as “Leopard People,” while humans without these powers are titled “Lambs.” Thus, Okorafor’s society creates a distinction in which carnivores/animals higher up on the food chain are considered more powerful and more intelligent than herbivores. Beyond this linguistic exploration, the main characters of the novel also learn important lessons relating to their treatment of animals. Sunny purchases a sheep’s head in order to perform juju, but experiences nausea and disgust when she examines the corpse up close, considering how the sheep’s “yellow teeth would never chew grass again; [their] mouth would never be warmed by [their] breath” (p. 102). This passage is especially relevant, considering the use of the term “Lamb” (a young sheep) for humans without special abilities—Sunny must purchase a dead sheep/lamb and destroy the animal’s corpse in order to perform her juju, similar to how Black Hat kills and destroys the body of young human Lambs in order to perform his magic.
When the group visits Taiwo, they are greeted by Nancy, a “Blue-Footed Miri Bird” (162). Various characters curse Nancy, calling her a “goddamn insane bird,” “filthy,” and “flea-infested” (p. 163). Eventually, Orlu realizes that Nancy wants “what everyone wants: to be treated like a human being” (p. 165). Okorafor’s/Orlu’s word choice here is interesting, given that Orlu recognizes that this non-human animal wants to be treated like a human. In this sense, Orlu acknowledges that non-human animals are NOT treated like human beings, yet “everyone” wants to be treated like humans, suggesting that humanity’s disregard for non-human animals on the basis of their non-humanness is unwarranted. When they reach Taiwo’s room, Taiwo graciously thanks Nancy, and notes that Orlu possesses humility, while the other characters need to learn this lesson. Taiwo states that “all creatures have a place,” and that “all of us could die right now and life would go on,” suggesting that Nancy’s life is perhaps just as important as the lives of the members of the Oha coven (p. 167).
The final passage I noted was when the group discusses the wasp artist living in Sunny’s room. Sasha—one who lacked humility when regarding Taiwo’s Nancy—claims “you shouldn’t be forced to treat anything well…it should be your choice,” suggesting that it is an individual’s choice as to how they treat other beings (p. 295). In contrast, Orlu—the one with humility for Nancy—notes that “not all things are a choice…some things should come naturally,” implying that valuing the lives of all beings should be a natural instinct (p. 295). Furthermore, the depiction of the wasp as a creative artist and an individual who desires the affirmation of their artistic abilities shows non-human animals as individuals with personalities, which is a radically different depiction compared to how non-human animals are described in most books.
Through these passages, Okorafor subtly speaks to the oppression of non-human animals and addresses how this intersects with the oppression of various human groups. I was astounded overall by her novel and the messages she portrays: not only does she weave a complex, creative story of anti-oppression on the basis of race, gender, disability, etc., but she also extends this circle of compassion to include non-human animals, further complexifying her argument and the messages she conveys to young readers.
Reading Young Adult Literature 
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