Sickle Boy: The Last Guardian. Sickle Boy, #1

Kojo has always been "the sickle cell kid",  the one who cracks jokes in the hospital to keep from crying, the one his dad never stops worrying about. But when a near-death crisis pulls him into the astral realm, Kojo discovers the truth,  diseases aren't just sickness, they're monsters and one god of plagues,  is out to consume the world. Armed with a glowing sickle, a sharp tongue, and two unlikely allies; brainy Kwame with his unbreakable shield and hot-headed Mensah with fists of fire.
Kojo finds himself leading the fight against nightmares that feed on fear. Between battling hulking plague beasts, keeping up with school, and protecting his father, Kojo learns that being a hero isn't about being the strongest. It's about laughing in the face of the storm and never backing down. Action-packed, heartfelt, and full of wit, Sickle Boy, The Last Guardian is a powerful YA fantasy about friendship, resilience, and discovering the hero inside you  even when the world says you're too weak.