The following version of this novel was used to create this study guide: Okorafor-Mbachu, Nnedi. Zahrah the Windseeker. 2005. Graphia. Paperback.

13-year-old Zahrah was born as a dada, a unique person with vines for hair and a promise that she will become wise. However, she is bullied for being different and feels isolated from the others in her town of Kirki. Her best and only friend is Dari, a boy fascinated with the world outside of Kirki, including the Forbidden Greeny Jungle. When Zahrah learns that she is a Windseeker, or a dada capable of flight, she meets another Windseeker named Nsibidi who warns them that something terrible is coming. Still, Zahrah and Dari check out a field guide and sneak into the jungle as Zahrah hides her powers. However, when Dari is bitten by a rare war snake, he ends up in a permanent coma. When she learns that the only known cure is an antidote made from a dangerous elgort egg, Zahrah resolves to save her friend. However, her journey will take her deep into the uncharted Greeny Jungle, and she only has a month to succeed before the cure will be ineffective.

Throughout her journey, Zahrah sees numerous strange creatures and almost dies after being attacked by a whip scorpion. This forces her to better handle her fear, as the persistent poison will knock her out should her blood pressure get too high. This leads to her accidentally falling out of a tree, where she is found by the local gorilla tribe. She is healed by the oldest of the gorillas named Misty who warns her that the efforts are killing machines that cannot be stopped. Determined to save her friend, Zahrah says she will continue on. So, Misty tells her to search for the Speculating Speckled Frog that knows all the past, present, and future. Eventually, Nsibidi catches up with Zahrah, and asks her to come home. However, Zahrah leaves Nsibidi behind after the frog sends her in the right direction.

Eventually, Zahrah steals an unfertilized effort egg from a cave and escapes. As the elgort gets close, Zahraj is able to fully fly for the first time, but drops the egg a mile away. The frog saves it and praises Zahrah for all she has learned before telling her to head home. Once there, the doctors synthesize a cure and Dari wakes up after a few hours. The two become instant celebrities and tell their story in hopes of convincing others to learn more about the world outside of Kirki. In the end, Nsibidi reveals that her mother is actually from the mythical planet of Earth, inspiring Zahrah and Dari to learn everything they can about it.