HINSDALE, Ill. (WLS) -- Tomi Adeyemi was inducted into the school's hall of fame at 28 years old, making for an extra special homecoming at Hinsdale Central High School on Friday.
"I feel a little shell-shocked by it all," she admitted.
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The graduate of both Hinsdale Central and Harvard University appeared on Good Morning America four years ago after signing one of the biggest book deals in history for a young adult author. Adeyemi said she was "feeling sick" from excitement about an hour after that appearance.
Her fantasy series, "Children of Blood and Bone," is now being made into a movie by Lucas Films. The series, which Adeyemi calls "Black Panther mixed with Harry Potter," celebrates her Nigerian heritage in a fictional setting. Adeyemi added that the story is an "epic adventure" but "inspired by [her] heritage."
"It's not just you want to shoot lightning out of your hand race through the sky," Adeyemi said. "You also want to be yourself, have natural hair and see a character with dark brown skin."
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Adeyemi said she is looking forward to her next chapter.
"I'm seeing it like, 'Okay, this is what you've done. You can take a breath appreciate that, use that to keep blazing forward in new ways," Adeyemi said.