Review: The Door of No Return

By Kwame Alexander

New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2022. Historical fiction.

11-year-old Kofi Offin is on the verge of becoming a man, and it seems like everything in his world is changing. He lives in Upper Kwanta, a village in the Asante Kingdom (modern-day Ghana) in 1860. For Kofi, growing up means standing up to his bully of a cousin and getting the courage to speak to the girl he likes. It means going to school, where his teacher, Mr. Goodluck Phillip, punishes him for speaking in Twi and not the Queen's English. It means learning about the world through the stories of his grandfather, Nana Mosi. When Kofi's older brother accidentally kills the nephew of a neighboring village's chief during a wrestling match, Kofi realizes that his world is going to change even more -- but he couldn't imagine just how much, especially when he is taken from all that he knows.

Newbery-award winner Kwame Alexander is a children's lit powerhouse, and this historical fiction novel in verse sees him writing at his absolute best. Kofi's story is heartbreaking, powerful, and important. Grounded in the richness of West African heritage, this compelling story follows a compassionate main character as he is ripped from his home. This book is emotionally heavy and a masterpiece, best for young readers who are ready for the important conversations this book will undoubtedly spark.

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