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Kwame Powell #1
Kwame Crashes the Underworld
Twelve-year-old Kwame Powell refuses to acknowledge any feelings about his grandmother’s passing. And he certainly doesn't want to accompany his parents to her celebration of life ceremony in Ghana, where he knows he'll have to face his feelings about her death head-on. But when an aboatia – a mischievous monkey from Akan mythology – steals Kwame's grandmother’s dashiki, his last physical reminder of her, Kwame decides to take matters into his own hands. He chases the little thief across town, to the edge of the pier, and… into a magical whirlpool that leads straight to Asamando, the Ghanaian underworld. With his best friend Autumn, and the crafty aboatia he names Woo, Kwame finds himself embroiled with angry nature gods intent on destroying humanity. And, matters only get more complicated when he runs into none other than his grandmother herself... except in the underworld, she’s still a kid. And very much alive.
Adventurous and memorable, Craig Kofi Farmer's middle grade fantasy is an immersive and powerful debut that tackles themes of identity, intergenerational connectedness, and how to say goodbye with heart, humor, and an epic dose of magic.
Adventurous and memorable, Craig Kofi Farmer's middle grade fantasy is an immersive and powerful debut that tackles themes of identity, intergenerational connectedness, and how to say goodbye with heart, humor, and an epic dose of magic.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2024
20 people are currently reading
3195 people want to read
About the author
Craig Kofi Farmer
2 books42 followersCraig Kofi Farmer is the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Award-winning author of the middle grade novels Kwame Crashes the Underworld and A Method for Magic and Misfortune. Craig grew up in Prince George's County, went to Towson University for his Bachelor of Science degrees, and earned a Master of Education degree from the University of Maryland, College Park. He currently works in student affairs, helping college students achieve work-life balance and self-actualization. When he's not writing or working, he's exploring Baltimore City, analyzing superhero movies, watching psychological thrillers, and deciding exactly what he's going to eat that day.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
November 12, 2024
No. I’m sorry, but no. You want to know what the Harry Potter series actually wrought? A resurgence in reading amongst kids, sure, that’s recorded for posterity. But it also brought about a massive, and I’m talking massive, new wave of interest in fantasy novels for readers between the ages of 9-12. And would you like to know what that meant for the publishing industry? It meant, as of this writing, for the last 27 years we have been ceaselessly inundated with crappy fantasy. Not all of it. Some of the fantasy books that have come out have been quite brilliant, honestly. But due to demand (which, while it has slaked off, never entirely disappeared) the bulk of the books to hit bookstore and libraries shelves has been overwhelmingly meh. Now a nice trend emerged in the last five years in which a lot of the fantasy has starred BIPOC protagonists. Some of those book have been scintillating and stellar. Books like The Rhythm of Time by Questlove with S.A. Cosby, The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton, ill. Khadijah Khatib, and Nic Blake and the Remarkables by Angie Thomas. But there have been others that have sucked. Sucked so much that they turn you off the entire notion of reading middle grade fantasy altogether. Maybe that’s why I’m so grateful to encounter a book like Kwame Crashes the Underworld by Craig Kofi Farmer. You want a plot that’s tight? World-building that manages to be both comprehensible and succinct? And heart too, right? You want to actually feel something as a result of the hero’s journey? Welp, here you go. I don’t know how it’s possible that this is Craig Kofi Farmer’s first novel for kids considering its complete mastery of the form, but you know what? I’m not complaining.
He’s not going. Sure, Kwame is supposed to be packing up so that his family can go to Ghana to celebrate the life of his grandmother. But ever since she died, Kwame’s felt hollow. The thought of joining the relatives he hardly knows in a country he knows so little about is not something he wants to do. If only something could get him out of it. Well, that something comes, but not in the form he expected. While at a sleepover with his best friend Autumn, the two encounter a cheeky monkey-like creature. Next thing Kwame knows, the aboatia has stolen his dashiki, the last thing his grandmother made for him. Chasing it down leads Kwame and Autumn into another world and there they find themselves locked into a quest to save humanity itself from capricious, vengeful gods. Will they survive and make it back home, or will human existence as we know it be over?
So way way back in 2013 I wrote a blog post called “2013 Middle Grade Black Boys: Seriously People?”. In it, I counted all the middle grade novels starring Black boys that came out that year. I found a grand total of five, and three of those were written by sports stars. Less than a year after the piece came out, Walter Dean Myers wrote his seminal New York Times opinion article, “Where Are the People of Color in Children’s Books?” That piece, to a large extent, kicked off a revolution in the children’s publishing industry, including the formation of We Need Diverse Books. Even so, a goodly chunk of the books coming out that starred Black boys were dour, serious, and chock full of trauma. So, a year after Walter’s piece came out, Kleaver Cruz founded the Black Joy Project. And slowly, in the intervening nine years, we’ve watched Black boys start to appear in books that can be described as something other than trauma lit. Now finding a Black boy in a middle grade novel that’s hilarious and realistic is still like trying to find a unicorn, but at least in the fantasy realm we’ve seen incredible improvements. Because if there’s one thing you can say about Kwame Crashes the Underworld, it’s that the book? It’s a blast!
Humor is hard. You can easily write something that comes off as hilarious to one person, mildly funny to another, and not funny at all to a third. In a book like Kwame some of that humor is your standard Spider-man fare. You know, the quippy hero who dodges baddies while keeping up light banter all the while. And there certainly is a hint of Miles Morales to Kwame, sure, but this kid is his own person. I was particularly impressed by the first sentence of the book (which is not something I get to say as often as I’d like): “If someone had told me a week ago that I was a weird reincarnation of the late Mother Earth, I probably would’ve searched for the nearest exit.” Good, right? Meanwhile, I found my co-workers were amused by other, entirely different passages. One was very much taken with a moment when Kwame and a villain face off and then the two start commiserating over their annoying relatives. You may not laugh at every one of Kwame’s comments in this book, but you’re going to have a good time with him anyway.
In 2024 I have seen two different middle grade fiction books starring Black boys with ties to Ghana come out, and they simply could not be more different. The first that I read was Flying Through Water by Mamle Wolo. That book is an incredible survival tale that starts out feeling like 12 Years a Slave but quickly takes a right turn and ends up feeling far more like Hatchet or My Side of the Mountain. The fact that Kwame also has Ghanaian ties just delights me to no end. And Farmer is never dull. He knows perfectly well that if you make a book sound like it’s teaching the kids stuff, they are going to avoid it like the plague. As such, when he works in Ghanaian elements, they’re worked seamlessly into the fabric of the storytelling. Kwame is chasing down his grandmother’s dashiki, he’s in an underworld completely infused with Ghanaian myths, Ghanaian gods pepper his existence, it’s all there!
Let’s talk villains. They’re both the most fun to write, and the most difficult. Currently, we live in an era where villains are most effective when they make a pretty good point. I’ve heard folks refer to this as the Killmonger Effect. Essentially, your baddie has a pretty understandable grasp of a problem, but then they’ve gone and taken it too far. That’s certainly the case with Anansi and Tano. And it’s kind of sad seeing Anansi as a baddie in this storyline since he’s such a fun trickster character usually, but you forgive the artistic liberty.
Now my librarians and I almost all agreed that this book was deserving of inclusion on our best books of the year list. Much of this has to do with the reasons I’ve already listed, but there was also the character of Autumn. Autumn is hearing impaired and has both hearing aids and uses ASL with Kwame regularly. This isn’t a quirk of the book, put in there to feel more inclusive. Autumn is a fully fleshed out individual, and as far as I could tell Farmer always plays fair with her sign language. Better still, she has her own character arc that she has to follow, and it’s separate from Kwame’s. Autumn may be the sidekick in the technical sense of the term, but she’s never othered or made to seem like an add on. Autumn’s her own person and you get that from the minute she steps onto the page. Pretty cool.
The book is also one of the best kinds of fantasy novels. It wraps up the overarching storyline, but it also leaves itself wide open for a sequel. Not simply with the fantasy parts either. There is definitely something going on with Kwame’s father in this book. The guy has just generally checked out of the whole parenting thing, and I’m wondering why. Hopefully, when we see the next Kwame book (and you better believe that we BETTER be seeing another Kwame book) we’ll get some deeper insights into that guy’s character. Until that book comes out, however, plenty of kids are going to get a kick out of Kwame. It has the thrills, the laughs, a marvelous sense of when to crank up the action and when to cool it down, even managing to wring some legitimate pathos out of Kwame’s feelings for his deceased grandmother. We’ve seen a lot of fantasy novels for kids come out over the years. Would that more of them were like Kwame Crashes the Underworld. This one’s a definite keeper.
He’s not going. Sure, Kwame is supposed to be packing up so that his family can go to Ghana to celebrate the life of his grandmother. But ever since she died, Kwame’s felt hollow. The thought of joining the relatives he hardly knows in a country he knows so little about is not something he wants to do. If only something could get him out of it. Well, that something comes, but not in the form he expected. While at a sleepover with his best friend Autumn, the two encounter a cheeky monkey-like creature. Next thing Kwame knows, the aboatia has stolen his dashiki, the last thing his grandmother made for him. Chasing it down leads Kwame and Autumn into another world and there they find themselves locked into a quest to save humanity itself from capricious, vengeful gods. Will they survive and make it back home, or will human existence as we know it be over?
So way way back in 2013 I wrote a blog post called “2013 Middle Grade Black Boys: Seriously People?”. In it, I counted all the middle grade novels starring Black boys that came out that year. I found a grand total of five, and three of those were written by sports stars. Less than a year after the piece came out, Walter Dean Myers wrote his seminal New York Times opinion article, “Where Are the People of Color in Children’s Books?” That piece, to a large extent, kicked off a revolution in the children’s publishing industry, including the formation of We Need Diverse Books. Even so, a goodly chunk of the books coming out that starred Black boys were dour, serious, and chock full of trauma. So, a year after Walter’s piece came out, Kleaver Cruz founded the Black Joy Project. And slowly, in the intervening nine years, we’ve watched Black boys start to appear in books that can be described as something other than trauma lit. Now finding a Black boy in a middle grade novel that’s hilarious and realistic is still like trying to find a unicorn, but at least in the fantasy realm we’ve seen incredible improvements. Because if there’s one thing you can say about Kwame Crashes the Underworld, it’s that the book? It’s a blast!
Humor is hard. You can easily write something that comes off as hilarious to one person, mildly funny to another, and not funny at all to a third. In a book like Kwame some of that humor is your standard Spider-man fare. You know, the quippy hero who dodges baddies while keeping up light banter all the while. And there certainly is a hint of Miles Morales to Kwame, sure, but this kid is his own person. I was particularly impressed by the first sentence of the book (which is not something I get to say as often as I’d like): “If someone had told me a week ago that I was a weird reincarnation of the late Mother Earth, I probably would’ve searched for the nearest exit.” Good, right? Meanwhile, I found my co-workers were amused by other, entirely different passages. One was very much taken with a moment when Kwame and a villain face off and then the two start commiserating over their annoying relatives. You may not laugh at every one of Kwame’s comments in this book, but you’re going to have a good time with him anyway.
In 2024 I have seen two different middle grade fiction books starring Black boys with ties to Ghana come out, and they simply could not be more different. The first that I read was Flying Through Water by Mamle Wolo. That book is an incredible survival tale that starts out feeling like 12 Years a Slave but quickly takes a right turn and ends up feeling far more like Hatchet or My Side of the Mountain. The fact that Kwame also has Ghanaian ties just delights me to no end. And Farmer is never dull. He knows perfectly well that if you make a book sound like it’s teaching the kids stuff, they are going to avoid it like the plague. As such, when he works in Ghanaian elements, they’re worked seamlessly into the fabric of the storytelling. Kwame is chasing down his grandmother’s dashiki, he’s in an underworld completely infused with Ghanaian myths, Ghanaian gods pepper his existence, it’s all there!
Let’s talk villains. They’re both the most fun to write, and the most difficult. Currently, we live in an era where villains are most effective when they make a pretty good point. I’ve heard folks refer to this as the Killmonger Effect. Essentially, your baddie has a pretty understandable grasp of a problem, but then they’ve gone and taken it too far. That’s certainly the case with Anansi and Tano. And it’s kind of sad seeing Anansi as a baddie in this storyline since he’s such a fun trickster character usually, but you forgive the artistic liberty.
Now my librarians and I almost all agreed that this book was deserving of inclusion on our best books of the year list. Much of this has to do with the reasons I’ve already listed, but there was also the character of Autumn. Autumn is hearing impaired and has both hearing aids and uses ASL with Kwame regularly. This isn’t a quirk of the book, put in there to feel more inclusive. Autumn is a fully fleshed out individual, and as far as I could tell Farmer always plays fair with her sign language. Better still, she has her own character arc that she has to follow, and it’s separate from Kwame’s. Autumn may be the sidekick in the technical sense of the term, but she’s never othered or made to seem like an add on. Autumn’s her own person and you get that from the minute she steps onto the page. Pretty cool.
The book is also one of the best kinds of fantasy novels. It wraps up the overarching storyline, but it also leaves itself wide open for a sequel. Not simply with the fantasy parts either. There is definitely something going on with Kwame’s father in this book. The guy has just generally checked out of the whole parenting thing, and I’m wondering why. Hopefully, when we see the next Kwame book (and you better believe that we BETTER be seeing another Kwame book) we’ll get some deeper insights into that guy’s character. Until that book comes out, however, plenty of kids are going to get a kick out of Kwame. It has the thrills, the laughs, a marvelous sense of when to crank up the action and when to cool it down, even managing to wring some legitimate pathos out of Kwame’s feelings for his deceased grandmother. We’ve seen a lot of fantasy novels for kids come out over the years. Would that more of them were like Kwame Crashes the Underworld. This one’s a definite keeper.
August 5, 2024
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Craig Kofi Farmer, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley.
The narrator of this audiobook is Joshua Quinn. Joshua did an amazing job with this from the accents to the emotion in the voice during the narration. I truly enjoyed this narration.
This is a delightful middle grade adventure fantasy set in Ghanaian mythology. I am largely unfamiliar with Ghanaian mythological figures so this was a true treat. The representation in this felt organic and as a disabled reader I appreciated seeing a disabled character go on a heroes journey. The normalization of the kids use of sign language was wonderfully handled and didn't impact the flow of the narrative at all.
I'm a grandmother and I loved that this highlights the important role that grandparents can play in the life of their grandkids. I can not wait until my own grandkids are old enough for us to read this together.
I demand a sequel to this story🥰
Thank you to Craig Kofi Farmer, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
The narrator of this audiobook is Joshua Quinn. Joshua did an amazing job with this from the accents to the emotion in the voice during the narration. I truly enjoyed this narration.
This is a delightful middle grade adventure fantasy set in Ghanaian mythology. I am largely unfamiliar with Ghanaian mythological figures so this was a true treat. The representation in this felt organic and as a disabled reader I appreciated seeing a disabled character go on a heroes journey. The normalization of the kids use of sign language was wonderfully handled and didn't impact the flow of the narrative at all.
I'm a grandmother and I loved that this highlights the important role that grandparents can play in the life of their grandkids. I can not wait until my own grandkids are old enough for us to read this together.
I demand a sequel to this story🥰
Thank you to Craig Kofi Farmer, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
April 13, 2025
I was going to go with 4.5 stars, but I'll just round it up to 5. This is a great middle grade fantasy, and being the author's debut bodes well for what else he has in store!
September 8, 2024
At some points in the book I laughed out loud! 😂 I didn’t even know anything about Ghanaian mythology before I read this! I wish I could say more but it would spoil it, and I never put spoilers in my reviews 🙂↔️Farmer was amazing in this middle grade fiction of humor and drama, I even found myself getting worried for Kwame! Highly recommended, you’ll love it!!!
August 8, 2024
There isn’t a single thing I didn’t absolutely love about Kwame Crashes the Underworld. I’m always on the lookout for fantasy inspired by African culture so I was very excited when I read that Craig Kofi Farmer’s debut was inspired by Ghanaian mythology. This story didn’t just live up to my already high expectations, it lived up to the title and crushed them.
The story explores important themes like grief, hope, identity, family, and culture. I was really happy that Farmer didn’t shy away from these topics in his MG debut but gave them the attention and care they deserved. So much in fact that even I, an adult, found the way these topics were handled in the story to be inspiring. So, hats off to the author.
But on the other hand, this is a very funny story. I found myself constantly laughing out loud. There is a line specifically that Kwame’s Mom said in the early chapters that had me rolling.
Speaking of which, Kwame was an awesome protagonist. As a son of immigrants myself, I was able to identify with his struggles since I lived through them myself when I was his age. But I also loved his resourcefulness, adaptability, intelligence, and courage. Really, he was just the type of protagonist one couldn’t help but get behind.
Autumn, however, was the highlight of the story for me. Her friendship with Kwame was so wholesome and inspiring. But to add to that, she was an incredible person in her own right, often dictating the narrative herself as she found her own strength. I really appreciate that the book didn’t treat her as the protagonist’s sidekick but rather as her own person with her own story that is just as important and valid.
The mythology aspect of the novel was fantastic. I wasn’t quite familiar with Ghanaian mythology, hence my search for stories inspired by African cultures. But quite honestly Kwame Crashes the Underworld inspired me to research this rich culture on my own. I found the integration into the story to be very well executed and I wasn’t lost for even a second. Quite the opposite. I was constantly looking forward to the new thing I was going to learn.
Kwame Crashes the Underworld is an incredible debut by Craig Kofi Farmer that will leave you screaming “woooooo!”
The story explores important themes like grief, hope, identity, family, and culture. I was really happy that Farmer didn’t shy away from these topics in his MG debut but gave them the attention and care they deserved. So much in fact that even I, an adult, found the way these topics were handled in the story to be inspiring. So, hats off to the author.
But on the other hand, this is a very funny story. I found myself constantly laughing out loud. There is a line specifically that Kwame’s Mom said in the early chapters that had me rolling.
Speaking of which, Kwame was an awesome protagonist. As a son of immigrants myself, I was able to identify with his struggles since I lived through them myself when I was his age. But I also loved his resourcefulness, adaptability, intelligence, and courage. Really, he was just the type of protagonist one couldn’t help but get behind.
Autumn, however, was the highlight of the story for me. Her friendship with Kwame was so wholesome and inspiring. But to add to that, she was an incredible person in her own right, often dictating the narrative herself as she found her own strength. I really appreciate that the book didn’t treat her as the protagonist’s sidekick but rather as her own person with her own story that is just as important and valid.
The mythology aspect of the novel was fantastic. I wasn’t quite familiar with Ghanaian mythology, hence my search for stories inspired by African cultures. But quite honestly Kwame Crashes the Underworld inspired me to research this rich culture on my own. I found the integration into the story to be very well executed and I wasn’t lost for even a second. Quite the opposite. I was constantly looking forward to the new thing I was going to learn.
Kwame Crashes the Underworld is an incredible debut by Craig Kofi Farmer that will leave you screaming “woooooo!”
March 16, 2025
This was well written and fast paced. It was incredibly interesting to learn about Ghanaian mythology through the fantasy setting of this book. I loved the friendship and gradson-grandma relationship, it was a delightful read.
September 8, 2024
Welcome to a new MG fantasy series by @craigkofifarmer out now!
🇬🇭
Kwame is struggling to cope with his grandmother’s death and has little to no desire to attend her celebration of life in Ghana, but when a monkey (aboatia) straight out of Akan mythology steals his grandmother’s dashiki, Kwame is determined to get it back. With the help of his best friend, Autumn, the two end up in the Ghanaian underworld, Asamando. There they find angry gods who want to end humanity and they find Kwame’s grandmother…alive and as a little girl!
🇬🇭
This was such a wild ride full of nonstop action. I loved the Deaf representation and how the author explained the signing meanings throughout the book for kids to learn as well. Fans of Amari and the Night Brothers, the Witchlings, the Marvellers and Tristan Strong will devour book 1 and will be on the edge of their seats for the second! Thanks to @macmillan for the title. All opinions are my own.
CW: grief, death of a grandparent, environmental issues, ableism, racism
🇬🇭
Kwame is struggling to cope with his grandmother’s death and has little to no desire to attend her celebration of life in Ghana, but when a monkey (aboatia) straight out of Akan mythology steals his grandmother’s dashiki, Kwame is determined to get it back. With the help of his best friend, Autumn, the two end up in the Ghanaian underworld, Asamando. There they find angry gods who want to end humanity and they find Kwame’s grandmother…alive and as a little girl!
🇬🇭
This was such a wild ride full of nonstop action. I loved the Deaf representation and how the author explained the signing meanings throughout the book for kids to learn as well. Fans of Amari and the Night Brothers, the Witchlings, the Marvellers and Tristan Strong will devour book 1 and will be on the edge of their seats for the second! Thanks to @macmillan for the title. All opinions are my own.
CW: grief, death of a grandparent, environmental issues, ableism, racism
February 2, 2025
Very good and entertaining! Deaf and ASL rep, which I wasn’t expecting. Also I am a known hater of middle grades epilogues but I think the author did a really great job with this book’s epilogue
June 23, 2025
For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle
Jaw-droppingly good. The best of modern mythology retellings.
Kwame just wants to have a normal summer. Instead his family is taking him to Ghana for his grandmother's celebration of life. Still grieving the loss of his grandmother and having never felt Ghanaian enough at family events, Kwame is dreading the trip. But after a nighttime encounter with a strange monkey-like creature, Kwame finds himself in Asamando, the Ghanaian underworld. Now he and his best friend, Autumn, will have to take on the underworld to make it back home, hopefully in one piece.
Wow! What a great story! Went into this knowing nothing about it, but was hooked right from the start. This book is so well-written and engaging. A perfect read for fans of mythology retellings and a great intro into Ghanaian mythology.
A fantastic story that explore themes of death, loss, grief, environmentalism, intersectionality, and cultural identity. Wonderfully blends humor with magic, tension, and adventure, which perfectly balances out the difficult topics interwoven into the story.
The audiobook was absolutely wonderful. Quinn does a fantastic job of bringing the narration to life. Great use of different voices and tones. Such an engaging listening experience.
Honestly this is already a new favorite of the year.
Really hope this becomes a series because I would love more adventures with Kwame and Autumn! Regardless, will definitely be reading more from Farmer.
Jaw-droppingly good. The best of modern mythology retellings.
Kwame just wants to have a normal summer. Instead his family is taking him to Ghana for his grandmother's celebration of life. Still grieving the loss of his grandmother and having never felt Ghanaian enough at family events, Kwame is dreading the trip. But after a nighttime encounter with a strange monkey-like creature, Kwame finds himself in Asamando, the Ghanaian underworld. Now he and his best friend, Autumn, will have to take on the underworld to make it back home, hopefully in one piece.
Wow! What a great story! Went into this knowing nothing about it, but was hooked right from the start. This book is so well-written and engaging. A perfect read for fans of mythology retellings and a great intro into Ghanaian mythology.
A fantastic story that explore themes of death, loss, grief, environmentalism, intersectionality, and cultural identity. Wonderfully blends humor with magic, tension, and adventure, which perfectly balances out the difficult topics interwoven into the story.
The audiobook was absolutely wonderful. Quinn does a fantastic job of bringing the narration to life. Great use of different voices and tones. Such an engaging listening experience.
Honestly this is already a new favorite of the year.
Really hope this becomes a series because I would love more adventures with Kwame and Autumn! Regardless, will definitely be reading more from Farmer.
December 27, 2024
"Debut author Farmer tells a grand tale, funny and terrifying in turns, steeped in Ghanaian spirituality and folklore, and wrapped around themes of identity, obligation, true friendship, and devastating loss." [Kirkus Reviews]
December 24, 2024
A terrific story about a boy whose going to Ghana to celebrate his grandma’s life. He’s grieving over the loss and his best friend, Autumn, is helping him when they get sucked into an alternate world that requires them to save the Earth. Great character arcs and pacing in this fun hero adventure. The author does a great job incorporating Ghana culture and myth with humor to create a page turner.
November 12, 2025
This is definitely not my preferred genre, but I think kids will love the adventure. The audio narration was entertaining.
November 9, 2024
When I find a new mythology retelling, especially one for a culture I know little to nothing about, I desperately want to read it to learn more. I just happened to walk through the children’s section at my Barnes & Noble at the same time that this was being shelved and from the moment that I saw the cover to reading the synopsis, I knew I was going to love it.
Kwame Crashes the Underworld follows 12 year old Kwame who has just lost his grandmother. While his entire family is visibly grieving the loss, he’s unable to process the emotions he’s feeling. While the family is all packing to go to Ghana for her celebration of life, an aboatia (a spirit in Akan mythology that looks like a monkey) swipes his dashiki and takes off. Since it’s the last thing he has that reminds him of his grandmother, he can’t lose it and thus begins the chase.
With the help of his best friend Autumn, they follow the aboatia, that he later named Woo because of the noise it makes, to a pier where it jumps into a magical whirlpool. Where does it go, you say? Asamando, the underworld from Ghanaian mythology. To get his dashiki back and return home, they’ll have to make it through trials (and tribulations) put forth by the gods they had only heard of in stories.
This was such a good middle grade adventure fantasy. Not only did I learn about gods and myths that I knew very little about, but it was a great story about loss and coping. For a 12 year old who had their first death in the family, it felt very true to the feelings and reactions that I imagine I myself would have had at that age.
I was able to listen to the audiobook via Libby and let me tell you that the actor, Joshua Quinn, did such an amazing job. He switched accents quite often and with so many characters, it can sometimes get confusing as the reader as to who is speaking, but his distinct voices and inflections made it very clear. It made the experience quite enjoyable.
Kwame Crashes the Underworld follows 12 year old Kwame who has just lost his grandmother. While his entire family is visibly grieving the loss, he’s unable to process the emotions he’s feeling. While the family is all packing to go to Ghana for her celebration of life, an aboatia (a spirit in Akan mythology that looks like a monkey) swipes his dashiki and takes off. Since it’s the last thing he has that reminds him of his grandmother, he can’t lose it and thus begins the chase.
With the help of his best friend Autumn, they follow the aboatia, that he later named Woo because of the noise it makes, to a pier where it jumps into a magical whirlpool. Where does it go, you say? Asamando, the underworld from Ghanaian mythology. To get his dashiki back and return home, they’ll have to make it through trials (and tribulations) put forth by the gods they had only heard of in stories.
This was such a good middle grade adventure fantasy. Not only did I learn about gods and myths that I knew very little about, but it was a great story about loss and coping. For a 12 year old who had their first death in the family, it felt very true to the feelings and reactions that I imagine I myself would have had at that age.
I was able to listen to the audiobook via Libby and let me tell you that the actor, Joshua Quinn, did such an amazing job. He switched accents quite often and with so many characters, it can sometimes get confusing as the reader as to who is speaking, but his distinct voices and inflections made it very clear. It made the experience quite enjoyable.
May 23, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners, Roaring Book Press, Craig Kofi Farmer, and Joshua Quinn (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read Kwame Crashes the Underworld in exchange for an honest review.
This novel reminds me a bit of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, though with a focus on Black characters, culture, tradition, and mythology. Kwame is twelve years old when he loses his grandmother, a close family member he absolutely cherished. The day before heading to Ghana for his grandmother's celebration of life, Kwame and his deaf best friend, Autumn, encounter a strange lady and are soon after sucked into a mysterious whirlpool. They find themselves in Asamando, the underworld of Akan mythology where spirits go after death.
Kwame and Autumn, find that Asamando is certainly its own world. They only got sucked in because a monkey spirit stole Kwame's dashiki that his grandmother made, a cultural shirt that he never really liked. When he meets a youthful version of his grandmother in Asamando, he learns the importance of one's culture and roots, to know where one comes from and how differences in people are important.
Kwame and Autumn must find their way home, battling gods and monsters along the way, while learning valuable lessons about family, friendship, and identity. One aspect of the novel I had fun with was his akrafena, a magical sword that does what he says (I bet the akrafena would get along well with Summerbrandr and Anaklusmos).
The novel is a wholesome adventure that any middle grade reader can enjoy. It offers lessons about family, friendship, coping with loss, the importance or roots, and cultural differences, making for a learning experience for younger readers while also appealing to the adventure pre-teens seek excitement in. This novel is its own fun adventure, and it looks like there might be more adventures to come for Kwame Powell.
This novel reminds me a bit of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, though with a focus on Black characters, culture, tradition, and mythology. Kwame is twelve years old when he loses his grandmother, a close family member he absolutely cherished. The day before heading to Ghana for his grandmother's celebration of life, Kwame and his deaf best friend, Autumn, encounter a strange lady and are soon after sucked into a mysterious whirlpool. They find themselves in Asamando, the underworld of Akan mythology where spirits go after death.
Kwame and Autumn, find that Asamando is certainly its own world. They only got sucked in because a monkey spirit stole Kwame's dashiki that his grandmother made, a cultural shirt that he never really liked. When he meets a youthful version of his grandmother in Asamando, he learns the importance of one's culture and roots, to know where one comes from and how differences in people are important.
Kwame and Autumn must find their way home, battling gods and monsters along the way, while learning valuable lessons about family, friendship, and identity. One aspect of the novel I had fun with was his akrafena, a magical sword that does what he says (I bet the akrafena would get along well with Summerbrandr and Anaklusmos).
The novel is a wholesome adventure that any middle grade reader can enjoy. It offers lessons about family, friendship, coping with loss, the importance or roots, and cultural differences, making for a learning experience for younger readers while also appealing to the adventure pre-teens seek excitement in. This novel is its own fun adventure, and it looks like there might be more adventures to come for Kwame Powell.
October 21, 2025
A funny, heartwarming and bizarre middle-school adventure great for fans of Percy Jackson.
The setup is unique. Kwame (a Ghanaian-American boy coming to terms with the loss of his grandmother) and Autumn (his sword-swinging, ASL-signing Black-Korean-American friend) get sucked into a vibrant, chaotic underworld where they must escape a frustrated god's dastardly plot, save Earth, and come to terms with their own emotions.
What makes this story stand out is that is has three-dimensional characters with struggles and flaws, who sometimes make good decisions and sometimes bad, and who grow throughout the course of the story.
OTHER THINGS I LIKED:
- Autumn's character. She signs ASL, and is super brave and smart. But also she has insecurities and is open about them. Being the only one there without superpowers is a rough spot to be in for someone who already feels like she's always at a disadvantage (because of being deaf). She learns that being tough isn't the only way to be strong. A pretty cool lesson.
- Kwame struggling with whether he was Ghanaian or American is a relatable struggle for many TCKs or other kids coming from multicultural families.
THINGS I DIDNT LIKE
- Another theme is Kwame learning to face his grief and feel his feelings. A great theme, but u fortunately it was explained too often, too overtly. And the climactic showdown with him and the sky God and Nansi where he gives a whole speech about it felt super unrealistic and way too didactic.
- Another pretty didactic element was the need to save the earth, climate change, and all that.
- The other thing I didn't like were the many pop culture references (tik tok, Zendaya, etc) because I feel they will very quickly date the story. It might make the story feel relevant to the target audience this year, but what about in five or ten?
I enjoyed this more than other afrofantasy books I've explored for this age.
The setup is unique. Kwame (a Ghanaian-American boy coming to terms with the loss of his grandmother) and Autumn (his sword-swinging, ASL-signing Black-Korean-American friend) get sucked into a vibrant, chaotic underworld where they must escape a frustrated god's dastardly plot, save Earth, and come to terms with their own emotions.
What makes this story stand out is that is has three-dimensional characters with struggles and flaws, who sometimes make good decisions and sometimes bad, and who grow throughout the course of the story.
OTHER THINGS I LIKED:
- Autumn's character. She signs ASL, and is super brave and smart. But also she has insecurities and is open about them. Being the only one there without superpowers is a rough spot to be in for someone who already feels like she's always at a disadvantage (because of being deaf). She learns that being tough isn't the only way to be strong. A pretty cool lesson.
- Kwame struggling with whether he was Ghanaian or American is a relatable struggle for many TCKs or other kids coming from multicultural families.
THINGS I DIDNT LIKE
- Another theme is Kwame learning to face his grief and feel his feelings. A great theme, but u fortunately it was explained too often, too overtly. And the climactic showdown with him and the sky God and Nansi where he gives a whole speech about it felt super unrealistic and way too didactic.
- Another pretty didactic element was the need to save the earth, climate change, and all that.
- The other thing I didn't like were the many pop culture references (tik tok, Zendaya, etc) because I feel they will very quickly date the story. It might make the story feel relevant to the target audience this year, but what about in five or ten?
I enjoyed this more than other afrofantasy books I've explored for this age.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2024
Kwame recently lost his grandmother, who meant the world to him, and he's afraid to face his feelings about that. Then a monkey from Ghanaian mythology steals the dashiki Kwame's grandmother made for Kwame, and he knows he has to get it back--no matter what. And the "what" turns out to be a trip to the Ghanaian underworld, Asamundo, along with his hard-of-hearing best friend Autumn. But the underworld--even the fun parts-- are dangerous for living beings. And it's especially dangerous for Kwame, who, as it turns out, has a connection to a nature goddess who died because of humans' mistreatment of the earth (I think)--though she still wants to protect humans against the wrath of her husband and sons, who want to eradicate humanity. The good part of the underworld is that Kwame runs into his grandmother--though now she's about his own age! Along with his unexpectedly-powerful grandmother, Autumn, and the aboatia (monkey) Woo who stole Kwame's dashiki, Kwame sets off some breakneck and perilous adventures to save humanity.
Though I'm still not a fan of the braving-the-underworld trope, at least the Ghanaian underworld has some pleasant areas, unlike the Chinese underworld Diyu as represented in "Spindle of Fate." I loved Kwame's connection with his grandmother, and how he came to accept the necessity of his grief. I thought his friend Autumn was great, too--and so nice to see the representation of someone dealing with a disability and seeing how that affected her sense of self-worth in a world that already saw her as "less" because of her ethnicity. Lots of adventure, lots of action, and enough slower times for thought. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
Though I'm still not a fan of the braving-the-underworld trope, at least the Ghanaian underworld has some pleasant areas, unlike the Chinese underworld Diyu as represented in "Spindle of Fate." I loved Kwame's connection with his grandmother, and how he came to accept the necessity of his grief. I thought his friend Autumn was great, too--and so nice to see the representation of someone dealing with a disability and seeing how that affected her sense of self-worth in a world that already saw her as "less" because of her ethnicity. Lots of adventure, lots of action, and enough slower times for thought. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
July 24, 2024
This fantasy adventure delivers all the joy, danger, and energy of its fabulous cover. Kwame has just lost his grandmother and the family is heading to Ghana for a memorial celebration. That includes Mom WHO IS HIS MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL. I nearly passed out when she said, “You must have me confused with someone you can talk back to.” And Dad? He’s an attorney who thinks winning is the only option, not just in court but all parts of life. Pressure at home plus bullying at school mean that Kwame has drawn into himself a lot. Thankfully he has a kick butt bestie in Autumn who he visits the night before his flight. But while they’re hanging out a teensy monkey who screams woooooo! adorably throughout the book steals Kwame’s dashiki that Grandma had given him and jumps into a river. Kwame and Autumn follow and find themselves in the underworld and on a non-stop adventure full of folklore and religion, warring gods putting the planet at risk, Kwame’s connection to Mother Earth, and terrifying creatures where they test not only their resolve but also the lightsaber moves they’ve been practicing in Autumn’s basement. Through intricate mythology interweaved with incredible action Craig Kofi Farmer explores issues of cultural identity, ableism, and discrimination until Kwame ultimately learns to embrace his emotions as the source of his power, not something to hide like he’d learned from his parents. Joshua Quinn’s performance is just incredible—from quiet family moments, to difficult truths between friends, to all out monster battles—he captures the energy and heart of the this story beautifully.
June 20, 2025
This story was an exhilarating, emotional journey—rich in culture, grief, friendship, and the rediscovery of one’s inner strength. Middle grade readers (and the adults who love them) will absolutely connect with this book. It has everything that makes a story compelling: memorable protagonists, layered antagonists, a twisty, fun, and reflective plot, and a magical setting that draws you in.
Kwame is an incredibly relatable character, especially for kids born in the U.S. to African families. As someone who grew up navigating the expectations of my West African heritage while also finding my place in American culture, I saw so much of my own experience in his. That’s part of why I felt it was important to gift this book to my nephews—I wanted them to see themselves, too.
I especially appreciated how the story explored Kwame’s grief after his grandmother’s passing, while still allowing him to just be a kid on a grand, magical quest through the underworld. His hearing-impaired best friend, Autumn, was a standout character and a vital part of his journey—something I loved to see represented.
This book also deepened my understanding of Ghanaian culture and folklore, both through the story and the helpful author’s note and glossary at the end. I experienced the story through both the hardcover and the audiobook simultaneously, which really enhanced the storytelling. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life with distinct voices, and the musical intro and outro were a nice touch.
This is a must-read for young readers ready for a vibrant, cultural adventure—and for anyone who wants to see themselves reflected in stories full of heart and magic.
Kwame is an incredibly relatable character, especially for kids born in the U.S. to African families. As someone who grew up navigating the expectations of my West African heritage while also finding my place in American culture, I saw so much of my own experience in his. That’s part of why I felt it was important to gift this book to my nephews—I wanted them to see themselves, too.
I especially appreciated how the story explored Kwame’s grief after his grandmother’s passing, while still allowing him to just be a kid on a grand, magical quest through the underworld. His hearing-impaired best friend, Autumn, was a standout character and a vital part of his journey—something I loved to see represented.
This book also deepened my understanding of Ghanaian culture and folklore, both through the story and the helpful author’s note and glossary at the end. I experienced the story through both the hardcover and the audiobook simultaneously, which really enhanced the storytelling. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life with distinct voices, and the musical intro and outro were a nice touch.
This is a must-read for young readers ready for a vibrant, cultural adventure—and for anyone who wants to see themselves reflected in stories full of heart and magic.
October 30, 2025
This was great! Loved the “new to me” Ghana mythos and I loved the message! How Kwame kept repeating “but it’s not my culture. You don’t inherit culture like money”…but the deeper meaning of having roots and people who will love you and support you no matter what.
There is a strong friendship in this book- but no romance, not to say it might not happen in book 2 or 3 because they are in 8th grade after all. I appreciate the ties of friendship this showed and that only together were they able to even have a chance. True friends are really family.
Then there was the undercurrent of “save the planet” that I am always up for. Mother Earth is dead and it’s just one catastrophe after another on earth (hello current world) and this is something we can relate to. In the real world- Jamaica just experienced a record shattering hurricane and it’s because of global warming! Mother Earth is dead, indeed.
However, the true strength if this book comes from the feel your feeling plot line that is truly the best. So often kids, especially boys, are taught to just not feel, let alone grieve a deceased grandparent. And many adults don’t know what to do with their feeling either. This is a healthy representation of what they could be going through in their own lives and it models that sharing is best and by feeling your feelings you can begin to heal and move on.
Great book- probably best for 5&6th graders, possibly 7th and 8th, especially if they are fans of Rick riordan. This would pair well with the nonfiction gods book Amazing Immortals by Dinah Williams.
There is a strong friendship in this book- but no romance, not to say it might not happen in book 2 or 3 because they are in 8th grade after all. I appreciate the ties of friendship this showed and that only together were they able to even have a chance. True friends are really family.
Then there was the undercurrent of “save the planet” that I am always up for. Mother Earth is dead and it’s just one catastrophe after another on earth (hello current world) and this is something we can relate to. In the real world- Jamaica just experienced a record shattering hurricane and it’s because of global warming! Mother Earth is dead, indeed.
However, the true strength if this book comes from the feel your feeling plot line that is truly the best. So often kids, especially boys, are taught to just not feel, let alone grieve a deceased grandparent. And many adults don’t know what to do with their feeling either. This is a healthy representation of what they could be going through in their own lives and it models that sharing is best and by feeling your feelings you can begin to heal and move on.
Great book- probably best for 5&6th graders, possibly 7th and 8th, especially if they are fans of Rick riordan. This would pair well with the nonfiction gods book Amazing Immortals by Dinah Williams.
January 19, 2025
Kwame's grandmother has died and he, his mother, and father are leaving soon for Ghana for the celebration of life. Kwame really doesn't want to go--he feels uncomfortable with his Ghanian relatives who constantly tease him about how American he is. In fact, Kwame only feels at home and himself with his best friend Autumn. The night before the plane flight, he and Autumn are chilling at her house when a monkey-like creature steals his dashiki, his last link with his grandmother. Kwame and Autumn give chase, and that is when the night becomes terribly weird. Kwame and Autumn dive into the water to follow the monkey and land in the Ghanian underworld. There they meet Ama, Kwame's grandmother, who appears as young as they are, and together battle to save the Earth from the gods Nansi and Tano and recall Nyame to a sense of his responsibilities. In the end, Kwame learns to embrace his full self and his grief at his grandmother's passing. The story weaves together Ghanian myth and legend and address the sense of disconnection that many people with complex heritages feel. I enjoyed reading about Kwame's adventures and wonder if he will have more, and where they could possibly go after this one!
April 29, 2025
I think people often overlook just how many amazing stories are found in children’s and middle grade books and Kwame Crashes the Underworld is a perfect example. This book was such a wonderful read. I’ve always loved African mythology, but this was my first time exploring Ghanaian mythology in a novel, and I absolutely loved it. Any story involving the trickster god Anansi has my attention, and this one didn’t disappoint.
The story begins with Kwame, a boy grieving the loss of his grandmother and struggling to accept his heritage. His journey to Asamando the underworld of Ghanaian myth is filled with adventure, emotion, and powerful moments of self-discovery. One part that truly moved me was when Kwame reunited with his grandmother in the afterlife. That moment was so heartfelt and beautifully written.Kwame and Autumn both grow, heal, and learn so much along the way. Sweet, kindhearted Kwame and strong, supportive Autumn make a perfect pair. Their friendship was one of my favorite parts of the book.
This story is magical, meaningful, and full of cultural richness. I’m so glad I picked it up. I can see why this book won the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Award.
The story begins with Kwame, a boy grieving the loss of his grandmother and struggling to accept his heritage. His journey to Asamando the underworld of Ghanaian myth is filled with adventure, emotion, and powerful moments of self-discovery. One part that truly moved me was when Kwame reunited with his grandmother in the afterlife. That moment was so heartfelt and beautifully written.Kwame and Autumn both grow, heal, and learn so much along the way. Sweet, kindhearted Kwame and strong, supportive Autumn make a perfect pair. Their friendship was one of my favorite parts of the book.
This story is magical, meaningful, and full of cultural richness. I’m so glad I picked it up. I can see why this book won the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Award.
September 11, 2025
This was a good, lively children’s book for ages 8-12ish. With well written action scenes, a lot of heart, and an endearing and funny main character.
The afterlife the author describes is distinctive and multilayered. The scene with Benefo’s wives was some true social commentary given how young the target audience is. And the Obayifo that possesses Autumn in the Eloko Forest was my favorite character.
I really want to know what Woo dreamed of in the poisonous gas in the forest. What is an aboatia’s fantasy of a perfect life?
Very minor quip- the author has a habit of frequently comparing the size of objects to the size of another object, but it’s always a weird one- as small as a smartphone, as big as a laundry basket, hands so big they could grab air fryers. It was goofy.
I enjoyed this very much. I actually tried something weird this year and read all my nonfiction TBR in the first 9 months, now I’m doing all fiction for the rest of the year. So this was the first fiction I read since 2024 and it smashed its way out of the gate in the best way!
4 / 5 stars.
The afterlife the author describes is distinctive and multilayered. The scene with Benefo’s wives was some true social commentary given how young the target audience is. And the Obayifo that possesses Autumn in the Eloko Forest was my favorite character.
I really want to know what Woo dreamed of in the poisonous gas in the forest. What is an aboatia’s fantasy of a perfect life?
Very minor quip- the author has a habit of frequently comparing the size of objects to the size of another object, but it’s always a weird one- as small as a smartphone, as big as a laundry basket, hands so big they could grab air fryers. It was goofy.
I enjoyed this very much. I actually tried something weird this year and read all my nonfiction TBR in the first 9 months, now I’m doing all fiction for the rest of the year. So this was the first fiction I read since 2024 and it smashed its way out of the gate in the best way!
4 / 5 stars.
July 16, 2024
This is a book that will appeal to the same readers who like the Tristan Strong series. The problem is I'm not one of those readers. I do like the way it brings in Ghanian culture as well as issues related to the ethnic identity of Kwame who feels more American than Ghanian. There are a lot of epic battles - which definitely appeals to some middle grade readers even if I skimmed over them. There were also some rather didactic speeches from characters who Kwame meets who are trying to help him deal with both his grief at his grandmother's death as well as figuring out how to embrace his roots. I think my biggest problem is I feel like I've read too many books like it recently. This one is good but didn't stand out for me. That being said, I definitely know readers I'll recommend it to.
Review based on an eARC received from the publisher.
Review based on an eARC received from the publisher.
September 19, 2024
I finished this book at 2:00 a.m. and I can't stop thinking about it. I laughed, I cried, and overall had a really good time even though I really desperately want to go hug my grandmother.
This book touched on so many important topics like ableism and grief, how Autumn dealt with her triple whammy combo, and Kwame feeling disconnected from his culture because he didn't grow up in it. I grew up in the states and returning to the motherland felt exactly the same as Kwame listed. "This isn't my home," I had once thought. "I'm American," I insisted.
It turns out that no matter how far away we grew up from our roots, they're still ours. I loved Kwame's story and I hope you will too.
Audiobook listeners, rejoice! Joshua Quinn did an amazing job the entire way through and I would absolutely recommend this medium.
This book touched on so many important topics like ableism and grief, how Autumn dealt with her triple whammy combo, and Kwame feeling disconnected from his culture because he didn't grow up in it. I grew up in the states and returning to the motherland felt exactly the same as Kwame listed. "This isn't my home," I had once thought. "I'm American," I insisted.
It turns out that no matter how far away we grew up from our roots, they're still ours. I loved Kwame's story and I hope you will too.
Audiobook listeners, rejoice! Joshua Quinn did an amazing job the entire way through and I would absolutely recommend this medium.
June 18, 2025
Fast-paced adventure, as Kwame is about to be forced to go to Ghana with his parents, but instead gets sucked into the Ghanaian afterlife. Will this feckless kid choose to risk his life to save the world? His reluctance was both a refreshing, believable change from many such "Chosen One" stories, and kind of dorkily annoying. Of course he pulls through in the end. In his struggles against gods and monsters, he has to rely on his deaf best friend (even *ick* having to hold her hand at one point) and rejuvenated dead grandmother to save him multiple times, he has to confront and really feel his grief over his grandmother's death, and he has to accept his Ghanaian heritage. I did wonder how deaf people sign when they're holding things (like magical swords in this case), though they must manage it.
August 21, 2024
Very fun main character. He has the best, hilarious thoughts. The cover of this book is amazing and makes a great collectible. Can't wait for the next volume.
Themes explored: loss of kin, dealing with grief, Ghanaian lore, mythology, gods. Environmental issues, ASL, struggling with society's normalized prejudice towards race and impairment. Lots of action, Amazon props. The humor is my favorite part of the author's style.
It's hard to put down. I hope this becomes a movie. Audio is awesome too.)
The Gods are keen on destroying humans because they are destroying Mother Earth's gift to them. Kwame and amazing sidekicks join a quest to save humanity, learning valuable lessons as they go.
(P.S. Love Woo)
Will continue to collect this series.
Themes explored: loss of kin, dealing with grief, Ghanaian lore, mythology, gods. Environmental issues, ASL, struggling with society's normalized prejudice towards race and impairment. Lots of action, Amazon props. The humor is my favorite part of the author's style.
It's hard to put down. I hope this becomes a movie. Audio is awesome too.)
The Gods are keen on destroying humans because they are destroying Mother Earth's gift to them. Kwame and amazing sidekicks join a quest to save humanity, learning valuable lessons as they go.
(P.S. Love Woo)
Will continue to collect this series.
December 12, 2024
The story is full of funny quips, friendship, love, grief, and battles. I appreciated learning about Ghanaian mythology, and the glossary came in handy! Kwame had lost his grandmother, and still hasn't dealt with the grief that comes with losing someone close to you. His grandmother is an important figure in the Ghanaian mythology world, and Kwame and his friend Autumn (and Woo the monkey) are transported into that world! This debut author wrote a book he would want to read when he was 12, and I agree that kids will be drawn into rooting for Kwame, Autumn, Woo and the others while they battle all sorts of creatures in the forest and surrounding lands!
Kwame and Autumn are the best of friends, fighting to survive and make it back home, in one piece.
Kwame and Autumn are the best of friends, fighting to survive and make it back home, in one piece.
June 26, 2024
Middle grade fantasy. Take a magical ride through the Ghanaian underworld with 12-year-old heroes Kwame Powell and Autumn Choi. While there Kwame and Autumn realize their gifts and their weaknesses and to accept that death is a part of the cycle of life.
This is a wonderful book that explores culture and identity, grief, and hope, and environmental destruction and protection, all in a rip-roaring adventure, with likable, and relatable, tweens.
Hopefully, this is the first in a series of adventures as Kwame and Autumn were given a mission to protect the environment. Expected publication date September 10, 2024.
This is a wonderful book that explores culture and identity, grief, and hope, and environmental destruction and protection, all in a rip-roaring adventure, with likable, and relatable, tweens.
Hopefully, this is the first in a series of adventures as Kwame and Autumn were given a mission to protect the environment. Expected publication date September 10, 2024.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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