*"Powerful and realistic, this continuing saga offers heartbreaking portrayals of the African American experience."—Booklist, starred review

*"A powerful and thoroughly satisfying blend of sports, history, family saga, and self-discovery."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A memorable and moving second book in the trilogy."—The Horn Book

Praise for The Door of No Return:
A#1 Amazon Best Book of the Year
A#1 Indie Next List Pick
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2022 Pick
Shelf Awareness Best Book of 2022 Pick
Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Book Pick
Horn Book Best Book of 2022 Pick

"Absolutely spellbinding: Kwame Alexander weaves together storytelling, poetry, music and history like no one else can. An unforgettable journey to be treasured and shared across generations."—Rick Riordan, NYT bestselling author of the Percy Jackson series

"Alexander turns the nightmare of the past into an epic story for all times and all people. The Door of No Return is a breathtaking, heartbreaking triumph and an instant classic."—Lev Grossman, NYT bestselling author of The Magicians

“As I read The Door of No Return I kept thinking about how transformative it would have been to have had a book like this when I was young. This novel moves a devastating history beyond the realm of abstraction and fills our imaginations with characters who laugh, cry, love, learn, worry, and wonder. I will be thinking about this book for a long time. Kwame Alexander has given us a gift.”—Clint Smith, #1 NYT bestselling author of How the Word Is Passed

"Alexander lures you in and endears you to Kofi and his world in a way that has you fully invested in time and place…His writing is at once vivid and simple, lyrical and surgical, expressive and exacting, comforting and cutting. It hypnotizes and sobers, hypnotizes and sobers, in a rhythm as timeless as the talking drum that carries the tales of his people: Kum-PUM PUM! Kum-PUM PUM! I wish this book existed alongside Huckleberry Finn when I was in school. I am glad it exists now!"—Lupita Nyong'o, Actress and Author

*“A riveting, not-to-be-missed trilogy opener that will leave readers invested in what is to come.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*"Alexander weaves a breathtaking tale that is ripe with the juxtaposing emotions that come with any coming-of-age story. Through Alexander’s verse, readers are reminded of the beauty and unbounded richness that Ghana and her people have to offer...Alexander has written a masterpiece, one that powerfully and truthfully gives agency to the Black voices of the past. Profound and important reading."—Booklist, starred review

*"Themes of conflict within and between cultures, and of war and peace, hate and love, despair and hope are deeply embedded throughout this gripping tale."—Horn Book, starred review

*"Interweaving moments of joyful exuberance and heartbreaking sadness via sensate lines by turns sweet and stinging, Alexander’s sweeping novel conjures a captivating, resonant world of African tradition, life, and ancestral wisdom."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

*“Alexander weaves a breathtaking tale that is ripe with the juxtaposing emotions that come with any coming-of-age story. Through Alexander’s verse, readers are reminded of the beauty and unbounded richness that Ghana and her people have to offer.”—School & Library Journal, starred review

*“An 11-year-old Ghanian boy must fight for his survival in this gut-wrenching historical novel in verse from Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander.”—Shelf Awareness, starred review

*“Every person who was enslaved came from a home with a rich history and unique culture. Their stories have been told in excellent books for young readers, including Sharon Draper’s Copper Sun; Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson and Nikkolas Smith’s The 1619 Project: Born on the Water; and Ashley Bryan’s Freedom Over Me. But many more are needed, and there’s no one better to add to this vital canon than Alexander.”—Bookpage, starred review

*“This tragic realism culminates in a climactic enactment of “The People Could Fly” that will feel triumphant for readers who recognize and embrace the allusion and will offer an introduction to those unfamiliar with that work.”—BCCB, starred review

★ 2024-07-04
A Black tween’s world revolves around her love of baseball and her grandfather’s stories of his African homeland.

Charlene Cuffey loves baseball; she was captivated after seeing a Negro Leagues game. Despite her mother’s disapproval, Charley dreams of becoming the first girl to be a professional pitcher. She also loves her grandfather Nana Kofi’s stories and his attempts to teach her his mother tongue of Twi. Nana Kofi was captured from his community and brought to America as a boy; later he fought in the war to end slavery. When Charley responds to a bully’s taunts by challenging him to a game, she’s determined to win. Unfortunately, she makes decisions that place her and her community in danger. This highly anticipated second volume in The Door of No Return trilogy reintroduces Kofi to readers as an elder, revealing how he survived, gained his freedom, established a family, and passed on his legacy of resilience to Charley. Alexander skillfully builds on the strengths of the first installment in portraying a strong sense of community and family, often in the face of capricious violence. Charley is a well-crafted character who embodies her tightknit family, her heritage, and her keen mind. The presence of real-life historical figures and events helps capture the tenor of life in segregated Virginia, while the beautifully flowing poetry contributes to the book’s engaging qualities.

A powerful and thoroughly satisfying blend of sports, history, family saga, and self-discovery. (author’s note)(Verse historical fiction. 10-18)