The Door of No Return

An instant #1 New York Times Bestseller!

From the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award winning author Kwame Alexander, comes the first book in a searing, breathtaking trilogy that tells the story of a boy, a village, and the epic odyssey of an African family.

Inspired by Ghanian history, Kwame Alexander’s exceptional novel in verse flows as easily as the water running through his young protagonist’s dreams. Eleven-year-old Kofi Offin lives in a small village in West Africa, soaking up the ancestor stories his grandfather shares, playing games of Oware, going to school, swimming in the river that is like his second home, and waiting for the ceremony that will usher him into manhood. Immersed in family, school, and the excitement of a first crush, Kofi’s world turns upside down when a terrible accident turns a festive occasion into one filled with sorrow and anger—and that’s just a glimpse of what’s to come.The Door to No Return is a master work of storytelling, a novel that moves you with joy, fear, sadness, hope, and love for the brave, resilient boy at its heart. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor

Middle Read Lakeshore 2023 selection