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"Kwame Crashes the Underworld"

Written by Craig Kofi Farmer
       
Image Source: Amazon
        "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" begins with twelve year old Kwame leaving North Carolina to attend his beloved grandmother's funeral in Ghana. Things take a turn when a monkey steals the dashiki his grandmother had made for him. Kwame and his best friend, Autumn, follow the monkey to a river that ends up being a portal to Asamando, the Ghanian underworld. Here Kwame meets his grandmother, Ama, but she isn't the age that he last saw her, she is a child. Kwame, Autumn, Ama and the monkey Woo work together to fight characters from Ghanian folklore. Ama also informs Kwame that only the living can leave Asamando, so he will have to learn to say goodbye to her for good.
        This is a refreshing take on a fantasy story steeped with Ghanian folklore and including Autumn as a Black Korean tween with hearing loss and often signing in ASL. The theme may be new to children that are unfamiliar with Ghanian traditions and folklore. However, children who have lost a beloved grandparent will be able to relate to the feelings that Kwame has throughout. Farmer's writing is fast paced with comedic references to the modern world that children will understand, from video games to ordering pizza in the underworld.
        This is a wonderful book to recommend to a child who is enthralled by mythology and wants to learn more about Ghanian culture and folklore.

Farmer, Craig Kofi. Kwame Crashes the Underworld. Roaring Book Press, 2024. 331 pages. TR. $ 17.99, ISBN 978-1-250-90026-5.
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