The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

-image from Goodreads

1.BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alexander, Kwame. 2022. THE DOOR OF NO RETURN. New York: Little, Brown and  Company. ISBN 978-0-316-44186-5. 

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Alexander emphasizes the African origin of the African-American story.  This story is about Kofi, an 11-year-old Ashante boy who loves his family and loves to swim.  We learn about his life in the village, where he goes to school with his friends and cousins. For Kofi, village life includes everything from the simple joys of ripe fruit to the harsh realities of festival wrestling matches. When Kofi is captured, he assumes it is the beginning of his journey to becoming a man. Instead it is the beginning of his journey to becoming a slave. The suspenseful ending makes room for the next novel in the series. 

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Warning: This story will rip your heart out.

Alexander authenticates his tale with Ashanti words, symbols and traditions. They all bring depth and texture to the storyline. His characterization is straightforward and uncomplicated– which fits perfectly with the setting and time period of the piece.  

The description of Kofi’s time in captivity is riveting. The potency of Alexander’s words will take your breath away.  The horrors of the experience are told through the ignorant and innocent eyes of a tribal child.  Alexander tempers the tragic details for his younger readers, but the truth behind his fictional story is absolutely heartbreaking. 

We need stories like this one.  We need to be reminded of what man can do to his fellow man, if he doesn’t keep his humanity and morality in check. 

4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Horn Book, Best Book of 2022

Booklist Starred Review, “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."

5. CONNECTIONS

*Use other cultural novels in verse: 

Unbound: a novel in verse, by Ann E. Burg 978-0-545-93427-5

Land of the Cranes, by Aida Salazar ISBN 978-1-66882-737-6

In the Beautiful Country, by Jane Kuo ISBN 978-0-06-311898-0

*Other engaging Historical Slave Fiction for middle-grades, that can be used in conjunction with Social Studies/American history lessons :

Chains, Forge, and Ashes, Seeds of America three book series, by Laurie Halse Anderson 

Freedom over Me: eleven slaves, their lives and dreams brought to life by Ashley Bryan, ISBN 978-1-53794-740-2

Freewater, by Amina Luqman-Dawson. ISBN 978-1-51605-097-0