"At once vivid and simple, lyrical and surgical, expressive and exacting, comforting and cutting" -- Lupita Nyong'o "a gripping coming-of-age story" * Guardian * "An intensely powerful coming-of-age story steeped in African tradition and mythology" * Waterstones * "An unflinching and essential reminder that African American history begins in Africa, not in slavery" * The School Librarian * "[Alexander's] most ambitious work to date... This is a powerful work which draws much of its power from its portrayal of Kofi's life among the Asante and Kofi's restlessly upbeat and curious, if rather innocent, nature" * Books for Keeps *

Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, including Rebound, shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, The Crossover, winner of the Newbery Medal, and The Undefeated, winner of the Caldecott Medal. Kwame is also the recipient of several other awards, including the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and the Coretta Scott King Author Honour. He is the writer and executive producer of The Crossover TV series and is co-founder of LEAP for Ghana, an international literacy programme.