"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, New York Times bestselling author of the Percy Jackson series
“Kwame Alexander's story, The Door of No Return, humanizes the experience of the people who knew the flavors of freedom long before they knew the sting of slavery. Alexander lures you in and endears you to Kofi and his world in a way that has you fully invested in time and place. Alexander seems to trust the heaviness of history to hold its own, and so he is able to tell a story with such a lightness of foot which only further emphasizes that weight of history that is undeniable and irrevocable. 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
"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, New York Times bestselling author of The Magicians
September brings the changing of seasons, and we are ready for all that tags along! With the crisp air comes the swing of school and warm sweaters and scarves, making it the perfect time for families and kids to spend some time indoors reading. Not only that, but we’re stunned by the vibrant colors of […]
There’s nothing better than the way a kid’s face lights up when they find the right book. Their excitement goes through the roof with the book in hand, and next thing they know, they’re utterly enchanted as they flip through the pages. If you’re looking to give your young reader the perfect gift, we definitely […]
Our young readers section is bursting at the seams with spectacular authors and books that are sure to captivate every young reader. There’s nothing better than kids picking up a book, absolutely loving it, and realizing that the author has more books for them to dive into immediately, so when we were thinking about must-read […]
Books are an opportunity to learn, grow, and see reflections of the world within their pages. This list is full of picture books and young reader novels that will entertain the reader in your life while teaching them about Black history and culture. From magical stories to accounts of history, these books are must-reads and […]