Mythology for a Modern World: A Guest Post by Craig Kofi Farmer
Craig Kofi Farmer’s late grandmother was a Queen Mother in Ghana, and he knew he wanted to write a story to honor her legacy. In his exclusive guest post below, Farmer details inspiration for the incredible world in Kwame Crashes the Underworld and what he hopes readers take away from his stories.
Hardcover $17.99
Kwame Crashes the Underworld
Kwame Crashes the Underworld
In Stock Online
Hardcover $17.99
Kwame didn’t expect to go on a death-defying journey with the grandmother he isn’t ready to lose, but that’s not even the hardest part. This is a rip-roaring adventure detailing bravery of all types.
Kwame didn’t expect to go on a death-defying journey with the grandmother he isn’t ready to lose, but that’s not even the hardest part. This is a rip-roaring adventure detailing bravery of all types.
I can’t tell the story of KWAME CRASHES THE UNDERWORLD without mentioning my late grandmother. She was a Queen Mother in Ghana and she meant so much to so many people; she helped others, solved problems, and shouldered huge responsibilities. My grandmother did all this while making time for things like cooking a family meal or giving a kindly smile to her grandchildren. Her life left a legacy that challenged me to carry it forward.
I’ve loved stories for as long as I can remember; I found inspiration from stories like Percy Jackson, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and The Incredibles. These stories were vibrant, fun, and stylish—but they also managed to teach audiences about responsibility, friendship, and belonging. Even though becoming a Queen Mother wasn’t really my path, I wanted to write a story that honored not only my grandmother, but Ghanaian culture as a whole.
I remember having a cauldron of ideas for what this story would be. I wanted to represent my community by centering a Black boy as the complicated, flawed hero of this story. I wanted to challenge readers to do their part in keeping the environment safe. I wanted to create a hard-of-hearing character who felt authentic and three-dimensional. I wanted the central adventure to serve as the vehicle for the journey of grief—for the main character and the antagonists. Finally, I wanted to spotlight Ghana’s colorful mythology and the philosophy behind it: the idea that a universal essence connects us all.
KWAME CRASHES THE UNDERWORLD is the product of these intentions. In the book, Kwame is forced to confront the passing of his grandmother when he enters Asamando, the Ghanaian underworld. While the concept of Asamando is a staple in Ghanaian mythology, I decided to modernize it in this interpretation. Asamando has Ted Talks, food delivery services, and movie theaters, which should be familiar to young readers; however, the realm also sports holograms, gigantic serpents, and a supernatural forest of insecurity and fear. The residents of Asamando get to eat unlimited Ghanaian food, party in an endless celebration of life, and check on their descendants through a magical waystation. Bringing Asamando to life gave me plenty of room to interpret Ghanaian mythology for a modern world, while also honoring the foundational philosophies behind those original myths.
Kwame does everything I wanted to do when I was twelve. He has the power to make the earth move, which comes from his connection to Mother Earth. He meets grieving gods and goddesses, who help him reconcile his relationship to his Ghanaian identity. Kwame and his best friend Autumn love all kinds of media, so they’re quick to point out certain story tropes as they happen. Kwame even fights alongside the ancestral spirit of his grandmother, to save the world. I hope that this story helps readers feel more represented, empowered, and celebrated. I also hope that it challenges readers to figure out what kind of impact they want to leave on this world.
