When I was a kid, my parents couldn't get me to stop reading. "Put the book down and go play outside!" my mom would implore. And so I'd go outside...and sit on our swing and read. As an 8th grade teacher, I met so many students who declared that they hated reading. I never expect anyone to have the same reading journey that I have had, but I've learned to love the challenge of finding the book that transforms the kid who hates reading into one who at least can tolerate it.

This is one of those transformative books.

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Title: The Door of No Return​

Author: Kwame Alexander

Genre: Historical fiction, narrative written in verse

Age range: 11+

Summary: Set in September 1860 in the part of western Africa currently known as Ghana, the story follows 11-year-old Kofi who loves to swim in the Offin river, play Oware with his Nana Mosi, and is forced to learn the Queen’s English in school. When Kofi’s village’s relationship with their neighboring village turns contentious, Kofi is swept up in a violent plot of revenge and greed—a plot reaching far beyond the streams and shores of his homeland.

It's similar to: This section was tricky to figure out because I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like The Door of No Return. There are, however, several avenues that could lead you to recommend this story to students. If, for example, a student wants to learn more about the legacy of slavery in the United States after readingTristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia or Roots by Alex Haley, then this book can further paint in that picture by sharing about the international slave trade.

Or, recommend it to students drawn to narratives written in verse. If they loved Alexander’s other books (The Crossover, Booked, Solo), Jason Reynold’s Long Way Down or Jasmine Warga’s Other Words for Home, then encourage them to give this one a try.

This book has thematic similarities to two titles I’ve read recently: I Will Protect You: The True Story of Twins Who Survived Auschwitz and Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High. Both of these titles are memoirs, but all three books depict a teenage narrator trying to survive and thrive while being the victim of violent geopolitical forces.

How I'd teach it:

• Use any number of the individual poems as mentor texts to teach students about: developing characters in verse, identity poetry, odes, using home language in writing…
• As a companion text to a social studies unit on west African history, the international slave trade, or institutional slavery
• Through Book Clubs, accompanied by other titles where young narrators are forced to navigate horrific world events (see above)

Learn more:

Alexander calls this title “the hardest thing he has ever written.” Hear him talk about this journey in a NPR interview—and learn the literal and metaphorical meaning of “the door of no return.”

If you, like me, want to bring all of Kwame Alexander’s texts into your classroom, you’ll enjoy this ABC News clip of Alexander discussing his new picture book, An American Story, aimed to help children understand the history of slavery.

My final two cents: I’ll leave you with this quote from the acknowledgments: “I wanted to speak the truth about the history of African Americans, because while most of us are aware of the American part, it’s time for us to know more about the African part, right?”

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Literacy Love Notes:

• Do you want more education cartoons in your life? Cartoons about grammar and punctuation and homophones? How about if they're accompanied by lessons?
• Perhaps you will gain an idea or two to make your feedback on students' writing more efficient and effective.

Have a good one and learn everything you can,

Hannah

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