Kwame Crashes the Underworld

Twelve-year-old Kwame is still grieving his grandmother when a creature snatches the dashiki she made for him and escapes through a portal. Kwame chases it and lands in the underworld of Ghanaian mythology, a place of sea monsters, cursed forests and powerful gods. There he learns that part of an earth goddess's power lives inside him, which makes him a prize for the trickster god Nansi, who has dangerous plans for humanity. With his best friend Autumn, who is hard of hearing and communicates with him in sign language, and with help from an unexpected guide, Kwame has to figure out his new abilities fast. This mythic adventure mixes humor, action and heart, and it suits readers about 8 to 12 who enjoy gods-and-monsters stories.