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WORK TITLE: Kwame Crashes the Underworld
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PERSONAL
Born c. 1996, in MD.
EDUCATION:Towson University, B.S.; University of Maryland, College Park, M.Ed.
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Writer. Has worked in higher education administration.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Craig Kofi Farmer is a writer who comes from Maryland’s Prince George’s County. He works in higher education administration. Farmer talked with Ashleigh Williams in an interview in School Library Journal about his writing process. He admitted that “some story ideas grab my mind and refuse to let go. When that experience strikes me, I know that I need to explore this idea. I usually start with an outline that maps the story beats, including the biggest character moments, the most pivotal narrative turns, and the defining moments of the antagonist. I let my mind flow over the outline.”
Kwame Crashes the Underworld is Farmer’s first novel. The young adult fantasy novel centers on twelve-year-old Kwame Powell, who travels from North Carolina to Ghana for his grandmother’s funeral. He is insecure about being too American for his Ghanaian relatives. However, he accidentally finds himself in the underworld of Asamando and meets his grandmother in the form of another twelve-year-old kid. She teaches him about his heritage and the danger he finds himself in. After being identified as carrying a shard of essence of the earth goddess, he is targeted by trickster god Nansi, who wants to use Kwame’s powers to destroy humanity for its poor treatment of the planet. With help from his friend Autumn and his grandmother’s soul, Kwame must fight to save the planet and himself.
In an interview in MacKids, Farmer discussed his inspiration for writing Kwame Crashes the Underworld. After admitting to being a fan of the “Percy Jackson” series, he shared: “Those stories did a great job of making literature accessible. The characters were relatable, sarcastic, and down-to-earth, which invited the reader to engage (authentically) with the adventure on the page. Those stories also did a great job of carrying good lessons within them, like the importance of friendship and the value of advocacy.” He acknowledged: “I knew I wanted to do something similar with a book of my own, if I was ever given the chance. I wanted to create a story that was accessible, snappy, and bursting with personality—but I also wanted to use that same story as a spotlight that illuminated identities, stories, and mythologies that are underrepresented in publishing. I also wanted to use storytelling as a medium to honor my late grandmother.”
A Kirkus Reviews contributor insisted that “readers will come away admiring Kwame and the redoubtable Autumn.” The same critic concluded by stating the novel offers “heroic feats aplenty amid explorations of rich cultural and personal landscapes.” A contributor to Publishers Weekly claimed that the author “deftly” combines “an inclusive tale of friendship, family, and identity featuring characters and adventure readers will yearn to revisit.” In a review in School Library Journal, Katherine Magyarody remarked that “this swashbuckling, supernatural adventure into the land of Ghanian mythology will have all readers (and especially fans of ‘Rick Riordan Presents’ titles) craving more.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2024, review of Kwame Crashes the Underworld.
Publishers Weekly, July 8, 2024, review of Kwame Crashes the Underworld, p. 174.
School Library Journal, August 9, 2024, Katherine Magyarody, review of Kwame Crashes the Underworld, p. 1; August 30, 2024, Ashleigh Williams, “Craig Kofi Farmer on the Ancestry and Media That Shaped his Ghanaian Fantasy Debut.”
ONLINE
Barnes and Noble website, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/ (September 13, 2024), Craig Kofi Farmer, “Mythology for a Modern World.”
Geek Vibes Nation, https://geekvibesnation.com/ (September 3, 2024), Tristian Evans, author interview.
MacKids, https://www.mackidsschoolandlibrary.com/ (August 2, 2024), author interview.
Craig Kofi Farmer on the Ancestry and Media that Shaped his Ghanaian Fantasy Debut
by Ashleigh Williams
Aug 30, 2024 | Filed in News & Features
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In Craig Kofi Farmer's Kwame Crashes the Underworld, a 12-year-old boy's life is completely changed when he is pulled into the mythological Ghanaian underworld with his bestie, discovers his magical lineage, and reconnects with his deceased grandmother. The debut author spoke with SLJ about lovably chaotic characters, writing through grief, and the gravity and responsibility of honoring strong ancestors. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How did you know this was the story you needed to tell for your debut?
Photo by Alexandra Johnson
Anyone who writes a book, short story, poem, or script has the unique opportunity (the privilege, even) to put a story out into the world. I knew that if I was ever blessed with this opportunity, I needed to do something that was meaningful, reflective, and personal. My family line is comprised of people who have used their skills to contribute to the world: working in the Civil Rights Movement, playing in the NFL, helping immigrants secure housing, and serving as a Queen Mother in Saltpond, Ghana. The latter refers to my late grandmother, who wielded tremendous political and social capital to protect her community, solve problems, and fight for equity in her village.
My ancestors and relatives used their skills and passions to benefit others. How I could use [stories and storytelling] to honor my family? How could I use this to make the world just a little better? I challenged myself to use my love for storytelling to write a book that honored my family, challenged its audience, and spotlighted an underrepresented culture. This novel holds the spirit of these goals and also centers an emotional journey steeped in Ghanaian mythology. It speaks to the importance of Queen Mothers, grandmothers, and family culture. It explores the relationship between the American Black and African communities. It challenges readers to do their part in protecting the environment.
You blend Ghanaian folklore and fantasy with common real-world tween experiences like navigating loss, processing big emotions, and feeling like you don't meet parental expectations. Did you pull elements from your own life to ground this complex novel?
In graduate school, I heard one phrase quite a lot: “Write what you know.” I remember falling in love with the "Percy Jackson" series growing up, but I also remember wanting to look like the characters in those novels even though they didn’t look like me. I remember realizing how important representation was in stories; if I’m experiencing these insecurities, maybe other people were feeling these same things. When I got the chance to write a story of my own, I knew that I needed to write what I knew—and to write the story that I wished I had growing up.
My grandmother died in 2008, when I was 12 years old. I remember feeling a storm of complicated emotions: guilt for not spending enough time with her, sorrow for the loss, helplessness from seeing my mother’s grief, but also intimidation by my grandmother’s legacy. My grandmother had an ornate, beautiful celebration of life in Ghana that honored all she did in Saltpond…and she did a lot. I remember telling myself that I needed to behave as well as I could, do all the chores I could think of, and get the best grades I could to support my mother while she was navigating her own journey of grief.
What if I had one more moment with my grandmother before she passed? What if I could have a real conversation with her, to tell her everything that I felt, about her legacy, about my identity, about my experiences at school? What if I could tell her one more story about my life? In this book, I give Kwame a lot of the experiences that I had—but not everything. Some of Kwame’s life was inspired by other Ghanaian children I knew growing up, or family friends that I have now. Some of Kwame’s experiences were pulled from the issues I’ve seen reflected in current events. While Kwame takes a lot from my life, he’s his own character, who gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reconnect with his late grandmother. Part of me is kind of jealous of that blasted kid.
What is your writing process? Are there characters or plot elements that you wish you could've spent more time with?
Some story ideas grab my mind and refuse to let go. When that experience strikes me, I know that I need to explore this idea. I usually start with an outline that maps the story beats, including the biggest character moments, the most pivotal narrative turns, and the defining moments of the antagonist. I let my mind flow over the outline, like water poured into a cup of ice. The ice melts a little, and the water grows cold until it’s a nice, balanced glass of ice water. Similarly, the properties of both the outline and the actual written story are changed by the writing process until it’s a complete narrative.
I do wish I could’ve spent more time with characters like Lala, Bia, or Autumn’s family. Ghanaian mythology is also so rich, that it’s nearly impossible to refer to every single aspect in one middle-grade novel. With this said, I feel blessed to even be able to include these things in the first place. All these things help build out Kwame’s world and this story.
Kwame's Blackness and his conflicted relationship with his Ghanaian roots are key parts of his identity. Many readers will relate to his initial feelings of disconnect from a culture and a homeland that he's never really known. Was there a specific community you had in mind that you hoped to reach with Kwame's story?
The only experience I can really speak to is my observations about the relationship between the American Black community and the African community. There are times when I noticed a schism between these groups; both identities sometimes see each other as a distorted representation of themselves. This perception can result in distance, abrasion, and antagonism on either side.
My experience isn’t a monolith though. I’ve seen members of both the Black and African communities be restorative and inclusive towards one another. This sense of community and collectivism can solve systemic problems, facilitate innovation, and build nations. This is part of the reason why I referred to this relationship in the novel. Even though Kwame is Black, his roots are still Ghanaian—and it took Kwame understanding that, accepting that, and challenging himself to go to Ghana for him to reconcile himself with his identity.
Aside from being an author, you have multiple degrees in science and education, and work in higher education! How do these facets of your life influence your writing?
This is a wonderful question. Working in higher education means that I get to work closely with college students of several different ages, backgrounds, and experiences. This work helps me develop a more eclectic worldview. This work also helps me see exactly the kind of issues that young people are facing nowadays, which allows me to reflect this in my writing.
Kwame's journey is unique in so many ways, especially when it comes to his companions—one of whom is his grandmother as a child! How did you conceptualize Ama and Autumn and their roles in this fantasy adventure?
Both these characters see themselves as the main characters in their own stories. Ama was especially fun to write, because I’m embodying someone who has experienced the passage from life into the afterlife. What is that experience like? What is it like to think that you’re in an afterlife free from pain and worry, only to find that your very alive grandson has fallen into a potentially dangerous underworld? Even in death, Ama is still a Queen Mother, and her instinct is to help, guide, and protect.
For Autumn, she enters Asamando to protect her best friend. It’s important to me that she takes that leap into the underworld for herself, rather than being dragged or forced. Autumn is an active character. She’s not Kwame’s sidekick. She’s a person with her own goals, views, identities, and feelings.
Humor plays such a significant role in your book. How important was it for you that this story use levity to balance out the grief and high-stakes action?
I’d like to shout out books like the "Percy Jackson" series, television shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender, and movies like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. These stories explore grand, philosophical, sometimes abstract concepts by focusing on the humanity of the characters and using levity to maximize the accessibility of the story. Kwame and Autumn are kids; even though they have world-shattering responsibilities on their shoulders, they’re not above making a joke, pointing out a narrative cliché, or laughing at themselves. I think more people should consider humor as the multifaceted, spiritually fulfilling medium that it is.
What's next for you on the literary front?
Any time that I start my writing process, I tie that story to a core truth about the human experience. Concepts like vulnerability, ego, culture, and relationships are very interesting to write about. I can say that there’s something else coming down the pipeline, and that something explores one of those fundamental human experiences. Stay tuned!
Kwame Crashes the Underworld publishes September 10, 2024, from Roaring Brook Press.
Mythology for a Modern World: A Guest Post by Craig Kofi Farmer
By Craig Kofi Farmer / September 13, 2024 at 1:31 am
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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.
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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.
GVN Interview With ‘Kwame Crashes The Underworld’ Author Craig Kofi Farmer
By Tristian Evans
September 3, 2024
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Book cover featuring "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" with an illustration of a person in dynamic pose against a colorful background.
GVN: Hello Craig! Thank you so much for speaking with Geek Vibes Nation about your upcoming novel, Kwame Crashes The Underworld. Could you start by telling our audience about yourself and your book?
Of course! My name is Craig Kofi Farmer, and I grew up in Prince George’s County, MD. I currently work in higher education, trying to give students the tools they need to succeed in their collegiate environment. I also love to write stories, specifically fantasy stories that explore a fundamental truth about humanity (culture, emotions, relationships, etc.). In my spare time, I inhale superhero media, psychological thrillers, and just food in general.
KWAME CRASHES THE UNDERWORLD is about Kwame Powell, a twelve-year-old kid from North Carolina who refuses to admit that he’s grieving the loss of his grandmother. He’s definitely not looking forward to going all the way to Ghana to attend his grandmother’s celebration of life. He doesn’t want to confront how he’s truly feeling, nor does he want to be around all his Ghanaian relatives who make him feel like some lame American. But when he falls into Asamando, the Ghanaian underworld, Kwame finds himself in the middle of a divine odyssey that includes a dead Mother Earth, a pantheon of angry gods, and the ancestral spirit of his grandmother…who somehow looks like a kid in this world. Kwame must work with his best friend Autumn to find a way to accept his grief—and his identity—so he can save the world and escape Asamando.
GVN: The novel is a winning combination of middle-grade adventure and Ghanaian mythology. What was its genesis?
My mother was a reading specialist when I was younger, so I remember reading countless books growing up. Some were imaginative, some were speculative, and some were educational; but I remember being especially partial towards the Percy Jackson novels. Those books were fun, snappy, and accessible. They managed to teach the reader not just about Greek mythology, but also about the importance of responsibility and belonging. Those books were also being published around the time that my grandmother passed away (sound familiar?), which might be part of the reason why they hold such a special place in my heart. With this said, I remember loving those book characters so much that I wanted to look like them—even though they did not look like me. This was when I learned about the power of representation in storytelling.
As I grew up, I continued to engage with media that satiated my hunger for fantasy/fictional adventures. I loved stories like Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Incredibles, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Each time I walked away from one of those thrilling stories, my mind would take me on a journey of creation; how would I have written the story? What would I have done if those were my characters? How would I have approached the antagonist? My creativity was piqued by these stories, and I couldn’t get enough.
You may remember the headlines when this happened, but Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020. For those that don’t know, Boseman was a creative force on screen; his movie roles were Black characters navigating nuanced stories and sending powerful messages. The worldwide celebration of Boseman’s legacy reminded me of all that my grandmother did—not just for her family, but for her village in Ghana. She was a Queen Mother in her community, one of the leaders that people looked up to and felt represented by.
From there, I started thinking about how I could honor my family’s legacy. I decided to use the thing I loved—storytelling—and craft something that would honor my grandmother, my Ghanaian culture, my Black identity, and all the stories I fell in love with growing up. KWAME CRASHES THE UNDERWORLD is a story that’s not only accessible to audiences, but also explores family, culture, and grief. The story has the characters and representation that I wished I had when I was growing up. The story has action and powers that me and my brother would’ve loved when we were in middle school. The heavier concepts like grief and culture are communicated amid a backdrop of colorful Ghanaian mythology. I hope that, like some of my favorite stories, this book will be a fun adventure that helps readers feel more seen and empowered to navigate this world.
GVN: Kwame is a young protagonist who deals with a lot during the novel. He’s dealing with bullying from classmates and the recent passing of his grandmother. What went into creating a great lead character but giving him such heavy issues?
Every lead character should be a person! And people are complicated—especially kids. Kids have no shortage of worries, fears, insecurities, enthusiasm, and imagination. I wanted to capture all that nuance in Kwame. Yes, Kwame is grieving the loss of his grandmother. Yes, he’s feeling disconnected from his culture. But he’s also a best friend to Autumn. He’s a huge video game and movie fan. He’s a pizza enthusiast. He’s horrible at basketball. And he’s also been taught to suppress his emotions all his life, as a survival mechanism.
I wanted to create a character that felt real and three-dimensional. I wanted to show that having struggles doesn’t make you weird or lame—it makes you human. On the flipside, even if you’re stressed out or trapped in a life-or-death scenario with a Ghanaian god, you may find a moment to laugh at something funny. The human spirit is a mosaic, and I think storytelling can help bring out all the colors and shapes of that mosaic.
GVN: You did a great job of balancing mythology and adventure with the story’s heavy themes. Was that balance always there, or was it perfected in rewrites?
Thank you so much! I’m very grateful for not only my agent and editors (shout out to Emilia and the Emily’s), but also Ghanaian mythology as a whole. Ghanaian mythology is so rich, nuanced, and lush that it was a natural bridge to the book’s themes of grief, culture, environmentalism, and emotion. For example, in the lore, Asase Yaa is the Ghanaian goddess of the Earth and the mother of Anansi and Tano. Once I decided to bring a Mother Earth figure into this story, I asked myself how Mother Earth would feel about everything going on in the world today. How does climate change affect Mother Earth? Does she get sick? What happens if she passes away? What happens when Anansi and Tano find out that their mother died and blame humans for destroying the world? All this background and worldbuilding stemmed from those initial myths of Asase Yaa and her divine family.
Again, I must give a huge thank you to Emily Forney, Emilia Sowersby, and Emily Feinberg for helping me figure out how best to balance the loud fantasy aspects of the story with the quieter personal elements. We worked hard to hone the manuscript so that every scene works towards one of the many goals of this story. It’s not easy to balance a journey of self-exploration with a fast-paced fantasy adventure. But when you’re working with such wonderful people, it’s about as easy as it gets.
Book cover showing a boy and a monkey facing a large serpent, with the title "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer. The background has a mystical, colorful setting with ancient architecture.
GVN: The novel has such great supporting characters, like Kwame’s friend Autumn. What do you find to be the key to creating a great supporting cast?
It makes my heart happy to see people giving Autumn the recognition she deserves. Generally, people navigate life through their own lens/perspective. I tried to take that approach to character-building in this story; each supporting character should be the main character of their own untold story. If we think about this through the paradigm of video games, each character should have their personal backstory, fighting style, catchphrases, and special moves. Some readers might gravitate towards certain characters over others, but a variation of personalities helps make a world feel more vibrant and lived in.
GVN: Autumn is hard of hearing, and she and Kwame communicate using sign language. What went into the decision to include that aspect in the story?
I had some close friends in college who were in the hard-of-hearing and Deaf communities. I quickly learned that this world often fails to make life accessible for these groups. I promised myself that if I was fortunate enough to bring a book into the world, I would make one of my main characters hard-of-hearing or Deaf to honor those communities.
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In Kwame and Autumn’s relationship, Kwame chose to learn ASL because there were times when that was the best way to communicate with his best friend. I didn’t want to portray this gesture as overly “kind” or “generous,” because it was the bare minimum in their friendship. Kwame and Autumn are so close that either one of them would immediately go out of their way to make the other person as comfortable as possible.
There’s a beauty to ASL, and I think more people should at least know the basics. This story includes some conversations in ASL, and I hope readers can pick up some basic signs just by reading. If literature represents our world, then it should represent all of us—including identities that aren’t often spotlighted in stories. I’m very grateful to the people from the hard-of-hearing and Deaf communities who entered this creative process and helped make sure that the character of Autumn felt authentic and natural. I hope that readers will connect with Autumn as much as I did.
GVN: Did you face any challenges while writing the novel? If so, how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge for me was trying to figure out what items to keep and what items to cut. It’s a blessing every time someone picks up my story and opens their heart to these characters. As such, I want to make sure that the text they’re reading is both entertaining and efficient. Even though I wanted to go big with all the Ghanaian mythology references, there were times when I had to reel back on the extra inclusions and focus on the narrative at hand. To overcome this challenge, I just thought back to what I wanted to accomplish with this story in the first place—which was accessibility, representation, and entertainment.
GVN: What was your favorite part of writing the book? Do you have a favorite scene or favorite character?
This is a great question! It was wonderful to be able to write a book that takes place in an original world. I loved being able to craft my own ecosystem, characters, plot points, and current events. Part of the fun of writing your own world is threading your voice, humor, and perspective into the DNA of the story.
For example, some of my favorite scenes are when Kwame or Autumn call out some story tropes or clichés as they happen. Kwame and Autumn are both geeks, so they’re huge fans of science fiction, anime, and superhero media. When they’re thrown into a fantasy adventure, they’re bound to encounter some story beats that seem quite familiar. The jokes that Kwame and Autumn crack about those tropes still make me laugh to this day (even though I wrote the jokes), and it makes me happy to see other readers connecting with the humor.
Additionally, I got to hammer out my first divinity system in this story. It was a great cognitive exercise for me to contemplate how gods exist in this world. What makes them gods? Where do they get their power? What is the hierarchy? What does a family look like when the members are all immortal, powerful gods? What’s their relationship with humans? And how do I answer these questions while still keeping the story approachable to readers—especially when that approachability is what made me fall in love with reading in the first place?
GVN: Were there any bits of Ghanaian lore that ended up on the cutting room floor of this first installment?
This is another amazing question. There was so much Ghanaian lore that was not included in this story. I wish that I had the space to shine some more light on characters like Bia or the Sasabonsam; but if readers are paying attention, they can see some easter eggs that refer to both these characters. Ghanaian mythology is so vast and colorful that someone would need several books to reference everything. We just don’t have that kind of time.
GVN: What is the main message you’d like young readers to walk away with?
I’d just like readers to feel seen. I want them to feel comfortable in their skin, whether that means loving their body, accepting their culture, embracing their emotions, or feeling empowered to do some good in this world.
GNV: Any advice to aspiring writers?
I could say something straightforward like, “Practice writing,” or “Write a little bit every day,” but I would just say: find your inspiration. For me, my inspiration was everything from Percy Jackson to superheroes to speculative science fiction. Other people may feel inspired by friends, music, movies, nature, or history. If you identify as a writer, find that thing that sparks your creativity and use that to write the story of your heart. Chances are, if you want to see a certain story—someone else does too.
KWAME was not the first book I wrote. KWAME happened to be the first story that got to the point of being introduced to the world. I would advise writers against tying their creative worth to whether their story gets published (easier said than done). Don’t invalidate your creativity just because one of your ideas might not neatly fit into the literary zeitgeist. Stay true to yourself and keep telling stories.
GNV: Can you tell us what you’re working on next?
Hmm. I can say that there’s something else in the works. As I mentioned earlier, I love creating stories that explore those fundamental experiences of humanity—and wrapping it in a genre that I love. I imagine that the next story, whatever form that may take, will continue that trend.
More information about my next project will be coming soon—stay tuned!
GVN: Where can our readers connect with you online?
Yikes. I’m really bad with social media, but readers can find me on Twitter at @State_Farmm (it’s a reference to what the kids in high school used to call me). You can also find more about KWAME on Macmillan’s website.
Kwame Crashes The Underworld goes on sale everywhere books are sold September 10th.
A man with a beard and short curly hair smiles at the camera, standing in front of a background filled with green foliage and blooming pink flowers.
Author Bio
Craig Kofi Farmer is a Prince George’s County native, with two Bachelor of Science degrees from Towson University and one Master of Education degree from the University of Maryland, College Park. He works in higher education administration, helping students achieve work-life balance and self-actualization. When he’s not writing, he’s analyzing superhero movies, watching psychological thrillers, and deciding exactly what he’s going to eat that day.
MacKids Spotlight: Craig Kofi Farmer
August 2, 2024
craig-kofi-farmer
This month’s Author Spotlight highlights Craig Kofi Farmer, author of Kwame Crashes the Underworld, a stunning middle grade fantasy novel about a boy hurled into the Ghanaian underworld to help his grandmother save humanity!
What was your inspiration behind this book?
Craig: I grew up reading the Percy Jackson books, and those stories did a great job of making literature accessible. The characters were relatable, sarcastic, and down-to-earth, which invited the reader to engage (authentically) with the adventure on the page. Those stories also did a great job of carrying good lessons within them, like the importance of friendship and the value of advocacy. I knew I wanted to do something similar with a book of my own, if I was ever given the chance. I wanted to create a story that was accessible, snappy, and bursting with personality—but I also wanted to use that same story as a spotlight that illuminated identities, stories, and mythologies that are underrepresented in publishing. I also wanted to use storytelling as a medium to honor my late grandmother, who was a Queen Mother in Saltpond, Ghana. Kwame Crashes the Underworld is meant to be a love letter to Queen Mothers, to grief, to Ghanaian mythology, to fantasy adventures, and to those who wish to see themselves as the hero.
We learn that Kwame is a child of the Earth. A piece of Asase Yaa (Mother Earth’s) spirit rests in him, ever since her death, which means that some of her power is in him. How did you come up with the magic system of what Kwame is capable of and what the limitations are?
Craig: One of the cornerstones of Ghanaian spirituality is a divine reverence for the earth, the skies, and the physical world. It seemed only natural to add an undercurrent of environmentalism into Kwame Crashes the Underworld, especially given the state of the Earth today. When it came to Kwame’s powers, I found myself inspired by properties such as Avatar: The Last Airbender and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. These properties centered on characters capable of great power, but their displays of power held a narrative weight within the story. The power wasn’t being shown just for the sake of cool (even though it was cool), but it was being shown as an insight into the character’s development, intentions, and emotions.
I knew that Kwame had great power inside of him, but how does Kwame access that? Why haven’t these powers manifested before? Are these powers just going to manifest when the story needs them to? As I built out the character of Kwame, I realized that Kwame has been bottling up his emotions all his life—just as his parents taught him—and so, he’s never had a chance to experience the power that his emotions can bring him. From there, the power system became much clearer. That’s where the power of Mother Earth has been all this time; it’s been hiding within the chaos and nebulousness that is Kwame’s emotions. When Kwame’s emotions flare up, so do his powers, and he must learn that the thing he sees as weakness might be the very thing that gives him strength.
Throughout the story, Kwame’s feats of power correspond to what he allows himself to feel. When he feels frustrated, the earth tries to eliminate the source of that frustration. When he feels rageful, the earth quakes and destroys anything in its path. When he feels low, the earth literally lifts him up. I’d like to think that there isn’t a hard limit on what Kwame can do—provided that he allows himself unbridled access to his emotions. I imagine that, with time, Kwame’s abilities would increase as he familiarizes himself with his emotions (and allows himself to feel new ones). However, Kwame’s power would never be fully controllable. After all, can anyone really control their emotions?
Do you have a favorite level of the underworld?
Craig: Since I love horror movies, my favorite level of the underworld would probably be the Eloko Forests. I really resonate with the idea of a frigid forest full of demonic creatures, dizzying geography, and harsh winds that whisper your insecurities to you. It was so fun to think about how the underworld would treat those who used their lives to hurt, marginalize, and disadvantage others. I like the nuances that the Eloko Forests hold as well; while most people are generally averse to pain and suffering, sometimes the worst torture for people can be coming face to face with something they think they’ve always wanted—only to realize that it’s a soulless mirage.
In your Author’s Note, you mention various communities you wrote this book for. Can you elaborate on who you envision connecting with this story, and seeing themselves in it?
Craig: I really see everyone connecting with this story in some kind of way. While the main characters are part of the Ghanaian, Black, Korean, and Hard-of-Hearing communities, I think the story is amenable to all readers. Anyone that has lost a grandparent too soon will probably feel represented in this story. Anyone who’s a big fan of fantasy, anime, and comic books will likely see themselves in Kwame and Autumn. Anyone who feels a little disconnected from the culture that their extended family holds, will probably relate to Kwame feeling out-of-the-loop whenever he’s around his Ghanaian relatives. Anyone who just wants to read a cool fantasy story, with slick weapons and terrifying monsters, will most likely feel fulfilled with this adventure. I hope that this story serves as a mirror to the reader, so that they can see just a little bit of themselves in some part of the book.
What part of the debut author experience surprised you the most?
Craig: It really surprised me to see all the intentionality and work that goes into creating just the right cover for a book. This is a perfect time to shout out Mateus Manhanini, who was the cover artist for Kwame Crashes the Underworld. He took all of my hopes, dreams, and visions for the cover and created a piece of art that could hang in an art museum. I feel very blessed to be able to work with Mateus and Macmillan on this cover, and I would like to take a moment to honor what they’ve done. Thank you to Mateus, Emilia, Emily, and Emily (yes, you read that right!).
Tell us about a librarian or educator who made an impact on you.
Craig: Even though my mother has been an educator her entire life, I think it would be kind of cheating to select her as the answer for this question. Instead, I’ll shout out Mrs. Koontz, my fourth grade teacher. I remember her being inquisitive, patient, and enthusiastic—and I remember her wielding this uncanny ability to know exactly what a student of hers might need or benefit from. I had a great time in her classroom, and I even joined the Science Bowl team under her leadership (even though I’m not great at science). Shout out to Mrs. Koontz, who has been a fantastic educator for decades. Also, shout out to all the educators who change students’ lives—you all should really be recognized, cherished, and paid more.
What was your favorite book when you were a young reader?
Craig: Honestly, as a young reader, my favorite book was Percy Jackson: Battle of the Labyrinth. It came out when I was twelve years old, and it came pretty close to being the perfect reading experience for me. I’d like to recognize Rick Riordan, for creating magic with those stories and inspiring so many people to pick up a pen for themselves.
What do you hope readers take away from Kwame Crashes the Underworld?
Craig: I hope that readers walk away from this story feeling more comfortable with who they are—whether that means being more comfortable with their emotions, their physical appearance, their family’s culture, or the identities that they hold. All these things create a sense of self, and I hope that readers can feel both empowered and allowed to love themselves.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
craig-kofi-farmer-photo
Craig Kofi Farmer is a Prince George’s County native, with two Bachelor of Science degrees from Towson University and one Master of Education degree from the University of Maryland, College Park. He works in higher education administration, helping students achieve work-life balance and self-actualization. When he’s not writing, he’s analyzing superhero movies, watching psychological thrillers, and deciding exactly what he’s going to eat that day.
Farmer, Craig Kofi. Kwame Crashes the Underworld. 352p. Roaring Brook. Sept. 2024. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781250900265.
Gr 3–7—North Carolinian Kwame Powell, 12, travels to Ghana for a funeral, then gets sucked into the Ghanaian mythological underworld. After chasing a monkey spirit who has stolen the dashiki sewn for him by his late grandmother, Kwame finds himself in the Realms of Asamando, just in time for an election. Asase Yaa (Mother Earth) has died, leaving behind ecological instability; now Asase's sons Tano and Nansi are fighting for power. Can Kwame process his grief, find Asase's widower (the Sky god Nyame), stop Tano and Nansi, and save the planet from environmental catastrophe? This debut novel has the breezy voice of the "Tristan Strong" and "Serwa Boateng" series, but it also innovates with humor and detail: Kwame faces immortals who order pizza and fufu from AsamandoEats. Kwame's friendships are endearing and unique as he reunites with the teenaged spirit of his grandmother and brings along his best friend, Autumn, who identifies as Afro-Korean and has post-lingual hearing loss in both ears. The novel welcomes an ASL-signing duo into the supernatural realm and opens up a conversation about navigating intersectional identity, where all characters are fully realized. As an Obayifo—a supernatural being who just wants to eat pasta and watch theater—reminds Kwame, "We're all three-dimensional. Look at yourself—a piece of a Ghanaian goddess inside you, and yet you feel disconnected from your culture. Go figure."
VERDICT: This swashbuckling, supernatural adventure into the land of Ghanian mythology will have all readers (and especially fans of Rick Riordan Presents titles) craving more. Highly recommended.—Katherine Magyarody
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Magyarody, Katherine. "Kwame Crashes the Underworld." WebOnlyReviewsSLJ, vol. 70, no. 8, 9 Aug. 2024, p. 1. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A805383023/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a4275d9c. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
Kwame Crashes the Underworld
Craig Kofi Farmer. Roaring Brook, $17.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-250-90002-6-5
Farmer makes divine drama relatably human in this lively debut that celebrates Ghanaian culture and mythology while tackling themes of grief and identity. Intent on recovering the dashiki made for him by his late grandmother, Black 12-year-old Kwame chases a creature reminiscent of "long-haired monkeys" after it escapes with the garment through a portal to the Ghanaian underworld. But when Kwame's soul is identified as carrying a shard of the earth goddess's essence, he becomes the target of her son, the trickster god Nansi, who plans on using Kwame's newfound abilities to destroy humanity as revenge for what it's done to his mother's planet. Accompanied by his hard-of-hearing Black and Korean best friend Autumn and his grandmother's spirit, Kwame must dodge sea monsters, survive cursed forests, and save the planet in his crusade to return to the mortal realm. Using Kwame's sympathetic first-person POV as a reluctant hero struggling to express his grief and connect with his Ghanaian heritage, Farmer deftly weaves together an inclusive tale of friendship, family, and identity featuring characters and adventure readers will yearn to revisit. Key moments depict conversations in American Sign Language. Ages 8-12. Agent: Emily Forney, BookEnds Literary. (Sept.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
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"Kwame Crashes the Underworld." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 26, 8 July 2024, p. 174. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A801800284/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=45b2b55e. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
Farmer, Craig Kofi KWAME CRASHES THE UNDERWORLD Roaring Brook Press (Children's None) $17.99 9, 10 ISBN: 9781250900265
A grieving 12-year-old from North Carolina finds comfort, a sense of purpose, and epic adventures in the afterlife.
Kwame is reluctant to travel with his parents to Ghana for a celebration of the life of his beloved, sorely missed grandmother. He feels out of place there, not Ghanaian enough for his relatives. So what changes his mind? Perhaps it's meeting his grandmother as a dynamic child of about his age following an involuntary leap into the underworld of Asamando? Or learning that he carries a fragment of Asase Yaa, Mother Earth? Or it might be facing threats including a sea monster and Asase's conniving sons Tano the river god and Nansi the trickster. He also repeatedly rescues and is rescued by his game-loving, longtime bestie, Autumn Choi, who leaps intrepidly after him from the living world brandishing a sword she bought online and a fierce attitude honed by years of being bullied for being hard of hearing (the friends communicate using ASL) as well as Black and Korean. Ultimately, Kwame understands that he's American by birth but Ghanian by heritage--and that, through his connection with Asase, he's charged with everyone on Earth. Debut author Farmer tells a grand tale, funny and terrifying in turns, steeped in Ghanaian spirituality and folklore, and wrapped around themes of identity, obligation, true friendship, and devastating loss. Readers will come away admiring Kwame and the redoubtable Autumn.
Heroic feats aplenty amid explorations of rich cultural and personal landscapes. (map, author's note, glossary)(Fantasy. 9-13)
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"Farmer, Craig Kofi: KWAME CRASHES THE UNDERWORLD." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A802865144/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6ff75dbf. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.