By Jeffrey Boakye (author)
"A musical , moneymaking misadventure teaches Kofi the importance of friendship and family"
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June 2023 Debut of the Month
This hugely enjoyable fiction debut by the award-winning author of Musical Truth , the ground-breaking look at black history through popular music, is similarly infused with music.
Set in the 90’s but packed with instantly recognisable and relatable family, friendship, and school dynamics, this is the story of the fast talking, well-meaning, irrepressible Kofi and his sometimes misguided money-making schemes. Exploiting his best mate Kelvin’s excellent memory skills, they create and sell Paper Jam, a fanzine of ragga and rap song lyrics.
Everyone at school is obsessed with the music but nobody knows the words and so Paper Jam is a big success. But another ingenious scheme to make money by cheating arcade games, gets them involved with Leroy and his gang and almost lands his Uncle Delroy in jail. Kofi’s optimism is shaken by seeing prejudice in action and he has to learn what it means to be a true friend and what matters more than money.
Kofi has a loving, nurturing family to help him find a way through his problems and Leroy’s bullying also turns out to be the catalyst for discovering Kelvin’s rapping talent and for transforming the playground cussing battles into rap circles that celebrate creativity and community, not cruelty.
The razor sharp and witty dialogue and the frequent hilarious scenes make this a truly engaging read with an authenticity and warmth that will undoubtedly have readers keen to follow more of Kofi’s escapades.
Kofi had an idea . . . one big lightning bolt of an idea that hit him like electricity. And all it needed was Kelvin's incredible memory for words.
Read the full description
Kofi is used to stuff going wrong, he's usually in detention or about to be. But when he finds out his best friend Kelvin has a photographic memory, he comes up with a genius money-making scheme.
The whole school is obsessed with music, no one can ever make out the words, so the boys hit the jackpot selling a new fanzine full of song lyrics: PAPER JAM.
It's not long before one of the teacher's tells Kofi: 'You could be a real leader at this school, you know that? ' and . . . suddenly it's turning out to be the best summer ever!
Jeffrey Boakye is a writer, teacher and music enthusiast originally from Brixton, London. His books include Hold Tight and Black, Listed. He is also the co-author of What is Masculinity? Why Does it Matter? And Other Big Questions. Jeffrey lives in East Yorkshire with his wife and two sons. Ngadi Smart is an award-winning Sierra Leonean visual artist based between London (UK) and Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire), who specialises in illustration and photography. She has illustrated for The Guardian and Eastpak and won the 2020 FAB Prize for illustration.
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The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer features in the following genres: Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Music, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, School Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Star Books, Stories about Family and Friends, Featured Books for 9+ readers
Paperback, Ebook. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer was written by Jeffrey Boakye and published by Faber & Faber
Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer has 245 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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