Aluta

Gr 9 Up—Set in 1981 Ghana, this tale centers on 18-year-old Charlotte Adom, who is enjoying her newfound freedom as a political science student in the Kumasi region. Her strict and opinionated father wants her to focus on university by getting good grades, but she is preoccupied with having fun. Charlotte befriends a sophisticated roommate, Mary, and becomes a social butterfly at parties and clubs where R&B, pop, and jazz dominate. Charlotte quickly attracts the attention of three males: political science professor Dr. Ampem, student activist and Mary's cousin Banahene, and wealthy petroleum oil broker Asare. Her carefree freshman days come to an end when Jerry John Rawlings overthrows the government with a coup on New Year's Eve. Charlotte and other students are forced to transport the cocoa harvest to various parts of Ghana when the universities are closed down. Her life goes downhill after she receives a package of documents and money from Asare. The brilliant storytelling resonates with its vibrant cultural landscape. Music fans will welcome Badoe's incorporation of the different genres into the book's world-building. The author has created believable characters who represent various aspects of Ghanaian life and culture. There are also moments of romance within the chaos as Charlotte and Banahene fall in love. The fast-paced novel neither shies from nor neutralizes the atrocities and human rights abuses associated with coups, yet it is written appropriately for YA readers.