At the start of The Door of No Return, author Kwame Alexander introduces readers to an eleven-year-old boy named Kofi Offin. Kofi is an interesting and intelligent boy who has profound thoughts and dreams. Frequently, he has dreams of the Earth and the water that flows on it. In his dreams, Kofi can smell and see and feel the water and the Earth itself.
Kofi and his family live in a village near the banks of the Upper Kwanta river in Ghana (in Africa). Kofi is an incredibly happy boy who loves his paternal grandfather's stories, his family, Ama, and naturally, swimming. His passion — and skill — for swimming is well-known throughout his village and villages nearby. In fact, Kofi is often called a "minnow" by those around them. And his swimming reflects that nickname; he moves like and minnow and aims to impress those around him.
To that end, Kofi aims to reinforce his swimming prowess and impress the people around him and asks to compete against his older and stronger cousin in a swimming competition. But before the competition can take place, a festival comes to Kofi's house and Kofi's brother— along with others in his village — is forced to participate as the representative of their village.
To represent their village, Kofi's brother is asked to wrestle with someone from another village. But tragedy quickly strikes. Before Kofi’s brother even starts his first match, he suddenly keels over and dies — much to the shock of everyone.
While contending with the death of his beloved brother, Kofi must also simultaneously fight for his own life. On a journey that takes him through his country and through the waterways which he called home (and away from almost everything he loves), Kofi must find himself, grieve his brother, and ensure his own safety — all three things he is able to do.
