This is a book that will connect with the Kofis of the world - the irrepressible extroverts - as well as the Kelvins – the quiet ones. It’s for the readers and the talkers alike. And the cast of supporting characters are equally exciting to meet: big sister Gloria and her confident best friend Shanice, big brother Emmanuel, Mum, Dad, all the friends at school and of course, Delroy, a favourite uncle with a gleam in his eye and a playful smile. It might not be my place to say it but hey, whatever: this is a special book.

The book is set in the 1990’s so I didn’t understand some of the things they were talking about, especially the TV show which is mentioned regularly but I looked it up and I wish it was on now because it looked brilliant and I can see why the characters family liked it so much. The irrepressible Kofi is bubbling with ideas to make money. It’s the 1990s, everyone at school loves music, but the likes of Smash Hits magazine never have the lyrics of TLC, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg et al. Using Kofi’s sales patter and his best friend Kelvin’s excellent memory, the boys create Paper Jam, a fanzine of song lyrics – and the buzz at school is unreal. It’s also very true. Books really are a way to explore new places and enter experiences that you can’t have in real life. It’s one of the reasons that we keep reading (and writing) them.

Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer by Jeffrey Boakye – at a glance

For step-free access from the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road off Belvedere Road to the Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium seating (excluding rows A to C) and wheelchair spaces in the Rear Stalls, plus Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer and the Purcell Room, please use the Queen Elizabeth Hall main entrance. 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. Jeffrey Boakye is a multi-hyphenated literary activist set on disrupting our perspective on few things. Alongside co-hosting BBC Radio 4’s ‘ Add to Playlist‘ with Cerys Matthews, and being the author of 5 non-fiction books for adults and children, Boakye recently published his debut YA fiction novel Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer.

You can also use the external lift near the Artists' Entrance on Southbank Centre Square to reach Mandela Walk, Level 2. The family in the book are all interesting, Gloria and Jeanette made me laugh and Uncle D seemed super cool. Kofi and Kelvin are my favourite characters though, especially when they are together, as I like their friendship.It’s one of the biggest literary clichés: that books are a portal into other worlds, a way of escaping into new universes through nothing but words printed on paper.