Kwajo's father makes traditional small figures. One day, he makes him a little brass drummer who comes alive and transforms Kwajo into a land of proverbs and riddles. It is a land where the figures represent money, and the people are citizens in a powerful kingdom. Kwajo is tempted by riches but must first decode a series of riddles and symbols. He falls at the last test, but nonetheless learns an important lesson.
The Brassman's Secret won The Noma Award for Publishing in Africa 1982. It has become one of the most important children's books in Africa, and has been translated into several foreign languages. This book is the second illustrated edition created by Oksana Ignaschenko.