The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Aguda, 'Pemi. Ghostroots. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2024.

'Pemi Aguda's Ghostroots is a short story collection. Each of the 12 stories is written from a distinct point of view, and each follows its own formal and stylistic rules. For the sake of clarity, this guide relies on the present tense and a more linear mode of explanation.

In "Manifest," the 26-year-old, second-person narrator begins to worry that she is turning into a bad person when she discovers a pimple on her face. Around this same time, her mother begins to call her Agnes, the name of the narrator's late grandmother. It is because of the narrator's mother's reactions to her when she thinks that her daughter is Agnes that the narrator becomes convinced that Agnes was wicked. Therefore, there is something wicked inside of her, too. Over time, she behaves in an increasingly hostile manner as she gradually turns into Agnes.

In "Breastmilk," the unnamed first-person narrator has a baby boy named Fi with her husband Timi. After Fi's birth, the narrator is overcome by despair and frustration. She cannot produce milk to feed Fi and realizes she is still upset with Timi for having an affair before Fi's birth. Over time, she gradually adjusts to motherhood and confronts her anger with Timi.

In "Contributions," a group of women runs an esusu, a financial collective together. While the collective functions in service of its members, if anyone breaks the group's rules, she will be punished. One new woman starts to squander her money from the esusu pool. The group punishes her by cutting off her limbs. They do not realize the severity of what they have done until it is too late.

In "The Hollow," a designer named Arit takes on a new client, Madame Oni. She visits Madame Oni's house so she can understand what renovations the woman wants. Madame Oni tells Arit the harrowing tales of the trauma she experienced in the house. Arit tries to redesign the space to free her new client from her past.

In "Imagine Me Carrying You," the first-person narrator's mother Kemi accidentally hits and kills a young girl with her car one night. Over the course of the weeks following, Kemi is so consumed by guilt and grief that she starts engaging with the narrator as if she were the dead girl.

In "24, Alhaji Williams Street," the first-person narrator lives on Alhaji Williams Street in a small Nigerian village. His best and only friend in the neighborhood is Junior. The narrator and Junior spend all their time together. When a fever spreads through the town and begins killing off the neighborhood boys, Junior gets sick and passes away. Overcome by grief, the narrator decides to flee Alhaji Williams Street. Leaving is a kind of death; but, it is the only way he can survive his sorrow and avoid getting sick.

In "Things Boys Do," three unnamed men raise their infant sons on their own. Struggling with single fatherhood, the men join an online forum seeking parental solidarity. In the forum, the three men discover that they all went to high school together. They have not spoken since they bullied another classmate and caused his death. Raising their sons reminds them of their crime and reignites their guilt.

In "Birdwoman," Felicity has been unhappy since she was a little girl. Now 45 years old and running a successful tailoring business in Lagos, Felicity still feels discontented. One day, she sees a man jump off a bridge to his death. His jump reminds Felicity of flying. Desperate to be free of her sadness, she jumps off a high-rise building.

In "Girlie," the first-person narrator's mother sends her away from home to be a house girl in the city. The narrator does not question her new circumstances until a local vendor, Iyo Tomato, kidnaps her and starts treating her like her own late daughter. The narrator is upset at first, but soon realizes that the woman means her no harm.

In "The Wonders of the World," the main character Abisola takes a trip with her geography class to Ikogosi. Her class stays at a local resort and spends time visiting local springs and the renowned water confluence. Although initially homesick, Abisola comes to enjoy the trip after she befriends her classmate Zeme.

In "The Dusk Market," Salewa lives in Lagos and runs a stall at the dusk market. Although she hates city life, she is convinced she cannot return to her home village. Her perspective on the city and herself changes when she makes a friend in Nengi. Finally, someone knows her name. Salewa feels less alone.

In "Masquerade Season," the main character Pauly is delighted when a group of masquerades follows him home one night. They take up residence in Pauly's house with him and his mother. The masquerades soon begin offering pieces of their garments to Pauly's mom to use for her seamstress business. Their sacrifices help Pauly and his mom financially. However, Pauly soon realizes that he and his mom are taking advantage of the masquerades. So, he sets them free.