BostonPL_Black Is... 2023: 75 Books for Children, Teens, & AdultsLike this list

75 items

• Be Real, Macy Weaver

  Wilson, Lakita,

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  Children. Determined to find a new best friend in Brynn, who's smart, kind, and beautiful, 11-year-old Macy turns one small lie into a whole new life to win her over — until everything falls apart.

• Because of You, John Lewis

  Pinkney, Andrea Davis

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  Children. The true story of Congressman John Lewis' inspiring friendship with 10-year-old activist Tybre Faw is relayed in this remarkable picture book.

• Freewater

  Luqman-Dawson, Amina,

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  Children. Based on an underrepresented part of Antebellum history, this middle-grade novel tells the inspiring tale of a twelve-year-old boy who escapes enslavement. With the help of a secret community, he finds the courage to return to the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• I Color Myself Different

  Kaepernick, Colin

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  Children. A joyful celebration of Black and Brown lives from athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick, whose life story provides a valuable lesson on the power of self-love.

• It's the End of the World and I'm in My Bathing Suit

  Reynolds, Justin A.,

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  Children. In this humorous, dystopian middle-grade novel, twelve-year-old Eddie and his friends set out to investigate when the electricity goes out. They soon make the startling discovery that they are the only ones left in their neighborhood...…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Juneteenth Story

  Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States

  Agostini, Alliah L.,

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  Children. The history of Juneteenth and the holiday’s journey to national recognition is given thorough and respectful treatment in this highly informative picture book.

• The Legend of Gravity

  A Tall Basketball Tale

  Palmer, Charly

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  Children. With the help of a clever narrator and stylized illustrations, this colorful and energetic picture book tells a story of teamwork and the unsung legends of streetball.

• Moonflower

  Callender, Kacen,

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  Children. Overwhelmed by their depression, Moon escapes to the spirit realm every night. When the realm is threatened, they must embark on a magical adventure of love and acceptance to save the spirit world... and themself.

• Omari McQueen's Best Bites Cookbook

  McQueen, Omari,

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  Children. In this easy-to-use cookbook, Omari shares his favorite plant-based dishes, creating a fun and accessible recipe guide to encourage the next generation of vegan cooks.

• Resistance

  My Story of Activism

  Luzincourt, Frantzy

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  Children. A compelling work of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle-grade readers sheds light on teen activist Frantzy Luzincourt's fight for equal education, racial justice, and economic equity.

• The Year We Learned to Fly

  Woodson, Jacqueline

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  Children. A poetic narrative about the resilience of African American ancestry tells the story of a brother and sister who discover the ability to lift themselves up and imagine a better world.

• A Girl's Guide to Love & Magic

  Rigaud, Debbie

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  Teen. When her aunt, an influencer known for dabbling in vodou, is possessed by a mischievous spirit, Haitian-American teen Cicely Destin enlists the help of her best friend and her crush to set things right.

• Augusta Savage

  the Shape of a Sculptor's Life

  Nelson, Marilyn, 1946-

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  Teen. A powerful biography in verse about Augusta Savage, who was a trailblazing artist of the 1930s, the first-ever recorded Black gallerist, and a pillar of the Harlem Renaissance.

• Batter Royale

  Adams, Leisl

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  Teen. In this rom-com graphic novel, a small-town waitress and her best friend find themselves unexpectedly thrust into the intense and bizarre world of competitive baking.

• Blood Scion

  Falaye, Deborah

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  Teen. As a descendant of the Orisha gods, Sloane can incinerate enemies at will, a power she must conceal when she's conscripted into the army on her fifteenth birthday. But can she rise through the ranks without becoming the very monster she…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Getaway

  Giles, Lamar, 1979-

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  Teen. When a famous resort offers the richest and most powerful families a haven from a world ravaged by droughts, fires, and floods, its live-in employees learn just how far the wealthy will go to save themselves.

• The Kindred

  Dow, Alechia

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  Teen. When Duke Felix Hamdi is accused of murdering the royal family, he goes on the run with Joy, the commoner who is mentally connected to him through the intergalactic Kindred mind-pairing system.

• Mirror Girls

  McWilliams, Kelly

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  Teen. After being separated as infants, two biracial twins reunite in the Jim Crow South, where they set out to uncover the truth behind their parents' murders and break the family curse.

• Nothing Burns as Bright as You

  Woodfolk, Ashley

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  Teen. A novel told in verse by an acclaimed author tells the story of two best friends who become something more over the course of one wild and reckless day.

• Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman

  Lee, Kristen R.

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  Teen. A college freshman grapples with the challenges of attending an elite university with a disturbing racist history, which may not be as distant as it seems.