Nico, the brooding artist who looks like he walked out of one of Tessa’s stories, is cast as the perfect Prince Charming.īut as Tessa checks each item off Caroline’s list, she gets further and further away from herself. And she’s ready with a list of romance novel-inspired steps to a happily ever after. Fortunately, Caroline has a solution: Tessa just needs to find some inspiration in a real-life love story of her own. But when she goes to her first workshop, the words are just…gone. When Tessa is accepted into the creative writing program of a prestigious art school, she’s excited to finally let her stories shine. The only place she’s a true leading lady is in her own writing-in the swoony love stories she shares only with Caroline, her best friend and #1 devoted reader. She’s rarely seen herself reflected in the pages of the romance novels she loves.
Sixteen-year-old Tessa Johnson has never felt like the protagonist in her own life. We stan rom-coms forever, and this one is definitely one for the books! Have you ever seen a cuter cover than this?! This cover, and book, are pure joy and all Black Girl Magic. Despair and rage almost sink him until he turns to the refuge of his words, his art. Suddenly, at just sixteen years old, Amal is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and sent to prison. “Boys just being boys” turns out to be true only when those boys are white. Then, one fateful night, an altercation in a gentrifying neighborhood escalates into tragedy. But even in a diverse art school, because of a biased system he’s seen as disruptive and unmotivated. This incredible novel-in-verse based on real life events is a must-read for everyone! This story will move you to your core and inspire you to dig deeper into prison reform.Īmal Shahid has always been an artist and a poet. Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.ģ. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can’t just walk away. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father. Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords.
If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. In the prequel to The Hate U Give, Maverick Carter is a force to be reckoned with. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.īut what Starr does-or does not-say could upend her community. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. From superstar author Angie Thomas, this stunning novel is inspired by the activists of Black Lives Matter and is 100% required reading for this month and beyond. Our #1 recommendation for Black History Month is already a classic. Start this year off strong by supporting Black authors and their stories!Ĥ4 YA Books to Read During Black History Month
So, in honor of Black History Month, we want to take a look at some of the books that have been influential in this wave of representation and encourage you to read your way through the month!Īnd, let’s be real: They’re all really, really good.įrom anthologies to graphic novels, atmospheric fantasies to realistic tales tinged by everyday issues, there’s something to offer every type of reader in every one of these stories. Young adult books go above and beyond when it comes to representation-and it’s something that we, the YA community, authors, and readers continue to fight for every day.