Hi,
Today I am sharing some YA books I have loved that are written by Black Authors and Include Black characters. I support and want to raise awareness of #Blacklivesmatter so this month I am prioritising to read more POC books that I already own and some I’ve just bought
Here are the ones I have already read and Loved!
The Hate you give by Angie Thomas : Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl’s struggle for justice. Also now a great film!
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta : Michael waits in the stage wings, wearing a pink wig, pink fluffy coat and black heels. One more step will see him illuminated by spotlight.He has been on a journey of bravery to get here, and he is almost ready to show himself to the world in bold colours … Can he emerge as The Black Flamingo?
Gangsta Rap Benjamin Zephaniah: Ray has trouble at home, and he has trouble at school – until he’s permanently excluded and ends up sleeping on the floor of a record shop. What happens to a boy like Ray? If he’s lucky, maybe he gets a chance to shine.The story of three boys who aren’t easy. They don’t fit in. They seem to attract trouble. But they know what they want, and they’ve got the talent to back it up …. I read all of his books about 5-6 years ago and all of them are amazing and have stuck with me !
Running with lions by Julian Winters : Bloomington High School Lions’ star goalie Sebastian Hughes should be excited about his senior year: His teammates are amazing, and he’s got a coach who doesn’t ask anyone to hide their sexuality. But when his estranged childhood-best-friend Emir Shah shows up at summer training camp, Sebastian realizes the team’s success may end up in the hands of the one guy who hates him. Determined to reconnect with Emir for the sake of the Lions, he sets out to regain Emir’s trust. But to Sebastian’s surprise, sweaty days on the pitch, wandering the town’s streets, and bonding on the weekends spark more than just friendship between them.Review here
And the stars were burning brightly by Danielle Jawando: When fifteen-year-old Nathan discovers that his older brother Al, has taken his own life, his whole world is torn apart. Al was special. Al was talented.Al had so many dreams … so why did he do it? Convinced that his brother was in trouble, Nathan decides to retrace Al’s footsteps. As he does, he meets Megan, Al’s former classmate, who is as determined as Nathan to keep Al’s memory alive.Together they start seeking answers, but will either of them be able to handle the truth about Al’s death when they eventually discover what happened? Review here
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman: Sephy is a Cross: she lives a life of privilege and power. But she’s lonely, and burns with injustice at the world she sees around her. Callum is a nought: he’s considered to be less than nothing – a blanker, there to serve Crosses – but he dreams of a better life.They’ve been friends since they were children, and they both know that’s as far as it can ever go. Noughts and Crosses are fated to be bitter enemies – love is out of the question.Then – in spite of a world that is fiercely against them – these star-crossed lovers choose each other.But this is love story that will lead both of them into terrible danger . . . and which will have shocking repercussions for generations to come.
Watch us rise by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan: Jasmine and Chelsea are best friends on a mission. Sick of the way that young women are treated even at their ‘progressive’ New York City high school, they decide to start a Women’s Rights Club. One problem – no one shows up. That hardly stops them. They start posting everything from videos of Chelsea performing her poetry to Jasmine’s response to being reduced to a racist and sexist stereotype in the school’s theatre department. And soon, they’ve gone viral, creating a platform they never could’ve predicted. With such positive support, the Women’s Rights Club is also targeted by trolls. But Jasmine and Chelsea won’t let their voices – or those of the other young women in their city – be silenced. They’ll risk everything to be heard and effect change … but at what cost? Review here.
My MG recommendation is High rise mystery by Sharna Jackson : The detective duo everyone is dying to meet! Summer in London is hot, the hottest on record, and there’s been a murder in THE TRI: the high-rise home to resident know-it-alls, Nik and Norva. Who better to solve the case? Armed with curiosity, home-turf knowledge and unlimited time – until the end of the summer holidays anyway.
Clap when you land by Elizabeth Acevedo: Camino lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people… In New York City, Yahaira is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash. Separated by distance – and Papi’s secrets – the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other. Told In a dual narrative and in verse. Review here.
Thanks for reading, Have you read any of these?
BookAHolicEllie 