TEEN & YOUNG ADULT / GRADES 6-12

An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States

In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African American to serve in that…

Marlon McKinney (A and ILT)

List Price: $9.99 (Paperback – Comic Book/ Graphic Novel  A Fantasy Story – Queen of Sheba – 2021)

A beautiful Ethiopian princess must use courage, strength, and leadership to conquer a dangerous enemy set on destroying the wealthy Kingdom of Sheba.

Princess Makeda was born into a loving royal family…

Sparks fly when Orion and Ray meet for…

Gregory Walker (A) 

List Price: $19.99 (Paperback – Ancient Egyptian History / Queen Mother Nefertari –  2014)

In world history there has never been a national hero celebrated for as long nor revered as much as Ancient Egypt’s Queen Mother Ahmesh Nefertari. She was a real African heroine who changed the course of…

Ta-Nehisi Coates (A) and Brian Stelfreeze (ILT)

List Price: $16.99 (Paperback – Graphic Novel / Black Super Hero – 2016)

Description:  A new era begins for the Black Panther! MacArthur Genius and National Book Award-winning writer T-Nehisi Coates (BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME) takes the helm, confronting T’Challa with a dramatic upheaval in…

Davis Sampson (A) Rameck Hunt (A) and George Jenkins (A)

List Price: $16.00 (Paperback – Biography / Mentoring – 2005)

The dramatic, inspiring story of three inner-city youths – Samson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt – whose strong friendship gave them the strength to continue…

Chinua Achebe (A)

List Price: $13.00 (Paperback – African History / Post Colonization – 1994)

Things Fall Apart tells two intertwining stories, both centering on Okonkwo, a äóìstrong manäó? of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first, a powerful fable of the immemorial conflict between the individual and…

Two siblings investigate the murder of a friend only to unearth even more deadly mysteries in their small town in this page-turning young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games.

When Mikky Graves left his small, stifling hometown of Prophets Lake to live with his estranged mother, he thought nothing could ever…

When Nala Robertson reluctantly agrees to attend an open mic night for her cousin-sister-friend Imani’s birthday, she finds herself falling in instant love with Tye Brown, the MC. He’s perfect, except . . .

Tye is an activist and is spending the summer putting on events for the community when Nala would rather…

Sharon G. Flake (A)

List Price: $8.99 (Paperback – Teen Fiction / Self Esteem – 2007)

Thirteen-year-old Maleeka Madison, is uncomfortable because her skin is extremely dark. Until she meets Miss Saunders, a new teacher who is self assured and has a large birthmark on her…

Denise Dennis (A) and Susan Willmarth (ILT)

List Price: $15.99 (Paperback- Graphic Novel / African American History – 2007)

This book covers a rich history often ignored. It chronicles the struggle from capture and enslavement in Africa right up through Civil Rights and the different kind of struggle Blacks face today. (192 pgs)

…

Jacob Hoye (A)

List Price:$30.00 (Paperback – Biography / Hip Hop Artist / Rapper – 2006)

Capturing as never before the matchless passion and searing honesty of the late Tupac Shakur, the brilliant young rapper, actor, and poet who was mysteriously gunned…

Tochi Onyebuchi (A) 

List Price: $17.99 (Hardcover – Science Fiction / Myth – Search for Home – 2018)

In the sequel to the acclaimed Beasts Made of Night, Taj has escaped Kos, but Queen Karima will go to any means necessary–including using the most deadly magic–to track him down.

Taj is…

Meg Blackburn Losey, PHD (A)

A philosophy teacher who experienced devastating situations and lost everything

List Price: $16.95 (Paperback – Self-help Book For Teens – 2012)

In The Art of Living Out Loud, Losey describes how she learned to live an authentic life, from this traumatic experience. She…

This book isn’t just for one kind of entrepreneur—it’s for every kind. Whether you’re thriving with purpose or struggling to grow your business and battle self-doubt, No One is Self-Made offers solutions and encouragement you need to push forward with the right community.

From the visionary behind the groundbreaking Village Market,…

William Loren Katz (A)

List Price: $14.99 (Paperback – Native American /African American History – 1997)The compelling teen nonfiction account of how two heritages united in their struggle to gain freedom and equality in America.

The first paths to freedom taken…

Dr. Mae Jemison (A)

A Collection of Moments in Dr. Mae’s Life

List Price: $23.95 (Hardcover – First Black Astronaut- 2021)

“The writing sings” says Publisher’s Weekly in this “inspiring autobiography.” Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, is truly a modern hero with a remarkable, inspirational story to tell.

…

Kwame Alexander (A)

List Price: $19.99 (Hardcover – Soccer / Family / Love and Friendship – 2016) 

National Book Award Long List
New York Times Bestseller 

Like lightning/you strike/fast and free/legs zoom/down field/eyes fixed/on the checkered ball/on the goal/ten yards to go/can’t nobody stop you/
can’t nobody cop you…

In this follow-up to…

Indus Khamit-Kush (A) and Lon Sharpe (EDIT)

List Price: $19.95 (Paperback – African History / Origins / Contributions – 2003)

Author: Indus Khamit Kush, tells of the stolen legacy of African people referencing historical documents. Denied, was their creation of philosophy, science,…

Glory Edim (A)

List Price: $20.00 (Hardcover – Anthology / Literary Essays – 2018)

NOMINATED FOR AN NAACP IMAGE AWARD • An inspiring collection of essays by black women writers, curated by the founder of the popular book club Well-Read Black Girl, on the importance of recognizing ourselves in literature.

“Yes, Well-Read Black Girl is as good…

Outgrow your piggy bank―an intro to investing for kids ages 8 to 12

Did you know that the sooner you understand money, the sooner you can make more of it? It’s true! Investing for Kids can help make you money savvy, showing you how to earn it, how to start a savings plan, and the…

Amanda Gorman (A)

List Price: $15.99 (Hardcover – Presidential Inaugural Poem – 2021)

Amanda Gorman’s powerful and historic poem “The Hill We Climb,” read at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, is now available as a collectible gift edition.

“Stunning.” —CNN 
“Dynamic.” —NPR
“Deeply rousing and uplifting.” —Vogue

On January 20, 2021, Amanda…

A funny and affirming illustrated guide, in New Yorker cartoonist Sarah Akinterinwa’s signature style, that offers a unique approach to finding love (or not).

This illustrated dating guide by cartoonist Sarah Akinterinwa, rooted in her experiences as a Black woman in her late twenties, encourages…

Fuel smart, play hard, recover strong with the trusted nutrition guide for high school and college athletes.

Sports Nutrition for Young Adults gives you the proven playbook to eat for peak performance. Written by registered dietitian Jackie Slomin, MS, RDN―an expert in sports nutrition for teens―this book translates the latest science into simple, actionable…

Jonah Tarver, a troubled Oakland teenager grappling with his parents’ troubled marriage, his own mental disorder, and the weight of his best friend’s death, embarks on a desperate quest to find meaning in life.

On his eighteenth birthday, coinciding with his Senior prom, Jonah, along with his girlfriend Taniesha, his best friend Trevon, and…

Shanon Gibney (A) 

List Price: $16.99 (Hardcover – History/Racism  – 2019)

“Gut wrenching and incredible.”— Sabaa Tahir #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes

“This novel is a remarkable achievement.”—Kelly Barnhill, New York Times bestselling author and Newbery medalist

“Beautifully epic.”—Ibi…

Jaqueline Woodson (A) 

List Price: $17.99 (Hardcover -Teen Relationship /Bi-Racial – 2018)

A lyrical story of star-crossed love perfect for readers of The Hate U Give, by National Ambassador for Children’s Literature Jacqueline Woodson–now celebrating its twentieth anniversary, and including a new preface by the author

Jeremiah feels good inside his own skin. That is, when…

Hill Harper (A)

List Price: $16.00 (Paperback – Mentoring / Boys / Guidance and Life Skills – 2007)

Offering inspirational advice in a down-to-earth style, this unique compilation of letters provides wisdom, guidance, and heartfelt insight to help the reader chart their own path to success.

Based on the author…

Renee Watson (A)

List Price: $18.99 (Hardcover – Teen/Choices / Opportunities – 2017)

Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner New York Times bestseller”Timely and timeless.” –Jacqueline Woodson”Important and deeply moving.” –John Green Acclaimed author Renee Watson offers a powerful story about a girl striving for success in a world that too often…

Steve Sheinkin (A)

List Price: $15.99 (Paperback – Social Justice / Military / Mutiny – 2014)

An astonishing Civil Rights story from Newbery Honor winner and National Book Award finalist Steve Sheinkin.
On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion rocked the segregated Navy base at Port Chicago, California, killing more than 300…

Jabari Asim (A)

List Price: $20.00 (Paperback – Racism. / Survival – 2018)

A Finalist for the PEN / Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay

Insightful and searing essays that celebrate the vibrancy and strength of black history and culture in America by critically acclaimed writer Jabari Asim

In We Can’t Breathe, Jabari Asim…

Tanita S. Davis (A)

List Price: $12.99 (Paperback – Family / Grandmother and Granddaughters / Travel / Self – Discovery – 2011)

A Coretta Scot King Award Winner

Description: Meet Mare, a World War II veteran and a grandmother like no other. She was once a willful teenager who escaped her less than…

The saga of the Logan family–made famous in the Newbery Medal-winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry–concludes in a long-awaited and deeply fulfilling story.

In her tenth book, Mildred Taylor completes her sweeping saga about the Logan family of Mississippi, which is also the story…

Jason Reynolds (A) 

List Price: $17.99 (Hardcover – 10 Stories – 2019) 

A National Book Award Finalist!
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
An NPR Favorite Book of 2019
A New York Times Best Children’s Book of 2019
A Time Best Children’s Book of 2019
A Today Show Best Kids’ Book of 2019
A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of 2019
A School Library…

S. E. Anderson (A) and Vanessa Holley (ILT)

List Price: $16.99 (Paperback – The Black Holocaust – 2007)

Virtually anyone, anywhere knows that six million Jewish human beings were killed in the Jewish Holocaust. But how many African human beings were killed in the Black Holocaust – from the start of the European…

David Barclay Moore (A)

List Price: $17.99 (Hardcover – Community / Navigating Thru Challenges -2017)

“The right story at the right time. . . . It’s not just a narrative; it’s an experience. It’s the novel we’ve been waiting for.” —The New York Times

A boy tries to steer a safe path through the…

Is what I’m feeling normal? Is what my body is doing normal? Am I normal? How do I know what are the right choices to make? How do I know how to behave? How do I fix it when I make a mistake?

Let’s talk about it.

Growing up is complicated.

How do you find…

Gene Luen Yang (A) and (ILT)

List Price: $14.99 (Paperback – Youth – Culture / Race, Identity, Self Acceptance / Three Asian Students – 2021)

A tour-de-force by rising indy comics star Gene Yang, American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood…

Vice President Elect – Kamala Harris (A) 

List Price: $10.99 (Kamala Harris’s Memoir – 2020)

Now adapted for young readers, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’s empowering memoir about the values and inspirations that guided her life.

With her election to the vice presidency, her election to the U.S. Senate, and her position as…

Rita Williams-Garcia (A)

List Price: $5.99 (Mass Market Paperback – Family / Pregnancy – 1998)

When Gayle gets into trouble with her boyfriend, her mother sends the street-smart 14-year-old and her baby, Jose down to Georgia, to live with Uncle Luther and his family. There’s nothing to do, nowhere…

Jason Reynolds (A)

List Price: $12.99 (Paperback – Fiction / Coming of Age / Finding Strength – 2016)

A 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor book.

Just when seventeen-year-old Matt thinks he can’t handle one more piece of terrible news, he meets a girl who’s dealt with a lot more—and who just might…

Ta-Nehisi Coates (A) and Wilfredo Torres (ILT)

List Price: $16.98 (Paperback – Graphic Novel / Black Super Hero – 2017)

Where next for the Black Panther? Find out as a sensational new arc begins! Eons ago – before Black Panthers, before Wakanda, before time itself – there were only the Orishas! The pantheon…

Angela Johnson (A)

List Price: $9.99 (Paperback – Teen / Loss / Coming Of Age – 2011)

After Heaven and The First Part Last, three-time Correta Scott King Award-winning author Angela Johnson concludes her acclaimed trilogy with a poignant tale of finding where you belong and who you belong with.

Shoogy left…

Walter Dean Myers (A) and Guy A Sims (A) and Dawaud Anyabwile (ILT) 

List Price: $15.99 (Paperback – Juvenile Justice / Narrative – 1999)

A stunning graphic novel adaptation of Walter Dean Myers’s New York Times bestseller Monster.

Monster is a multi-award-winning, provocative coming-of-age story about Steve Harmon, a teenager awaiting trial for a murder and robbery.…

Farrah Gray with Fran Harris

List Price:$14.99 (Paperback / Self Help and Improvement / Teen Success Story – 2005)

A remarkable teenager who went from public assistance to a million dollar net worth shares his story and offers 9 key principles to success.

Farrah Gray is no ordinary teenager. He wears a suit…

Longlisted for the National Book Award

A tender-souled boy reeling from the death of his best friend struggles to fit into a world that wants him to grow up tough and unfeeling in this stunning illustrated middle grade novel in verse “full of vulnerability and hope” (Booklist, starred review) from the Newbery Honor–winning author of…

Brandy Colbert (A)

List Price: $17.99 (Hardcover – Coming of Age / Self Awareness – 2019) 

From Stonewall Award winner Brandy Colbert comes a novel about first love, family, and hidden secrets that will stay with you long after turning the last page.

Dove “Birdie” Randolph works hard to be the perfect daughter and follow…

Joel Christian (A and ILT) Henry Louis Gates (FRWD)

List Price: $23.95 (Paperback – Graphic Novel –  True Stories – 2014)

Strange Fruit Volume I is a collection of stories from early African American history that represent the oddity of success in the face of great adversity. Each of the nine illustrated chapters chronicles…