TEEN & YOUNG ADULT / GRADES 6-12

Kwame Alexander (A)

List Price: $18.99 (Hardcover – Breaking Rules and Consequences -2014)

2015 Newbery Medal Winner
2015 Coretta Scott King Honor Award Winner
New York Times Bestseller 

“With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering,“…

Zetta Elliott (A) and Shadra Strickland (ILT)

List Price: $13.95 (Paperback – Fiction / Grief and Loss / Mentoring / Art / Hope)

An urban African-American boy transcends the loss of loved ones with help from a caring elderly mentor and from the sustaining ability to create art. Bird looks back and remembers…

Nnedi Okorafor (A) 

List Price: $18.99 (Hardcover – SciFi / African Mythology and Fantasy / Warrior Sista – 2017)

The newest novel by the author of Akata Witch and the forthcoming Marvel comic book series about Shuri, Black Panther’s sister!

“The most imaginative, gripping, enchanting fantasy novels I have ever read!” —Laurie Halse Anderson, New York Times bestselling author of Speak

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Naim Akbar (A)

List Price $14.00 (Paperback – Knowledge / Self – 1998)

This exciting book lays out guidelines for establishing a genuine curriculum in self-knowledge and plainly identifies that the development of consciousness of oneself is a process that emerges from exposure to the fields of knowledge that help people to…

Leon is an ordinary kid who becomes extraordinary when he fights a supervillain to save his school!

In the city where Leon lives, superheroes — and supervillains — are commonplace. So how does an ordinary kid like Leon, who has no superpowers himself, become the superhero he wants to be? When all his…

Sean Covey (A) 

List Price: $19.99 (Paperback – Success Strategies for Teens- 2017)

From the author of the wildly popular bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens comes the go-to guide that helps teens cope with major challenges they face in their lives—now updated for today’s social media age.

In this newly revised edition, Sean…

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.

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Sharon G. Flake (A)

List Price: $10.99 (Paperback – Teen Fiction / Survival – 2006)

Sharon Flake’s authentic and original young adult novels have garnered many honors and awards, and have won her a loyal fan base of teens across the country. In this sequel to…

Zetta Elliott (A) and. Love is Wise (ILT) 

Kirkus Prize Finalist * Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year * An SLJ Best Book of the Year * A Rise: A Feminist Book Project honoree * A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year * Nautilus Silver Award Winner * Amazon August Editors’ pick

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Jason Alexander (A) and Ibrahm X. Kendi (A) 

A timely, crucial, and empowering exploration of racism–and antiracism–in America

This is NOT a history book.
This…

Hill Harper (A)

List Price: $18.00 (Paperback / Mentoring / Girls / Guidance and Life Skills – 2008)

Now more popular then ever: the New York Times bestselling book of inspirational advice and wisdom for young women from the powerhouse public speaker, star of CSI: NY, and bestselling author of Letters to a Young…

Elzabeth Acevedo (A) 

List Price: $19.99 (Hardcover – Poetry / Finding Her Voice – 2018)

National Book Award and Golden Kite Honor Award Winner!

Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her…

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…

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…

Jerry Craft (A) 

List Price: $15.99 (Paperback – 7th Grade / New School – 2019)

Winner of the Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Author Award, and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature!

Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Gene Luen Yang, New Kid is a timely, honest graphic novel about starting over at a new school…

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…

In homage to the radical power of art, Living While Black celebrates the small acts of resistance that comprise the daily lives of Black folks by presenting them in a series of vivid illustrations.

Laughing. Grieving. Being a kid. Even the purest expression of pleasure, the…

One of the most decorated and celebrated women’s basketball players of all time breaks down her ultimate recipe to success, using her own deeply inspiring journey to teach readers how to live bravely, unapologetically, and with purpose.

“Candace Parker has been a trailblazer on and off the court, inspiring us all with her resilience,…

Ben Philippe (A)

List Price: $19.99 (Hardcover – New Friendship / Fiction – 2020)

From the award-winning author of The Field Guide to the North American Teenager comes a whip-smart and layered romantic comedy. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Jenny Han. 

Henri “Halti” Haltiwanger can charm just…

Angela Johnson (A)

List Price: $10.99 (Paperback – Teen / Accident Grief and Loss – 2013)

From three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner Angela Johnson, a wrenching, honest book about surviving the unimaginable and finding a way to go on.

Scotty compares herself to tofu: no flavor unless you add something. And it’s…

Barack Obama (A)

List Price: $45.00 (Hardcover – Biography -President Barack Obama -2020)

A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making—from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy
 
In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable…

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,…

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…

 Amanda Gorman (A and Poet)

List Price: $24.99 (Hardcover – Poetry / Inaugeral Messenger – 2021)

The breakout poetry collection by #1 New York Times bestselling author and presidential inaugural poet Amanda Gorman

Formerly titled The Hill We Climb and Other Poems, the luminous poetry collection by #1 New York Times bestselling author…

Carter G. Woodson (A)

List Price: $9.95 (Paperback – Denounces Eurocentric Education / Supports Black Studies – First Pub. 1933)

The Mis-Education of the Negro is one of the most important books on education ever written. Carter G. Woodson shows us the weakness of Euro-centric based curriculums that fail to include African American…

THE ESSENTIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL SURVIVAL GUIDE

The Core Skills Every Middle Schooler Should Know to Become a Confident, Happy, and Successful Teenager.

Middle school is a pivotal time, full of new experiences and opportunities that help shape a child’s future. While these are exciting times, they can also be challenging. Middle schoolers face…

Kyle Baker ( A and ILT)  

List Price: $18.95 (Paperback – Graphic Novel – Nat Turner Story – 2008)

The fascinating and action-packed true story of an American freedom fighter, written and illustrated by Kyle Baker as a graphic novel—collecting all four issues of his critically acclaimed miniseries.

The story…

Pusch Commey (A) and Innocent Dembetembe (ILT)

List Price:  $19.99 (Paperback – African Kings and Queens – 2014)

Volume one of 100 GREAT AFRICAN KINGS AND QUEENS chronicle the amazing exploits of 10 extraordinary monarchs of the African continent. Spanning over…

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…

Ilyasah Shabazz (A) and Tiffany Jackson (A)

List Price: $17.99 (Hardcover –  The Life of A Great African American Leader – 2021)

The Awakening of Malcolm X is a powerful narrative account of the activist’s adolescent years in jail, written by his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz along with 2019 Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe award-winning…

Sharon G. Flake (A)

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

All thirteen-year-old Raspberry can think of is making money so that she and her mother never have to worry about living on the streets again. With her brassy voice and saucy attitude, 13-year-old Raspberry Hill emerges as a…

Elspeth Leacock and Susan Buckley (Adaptor), Lydia Blackmon Lowery (A) and PJ Loughran (ILT)

List Price: $11.99 (Paperback – Civil Rights Era/ Protest/ Social Justice – 2016)

A memoir of the Civil Rights Movement from one of its youngest heroes–now in paperback will an all-new discussion guide.

As the youngest marcher in the…

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…

Jerry Craft (A) 

List Price: $15.99  (Paperback – Coming of Age Friendship Story – 2020)

New York Times bestselling author Jerry Craft returns with a companion book to New Kid, winner of the 2020 Newbery Medal, the Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Kirkus Prize. This time, it’s Jordan’s…

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…

Maya Angelou(A)

(A) List Price: $17.00 (Paperback – Biography / Self Help – 2008)

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Maya Angelou shares her path to living well and with meaning in this absorbing book of personal essays. Dedicated to the daughter she never had but sees all around her, Letter to My Daughtertranscends…

Walter Dean Myers (A)

List Price: $16.95  (Hardcover – Fiction / Racial and Social Divides / Relationships / Drug Addiction – 2003)

Anthony Spoon Witherspoon, 17, leaves Harlem, and his girl, Gabi, to spend his senior year at Wallingford Academy in Connecticut, with the hope that he will get into an Ivy League…

Greg Zuckerman (A), Elijah Zuckerman (A) and Gabriel Zuckerman (A) 

List Price: $18.99 (Hardcover – Athletes Bios / Motivation – 2017)

Discover inspirational real-life stories of superstar athletes in this collection of sports biographies featuring LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Tim Howard, and more!
     
Team USA goalkeeper Tim Howard was diagnosed with Tourette…

Angela Johnson (A)

List Price: $10.99 (Paperback – Teen Pregnancy – 2010)

Description:This little thing with the perfect face and hands doing nothing but counting on me. And me wanting nothing else but to run crying into my own mom’s room and have her do the whole thing. It’s not going to happen….

…

Kwame Alexander (A)

List Price: $16.99 (Hardcover – Soccer / Family / Love and Friendship – 2018)  

From the New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander comes Rebound, a dynamic novel in verse and companion to his Newbery Award-winner, The Crossover, illustrated with striking graphic novel panels.

Before Josh and Jordan Bell were streaking up and down…

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…

A gorgeous full-color graphic historical novel, sure to become an instant classic, that explores the friendship and feud between Ida B. Wells and Frederick Douglass, offering new insights into slavery and incarceration in the United States.

Told from the perspectives of statesman and orator Frederick Douglass, and journalist and activist Ida B. Wells, Before…

Another powerful story in the Logan Family Saga and companion to Mildred D. Taylor’s Newbery Award-winning Roll of Thunder,Hear My Cry.

For David Logan, a time of distress means taking the higher road.

During a drought, the Logan family shares their well water with their neighbors, black and white alike. But David’s brother…

Frances Temple (A) 

List Price: $5.99 (Paperback – Social Political / Haitian Revolt – 2004)

Seventeen year old Do has a story: Once he was one of Titid’s boys, a vital member of Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s election team, fighting to overthrow military dictatorship in Haiti. Now he is barely alive,…

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…