Listed Alphabetically by Authors
The Eruption of Possible: To Burst From the Limits of Environment
Written by Dr. Kevin H. Abdur-Rahman. Published May 2023. Page Publishing, Inc. $15.95 Paperback. 120 pages. 9798887936116. Adult.
In his first book, Solving the Riddle, Dr. Abdur Rahman looks at the individual case study of at-risk youth. In this book, he looks at the community of ex-offenders with lived experiences of criminal behavior and incarceration. This group is frequently silenced and overlooked by a society driven by fear. Dr. Abdur-Rahman not only proposes a solution to break the cycle of criminal thinking but also highlights a connection between those with lived experiences and the necessary strategies and methodologies for diminishing crime and gun violence. Trigger Warnings: Advocation for ex-offenders, incarceration, gun violence, criminal lifestyle, and criminal thought processes.
Akim Aliu: Dreamer
Written by Akim Aliu and Greg Anderson Elysée and illustrated by Karen de la Vega and Marcus Williams. Published May 2023. Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Press, a division of Scholastic Publishing, Inc. $24.99 Hardback. 140 pages. 9781338787603. Ages 10-14
In this graphic memoir, Ukrainian-Nigerian-Canadian hockey player Akim Aliu, better known as Dreamer, shares the challenges he endured with players, coaches, and officials from childhood to age 20 in order to succeed in the league. Told in retrospect, this novel shines a light on the African and Ukrainian immigration crisis and the depth of systemic racism throughout the world. Trigger Warnings: Racial slurs and profanity (blurred out visually), hazing, racial microaggressions, violence and blood (on-page), colorism, and emotional abuse.
Eb and Flow
Written by Kelly J. Baptist. Published March 2023. Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. $16.99 Hardback. 224 pages. 9781593429136. Ages 9-12.
When Ebony (aka “Eb”) steps on De’Kari’s (aka “Flow’s”) sneakers, Eb and Flow get a 10-day suspension.What really happened? Did Flow use the B-word? Did a fight ensue? Did Eb do it on purpose? Eb and Flow’s alternating narrative-in-verse explores the facts that they think they know, filtered through their feelings about respect, and social pressure. It’s possible they may not be the enemies they think they are. Trigger Warning: anger management, school bullying, school fighting, expulsion,
Three Shots
Written by Katy Grant. Published May 2023. West 44 Books, an imprint of Enslow Publishing. $16.35. Paperback. 191 pages. 9781978596528. Ages 13-17.
Three shots. Three lives. Three losses, including Daniel’s friend Gracie. The town is thrown into turmoil, and Daniel is drowning in unsurmountable shock and grief. As Daniel uses the lessons he learned from his therapy to pass them forward, this novel-in-verse shows the resiliency needed to overcome the emotional trauma of losing a friend. Trigger Warnings: Murder/Suicide. Guns. Death. Emotional Trauma. Grief.
Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta
Written by James Hannaham. Published August 2022. Little brown and company, a division of Hachette. $17.99 Hardback, 352 pages. 9780316285278. 17 – Up.
After being wrongfully imprisoned for a crime she witnessed but did not participate in, Carlotta Mercedes, a black Columbian formerly known as Dustin, is released on parole. Through the snarky humor of Carlotta’s narrative, the reader experiences the cruelty of the American prison system and its horrendous treatment of people who are members of marginalized communities. Trigger Warnings: Gender transformation, cursing, prison violence by security guards and inmates, racial and gender slurs, colorism.
Split Decision: Life Stories.
Written by Ice-T, Spike, and Douglas Century. Published July 2022. Gallery Books, an imprint of Gallery Publishing Group, a division of Simon and Schuster. $28.99. Hardcover. 304 pages. 9781982148775. Adult.
Told from dual perspectives, this is the first-hand account of how rapper-actor Ice T’s decision separated him from a life of crime and led to his 1980s rise to fame as a nationally recognized rapper and a successful television actor in Law & Order. However, his former crime partner, Spike, continued a life of crime as a jewel thief. This led to a thirty-five-year-to-life prison sentence. Trigger Warnings: gangbanging, gun violence, incarceration, and criminal acts,
Dreams: Visions of the Crow, Volume 1
Written by John-Kehewin, Wanda, Nicole Burton, and Kielamel Sibal. Dreams: Visions of the Crow. Published April 2023. Highwater Press. $21.95 Paperback. 80 pages. 9781774920459, ages 12-Up.
Damon’s life has never been easy. Isolated from his Native culture, with his mother’s alcoholism and daily harassment from school bullies, he isn’t sure if he can make it through his senior year. When a crow appears in his dreams and daily reality, Damon finds himself swept into an Indigenous cultural connection that can become a pathway to family and healing. This first in a series is based on the author’s true life experiences. The committee was unanimous in its selection of Dreams: Visions of the Crow as the 2024 Top Young Adult Fiction Title based on the distinct cultural perspective it provided of an Indigenous teen challenged to survive in a world void of cultural connections. The authenticity derived from the author’s experiences and relatable challenges, and symbolic elements can inspire readers as they accompany the main character’s journey of healing and self-discovery. The novel’s graphic format further enhances its appeal, making it a standout for both reluctant and motivated readers. Trigger Warnings: Loneliness, alcohol abuse, poverty, parental anger, school bullying, anti-indigenous sentiment, depression.
Invisible Son
Written by Kim Johnson. Published June 2023. Random House Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. 416 pages. 9780593482100. Ages 13-Up.
After being falsely incarcerated and released from juvenile detention in COVID-19 quarantine, wrongful accusations taint Andre’s friendships and nearly erase his existence. Written as a mystery/thriller, this novel illuminates the consequences and impact of juvenile justice on the community, youth advocacy, and social media. It also illuminates transracial adoption’s side effects. Trigger Warnings: Racism (theme), Racial slurs, Suicide mentioned, Alcohol consumption, False incarceration, Police violence.
Can We Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers?
Written by Junauda Petrus and Illustrated by Kristen Uroda. Published by October 2023. Orchard Books, an imprint of Hachette Children’s Group, a division of Hachette Book Group. $18.99 Hardback. 48 pages. 9781338715941. Ages 5-9.
Author Junauda Petrus wrote this poem in 2014, shortly after Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, MO. The poem, along with picture book artist Kristen Uroda’s wonderful drawings, is a radical call to action towards community-based policing that provides safety, compassion, accountability, humanity, and respect for all. The committee envisions this book as a catalyst for collective action, emphasizing the importance of united efforts to build a safer, more trusting, and all-inclusive community. By pooling our resources and working collaboratively, the book suggests that we can actively contribute to the creation of an ecologically sound environment that prioritizes the well-being of all its members. The call to action embedded in the narrative encourages readers to engage in initiatives that promote dignity and respect for everyone, irrespective of their race or class. Trigger Warnings: References to police aggression, school bullying, disconnected and disengaged youth
Sufferah: The Memoir of a Brixton Raggae-Head
Written by Alex Wheattle. Published July 2023. Akashic Books, Ltd. $28.95 Hardback. 248 pages. 9781636140933. Ages 16-Up.
Alex Wheattle, an internationally renowned award-winning author, shares his childhood experience in the British foster care system without any knowledge of family or his Jamaican heritage. He also includes his challenges on South London streets as a young man and his involvement in the 1981 Brixton uprising, which led to his imprisonment. Trigger Warnings: Racial slurs, domestic abuse, street violence, racism.
In the Margins Book Awards 