Black Boy Joy

Jodie Patterson, activist and Chair of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Board, shares her transgender son’s experience in this important picture book about identity and acceptance.

Discover the remarkable story of an orphaned Black boy who grew up to become the groundbreaking architect to the stars, Paul R. Williams. A stunning nonfiction picture-book biography from the Caldecott Honor–winning author and NAACP Image Award–nominated artist.

A Caldecott Honor Book! A joyous celebration of family, community, and the unifying power of music, perfect for fans of Last Stop on Market Street.

From the award-winning creators of Ice Cream Man and Good Things comes a journey through the mystical world of the Louisiana Bayou. Follow along as a young boy learns about the environment and the history of the bayou while on a boat ride with his grandpa. This stunning picture book features sidebars with fun facts and snippets of a poem woven throughout the narrative.

This touching picture book takes a look at the beautiful relationship between a Black father and son when they spend the day at a barbershop.

The author of Nigel and the Moon delivers a joyful picture book about how a Southern family gathers around a special table for year-round celebrations that highlight the importance of family, community, and coming together.

This inspiring Little Golden Book tells the story of one young boy’s first experience celebrating Juneteenth.

The author of Nigel and the Moon delivers a tender intergenerational story inspired by his childhood in the rural south. Here’s a farm stand that represents the importance of family, community, and hope.

From the Newbery Honor-winning author of Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom comes a joyful picture book set to “This Little Light of Mine.” With a unique jacket and case cover, it’s the perfect gift for all of life’s milestones.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Entrepreneur, FUBU founder, and Shark Tank fan fave Daymond John introduces kids to basic ideas about money and starting their own business in this accessible picture book!

CORETTA SCOTT KING ILLUSTRATOR HONOR AWARD WINNER
CHARLOTTE ZOLOTOW AWARD WINNER

All the highs and lows of having a bossy, protective, and loving older sibling are depicted in this heartwarming picture book by a critically acclaimed author and award-winning illustrator.

Before legendary actor James Earl Jones was recognized for his memorable, smooth voice, he was just James–a stutterer who stopped speaking for eight years as a child…and ultimately found his voice through poetry.

Model and mother to twin boys, Porsche Thomas presents this Step 2 leveled reader about sibling differences and the importance of unconditional love. Perfect for children recognizing familiar words while sounding out new ones with help.

Blast off into a sci-fi adventure in this electrifying middle grade debut starring Aku—the groundbreaking 3D character who graced the cover of TIME Magazine.

Welcome to the summer of the apocalypse. One 12-year-old boy leads the charge against the forces of evil as he tries to stop the Four Horsemen from taking over the world in the start to a wildly funny and addictive fantasy series about accepting yourself and finding your inner hero.

No one ever said saving the world would be easy. In the second installment of this thrilling fantasy series all about finding your inner hero, a 12-year-old boy leads the charge against the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Saving the world is one thing . . . saving the multiverse is another. Alex Wise returns in the third book in this thrilling fantasy series all about finding your inner hero.

THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • FIVE STARRED REVIEWS

Celebrate the joys of Black boyhood with stories from seventeen bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors—including Jason Reynolds, Jerry Craft, and Kwame Mbalia.

★ “Pick up Black Boy Joy for a heavy dose of happiness.” —Booklist, starred review

The Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning classic about a boy who decides to hit the road to find his father—from Christopher Paul Curtis, recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Cracking the code isn’t all it’s cracked up to be in this scavenger-hunt adventure from a Coretta Scott King Honor–winning author.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes a timely middle-grade road-trip story through landmarks of the Civil Rights movement and the map they lay for contemporary race relations.

Darnell Rock is not the kind of kid who volunteers to write for the newspaper—it sounds too much like homework. But this is Darnell’s last chance to pull himself together and make a positive contribution to his school.

At first, Darnell would rather be hanging out with his sister and his friends. But soon he gets interested in the Oakdale Gazette…

When an extraordinary flying theme park arrives above Atlanta, one boy must stop a sinister force from stealing the park’s tech and taking over the world. An electrifying illustrated series with the Afrofuturism of Black Panther that took the world by storm. Perfect for fans of Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

The theme park of your dreams is back in this action-packed sequel as Cam Walker and his friends take on creepy carnivals, insidious tech, and a nightmarish new enemy to save the world. An electrifying illustrated series for fans of Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

Mazes and mind games await in this epic third book about the theme park of your dreams, where Cam Walker goes head-to-head with the villains who have been after Futureland from the start. An electrifying illustrated series for fans of Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

MOVE OVER, INVESTIGATORS! HERE COMES HARPER SHARP!

Being a kid is HARD…but being a kid detective is the BEST! Join Harper, a fifth grade genius, in the start to this laugh-out-loud and action-packed middle grade graphic novel series!

A coming-of-age tale about a boy who proves that with superhero courage–and a few great sidekicks–you can take on even the toughest of odds. Adapted from a story that first appeared in Flying Lessons & Other Stories and perfect for fans of The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson.

Starting middle school is no joke! Friendship, community, and a love of words blend in this sequel to the award-winning Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero.

The host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, shares his personal story and the injustices he faced while growing up half black, half white in South Africa under and after apartheid in this New York Times bestselling young readers’ adaptation of his adult memoir.

Stand-up comedian and Hollywood box-office hit Kevin Hart keeps the laughs coming in an illustrated middle-grade novel about a boy who has big dreams of making a blockbuster superhero film. Perfect for readers of James Patterson’s Middle School series and Lincoln Peirce’s Big Nate series.

From celebrity author Kevin Hart comes the laugh-out-loud highly illustrated sequel to Marcus Makes a Movie about a young boy who has big Hollywood dreams–and the hustle to make it happen.

An ALA Notable Children’s Book from the award-winning author of Monster in which “wit, sensitivity, and insight [are combined] to create this funny, fast-paced story about three orphaned children and the Elks, a Little League baseball team” (Publishers Weekly).

FOUR STARRED REVIEWS! Twelve-year old Lawrence is new to chess–can he find a way to get on the board, even though the odds are stacked against him?

A CORETTA SCOTT KING HONOR BOOK AND THE WINNER OF THE BOSTON GLOBE HORN BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION!

Meet Caleb and Bobby Gene, two brothers embarking on a madcap, heartwarming, one-thing-leads-to-another adventure in which friendships are forged, loyalties are tested . . . and miracles just might happen.

Xavier Moon is stepping out of the shadows when his great-uncle gives him some outlandish socks and some even stranger requests. A story about heart, confidence, and standing on your own two feet that is perfect for fans of The Season of Styx Malone and The Parker Inheritance.

AN NPR BOOKS WE LOVE SELECTION!
WINNER OF THE ILA SOCIAL JUSTICE LITERATURE AWARD!

Can sixth grader Wes save his neighborhood? “This book made me want to step aside, hand over the mic, and listen to Wes. A must-read.” –Mariama J. Lockington, author of For Black Girls Like Me

From the award-winning author of Monster, this collection of powerful and poignant stories about 145th Street—an unforgettable block in the heart of Harlem—celebrates African-American life in all of its glory.

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A COSMOPOLITAN BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE YEAR

A teenager on the run from his past finds the family he never knew existed and the community he never knew he needed at an HBCU for the young, Black, and magical. Enroll in the debut of a fresh fantasy series unlike anything you’ve seen before.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In the sequel to the “unforgettable” (People), New York Times bestselling fantasy debut Blood at the Root, a Black teenager with magical powers returns to Caiman University only to find new dangers and new secrets.

Now in paperback, this young adult adaptation of the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir offers an intimate look at Barack Obama’s youth and self-discovery, which led him to a life of purpose and service. This compelling journey traces the 44th president’s odyssey through family, race, and identity.

All it takes to rewrite the rules is a little fresh ink in this remarkable YA collection from thirteen of the most recognizable diverse authors writing today including Nicola Yoon, Jason Reynolds, Melissa de la Cruz, and many more, and published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books.

By the groundbreaking author of the award-winning Monster–a visionary who influenced and inspired a generation–this fast-paced and poignant story reveals the fierce underworld of sports.

This inspiring memoir, now adapted for young adults, chronicles Top Chef star and Forbes and Zagat 30 Under 30 phenom Kwame Onwuachi’s incredible and odds-defying fame in the food world after a tough childhood in the Bronx and Nigeria.

When Lonnie Jackson leaves Harlem to take a basketball scholarship at a midwestern college, he knows he must keep his head straight and his record clean. That’s the only way he’ll have a chance of making it to the pros someday.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Long Way Down comes a powerful print adaptation of the acclaimed, award-winning audiobook Soundtrack—a stirring story of music, friendship, and finding your voice in 2000s New York City.

By the groundbreaking author of the award-winning Monster–a visionary who influenced and inspired a generation–this story take us back to the world of 145th Street: Short Stories to show how love can be found, and thrive, in the most unlikely places.