” In this companion-in-verse, Rex captures and celebrates the powerful presence a woman he could always count on—to give him warm hugs and ear kisses, to teach him precious words in Spanish, to bring him to the library where he could take out as many books as he wanted, and to offer safety when darkness closed in. Throughout a coming of age marked by violence and dysfunction, Abuela’s red-brick house in Abilene, Texas, offered Rex the possibility of home, and Abuela herself the possibility for a better life.” — publisher […]
Genres: Non-Fiction
Bless the Blood
“When Walela is diagnosed at twenty-three with advanced stage blood cancer, they’re suddenly thrust into the unsympathetic world of tubes and pills, doctors who don’t use their correct pronouns, and hordes of “well-meaning” but patronizing people offering unsolicited advice as they navigate rocky personal relationships and share their story online.
But this experience also deepens their relationship to their ancestors, providing added support from another realm. Walela’s diagnosis becomes a catalyst for their self-realization. As they fill out forms in the insurance office in downtown Los Angeles or travel to therapy in wealthier neighborhoods, they begin to understand that cancer is where all forms of their oppression intersect: Disabled. Fat. Black. Queer. Nonbinary.” — publisher […]
Breaking the Chains: African American Slave Resistance
“Centering Black voices and the narratives of enslaved people, this illustrated young adult history offers a thoroughly researched account with first-hand testimonies of how people in bondage were themselves a driving force behind their own emancipation.
Generations of American history students have grown up believing that enslaved people accepted their lot and became attached to their enslavers, that rebellion was rare, and that liberation from slavery happened thanks to the enslavers.” – publisher […]
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Coretta: The Autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King
“This is the autobiography of Coretta Scott King—the founder of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center), the wife of Martin Luther King Jr., and a singular twentieth-century American civil and human rights activist. Learn about how a girl born in the segregated Deep South became a global leader at the forefront of the peace movement and an unforgettable champion of social change. Resilience, bravery, and joy lie at the center of this timeless story about fighting for justice against all odds.” — publisher […]
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Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava
“Life is how you look at it.” And for Black photographer Roy DeCarava, life in his neighborhood was beautiful. Follow Roy through 1940s Harlem, as he takes out his camera, pops in a roll of film, and opens his eyes to the beauty all around him. There’s a little boy drawing on the sidewalk with chalk. SNAP! A young man at the bus stop with a baby in his arms. SNAP! Kids playing in an open fire hydrant. SNAP! Looking at them all, Roy sees beauty everywhere in Harlem, and so do the people who look at his photos.”– publisher […]
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Extraordinary Magic: The Storytelling Life of Virginia Hamilton
“Through interconnected poems, this moving biography celebrates the remarkable life of the highly decorated and much beloved Virginia Hamilton. It’s a stunning tribute to a girl who dared to dream—and inspired those after her to do the same.” — publisher […]
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Freedom on the Sea: The True Story of the Civil War Hero Robert Smalls and His Daring Escape to Freedom
“This is the thrilling story of Robert Smalls and the Confederate ship that he used to liberate himself, his family, and more than a dozen others from enslavement.
On the night of May 13, 1862, as the Civil War raged on in the United States, sixteen enslaved people decided they would reach freedom or die trying. Filled to the brim with suspense, this true story details how Robert Smalls commandeered a confederate ship through the Charleston harbor toward the Union blockade and liberation.” — publisher […]
Glenn Burke, Game Changer
“An inspiring picture book biography about Los Angeles Dodger Glenn Burke, the first professional baseball player to come out as gay, and the story of how he created the high five.
As a rookie baseball player on the Los Angeles Dodgers, Glenn Burke could do it all—hit, throw, catch, score. As a teammate, he was the heart of the clubhouse; he made fellow players laugh and energized them with his enthusiasm. In fact, his habit of congratulating his teammates led Burke to invent the high five—a spontaneous overhand slap that has evolved into an international gesture of connection, unity, and support.
But despite creating such a joyful symbol, Burke wasn’t always given support in return. As a Black gay man, he faced prejudice and obstacles almost everywhere he went, putting his career at stake and making his everyday life difficult. Glenn Burke, Game Changer recognizes this hardship while celebrating how Glenn’s bravery and his now-famous handshake paved the way for others to live openly, truly, and freely.” — publisher […]
Hoop Queens 2
“Charles R. Smith Jr. brings his high-energy verse to praise a new generation of WNBA basketball stars, paired with dynamic photos of the players in action.” — publisher […]
I Heard: An American Journey
“A powerful and poetic picture book about Black history in the United States, from the shores of Africa and slavery, to the civil rights and Black Lives Matter movements.” — publisher […]