(2) YA Zoboi presents seventeen short stories by an impressive collection of black children's and YA authors, including Jason Reynolds, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Justina Ireland. This collection seeks not merely to counteract society's idea of blackness but to expand it to its fullest expression. It's a celebration of identity through vibrant narratives that will accurately communicate to all young people that they are enough--just as they are.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) YA With her overprotective mother away, seventeen-year-old African American ballerina Chloe plans to drive from her home in New Jersey to an audition in DC. She runs into a roadblock when her neighbor and frenemy, Eli, blackmails her into taking him (and his dog, Geezer), along for the ride. This is an engaging, romantic story that explores dealing with relationships, loss, and having the courage to follow your heart, romantically and otherwise.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) YA With lyrics by Malik "Malik-16" Sharif. It's 1998, and hip-hop reigns supreme in the streets of Brooklyn. Unfortunately, the violence plaguing the community claims the life of Steph Davis, brother to Jazmine and best friend to Quadir and Jarrell. After discovering Steph's recordings and notebooks of his rhymes, the trio sets out to make Steph famous, posthumously. Jackson presents a fast-moving, heart-pounding homage to nineties hip-hop; Brooklyn; and the power of music, love, and friendship.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Keith Mallett. In 1900, "a girl learned a song" from her school principal, James Weldon Johnson (the poem's original author), for Lincoln's birthday. The song follows the girl's family through five generations, from the Great Migration to the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Through emotion-filled text and rich illustrations, readers derive a sense of the anthem's collective historical and cultural significance, and the deeply personal connections it carries.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(1) PS Ava and her mother spend Saturdays together, but a series of misadventures derails their perfectly planned day. Mom tries to make the best of things, repeating the refrain: "Today will be special. Today will be splendid. Today is SATURDAY!" But when even Mom reaches her limit, Ava steps up. Mora's (Thank You, Omu!) gorgeous cut-paper and collage illustrations depict a colorful, bustling city. This simple, well-crafted tale holds universal lessons for children and adults alike.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(1) K-3 Using deceptively simple, repetitive verse, an enslaved girl narrates her family's daily plantation activities over a week, every morning beginning with the bell ringing--until Thursday when her brother runs away. The author communicates the complex emotions of individuals fleeing enslavement and the aftermath for those left behind. Through lush watercolors that expertly frame and highlight the characters, the reader is drawn into scenes of tenderness, joy, terror, and despair.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) YA In this contemporary-set, time-bending love story, African American teens Jack (a high school senior) and Kate (a college freshman) meet at a party and fall in love. After Kate dies of complications from sickle cell disease, Jack begins to travel back in time over and over trying to save her. Jack is an everyday hero readers will root for as Reynolds spins this poignant, dizzying tale of love and loss.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) YA After her family is evicted (again), thirteen-year-old Genesis has to worry about a new home and school, as well as the unraveling of her family from past secrets. Teased for her dark skin and kinky hair, Genesis feels invisible, unloved, and un-pretty; her journey teaches her that beauty really is only skin deep. Williams's debut also addresses the consequences of addiction and the instability that goes along with it.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Anthony Piper. During summer 1984, seventh grader Ebony-Grace visits the father she hardly knows in Harlem. Her anxiety is exacerbated when she learns her beloved grandfather (who entertains her star-filled dreams of space travel and adventure) is in trouble back in Alabama. Zoboi's touching and (sometimes) humorous coming-of-age story highlights the importance of imagination and learning to celebrate being different. Interspersed black-and-white comic panel illustrations depict Ebony-Grace's fanciful voyages to other worlds.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(3) K-3 Fifteen wisdom sayings from around the African continent are paired with brilliant illustrations from global artists in this informative book. Each aphorism is labeled by country and includes an explanation of its meaning. The book's art is noteworthy for how the many illustrators (identified in the appendix) interpret the sayings in their own unique styles. A great way to explore wisdom traditions and figurative language.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) YA In this young adult adaptation of the bestselling adult nonfiction title, White Rage, Anderson (with Bolden) seamlessly paints a picture of American racism that is difficult to deny. Through five distinct time periods, the authors take readers on a lucid journey through eras of racial progress and the ensuing white backlash that followed each. Appended with a discussion guide. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Bryan Collier. In this companion to Trombone Shorty, Troy and his friends perform in a second line, a New Orleans musical tradition. One day, Troy is so engrossed in practicing his music that he forgets the time; he wanders his Tremé neighborhood searching for his band and finding treasures in his city's unique culture. Collier's rich, vibrant watercolor collages provide an intimate vantage point of the city.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(3) PS Illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon. In this We're Going on a Bear Hunt–esque story, a black-girl narrator invites us on an epic quest to see an alligator up close and personal. On the trip, readers encounter bayou wildlife as well as the thrill of suspense as Gator's presence looms ("Better start that motor quick!...Time's a-wastin'! Chugga Chugga. Click. Click. Click"). The exciting excursion is illustrated in bright earthy and aquatic hues.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jess X. Snow. The literal and visual boldness in both verse and illustration delivers a powerful affirmation to African American girls. Offering an antidote to common stereotypes, Browne infuses her mature poem, best suited to reading aloud, with confidence and empowerment as she points black girls in the direction of their dreams. Snow's striking illustrations convey a message of unconditional self-love that is, indeed, magical.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) PS Illustrated by Theodore, III Taylor. Upbeat second-person narration addresses an adorable African American baby in this sweet book sure to encourage the tiniest social reformers. Woke Baby's cries, crawls, and naps are encouraged and applauded in empowering words: "Here are your hands, reaching for what is yours." Woke Baby seems larger-than-life in the close-up illustrations--a nod to how even the smallest of us has the potential to make a big difference.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) YA Living amid violence is an unfortunate reality for African American twins Marvin and Tyler. After a shootout at a party, Marvin is left to deal with the heartbreaking aftermath of Tyler's disappearance and subsequent death at the hands of police. Poverty, police brutality, and gang violence are held in equal tension and intensity in this poignant story about brotherhood, friendship, death, and resilience.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) 4-6 Accomplished pianist Isabella loves both of her parents. Unfortunately, they no longer love each other, which means she divides her time between two homes and blended families. Having a black father and a white mother also has Isabella examining her biracial identity. A hate incident at school and an unexpected confrontation threaten to tear apart her already fragile world in Draper's perceptive and engaging story.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) K-3 Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. The 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike is not often covered in picture books, despite its being Dr. King's final march before his assassination. In a poignant mix of poetry and prose, fictional child Lorraine Jackson shares her family's story of resistance as she helped her sanitation-worker father fight for fair wages and safer working conditions. Christie's rich gouache paintings illustrate the honest portrayal of an intense historical moment. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Eva Campbell. A young girl relishes a visit to her ancestors' home as evocative text and lush, colorful oil and pastel illustrations bring historic Africville to life. A centuries-old Black community in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Africville was razed in the 1960s (such historical context is appended). An idyllic remembrance of a unique, self-sustaining community that thrived despite being under-served and remained connected even when dispersed by outside forces. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) PS Brown-skinned Errol dreams about a garden of his own. When he discovers the unused rooftop of his apartment building, an idea sprouts: Errol invites his fellow neighbors to join him in planting and growing a garden. While the story is told in very simple text, it's much enriched by the illustrations, which celebrate a diverse and inclusive group of people gathering to create a thriving garden--and community.

Reviewer: Monique Harris