June is full of celebrations: Father’s Day, Juneteenth and Black Music Month to name a few. But a beautiful one that needs more support is LGBTQIA Pride.
There are so many amazing Black authors whose work deserves to be in schools, libraries and homes around the nation. Banning. Discrediting their work. Quietly pulling their books from shelves. It’s happening all around us. In troubling times like these, it’s even more important to stand up against hate and show love for their work.
From picture books to middle-grade, YA to adult, we have outstanding reads for everyone in the family.
If you’d like to purchase copies of any of our picks, click on the covers below.
Our mission for Generations is to raise awareness of Black children’s book creators, nurture literacy skills, foster community and show that Black books are in demand. You can help us do that by spreading the word, posting reviews of our featured books and reading.
We appreciate your support.
PICTURE BOOK
Praise:
“Bright, colorful, and reflective of modern times and many families… Wells’s story brings a community together to celebrate its uniqueness, individuality, and courage… [Perfect] for all elementary school libraries.”
―School Library Journal
“The radiant illustrations tell the story here, with Valle’s soft, blended spreads immersing readers in the celebration and spotlighting moments of connection big and small. Wells’ well-paced text… [flows] with loving declarations for every moment of the day. Proud history meets present joy again and again with the refrain “It’s Pride, baby!”… Jubilant.”
―Kirkus
“Throughout this tenderhearted tribute to unconditional love as a form of protest, Valle’s warm-toned digital illustrations convey Pride’s air of defiant celebration without losing the text’s endearing warmth of two parents’ love letter to their child.”
―Publishers Weekly
Resources:
#FirstDraftFriday with Allen Wells (holliewolverton.com)
MacKids Spotlight: Allen R. Wells – MacKids School & Library (mackidsschoolandlibrary.com)
MIDDLE-GRADE
Praise:
“Navigating sensitive topics like body image, mental health, racism, grief, and healthy relationships with a gentle hand, this moving coming-of-age story is perfect for tweens and young teens.”
― School Library Journal, starred review
“Alternating the two perspectives with verse interstitials, Lockington (For Black Girls Like Me) weaves an exploration of mental health, self-harm, and microaggressions with a love letter to music, the importance of representation, and the work of sticking up for the person one dreams of becoming.”
― Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Told in Andi’s and Zora’s alternating perspectives, the well-paced coming-of-age narrative is sprinkled with contemporary references that bolster its authenticity as it sensitively explores topics such as racism and self-harm and offers a touching portrayal of young queer love…Vivid writing and relatable characters make this a worthwhile read.”
― Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Lockington elevates what is already an insightful middle-grade romance to a moving portrayal of two girls working toward themselves and each other, carrying the weight of other people’s expectations and the pain of past traumas… An authentic look at how identity and relationships transform under shifting middle grade dynamics, this is a must-have for fans of Paula Chase and Frances O’Roark Dowell.”
― The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review
Resources:
https://lgbtqreads.com/2021/06/09/cover-reveal-in-the-key-of-us-by-mariama-j-lockington/
YOUNG ADULT
Praise:
Junior Library Guild Selection
“In a novel with exciting representation of a gay Black teen where identity isn’t the issue, readers will appreciate the realistic nuance of Andre’s frankness when talking about the White privilege Blake and his family exhibit that makes them unable to see how different and potentially dangerous time traveling is for a 17-year-old Black boy… A skillful and engrossing time-travel adventure.”
― Kirkus Reviews
“A stellar novel that today’s teens needed yesterday.”
― Booklist
“Compelling and memorable…[a] gem of a novel.”
― The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Resources:
The Horn Book | Kosoko Jackson Talks with Roger (hbook.com)
ADULT
Praise:
“Haunting and inspirational, this is both a powerful indictment of the lasting harms of bigotry and an immensely moving account of moving forward.”
― Publishers Weekly, starred review
“In Unprotected, Porter’s voice on the page aptly matches his go-for-broke vocal instrument. He holds little back, never shying from raw emotionality, but avoiding histrionics… This is not just a memoir, saints; this is a testimony. He is telling a story and he is spilling the tea and he is working through deep wounds in pursuit of a clearer path to a full experience of personhood.”
― New York Times Book Review
Resources:
‘Pose’ actor Billy Porter opens up in the new memoir ‘Unprotected’ : NPR
I’m going to read each one of these! Thanks for a great lineup!