title: Justine (BlackTop) author: LJ Alonge date: Grosset and Dunlap/Penguin; June 2106 main character: Justin Shaw ages 12-18 Justin is the first book in a trilogy written by newcomer L J Alonge. Justin is a tall, awkward 15 year-old who has more summer than money in his near future. He lives in a working class family… Read More Book Review: Justin (BlackTop series)

Joyce Carol Thomas was an internationally known African American author. While I did not have the pleasure of ever meeting her, I did know her work. Thankfully for those of us now remembering or realizing Ms. Thomas, her work is available in bookstores and libraries for us to read. The NewYork Times reported that Ms.… Read More In Memory: Joyce Carol Thomas

I’m beginning to feel like a one trick pony once again writing about When We Was Fierce. There’s just a little more to say on this front. And, this morning my head was filling with thoughts for several new posts, a possible new series and the idea that I really need to get back to… Read More Getting Down. Getting Over.

A snapshot of what’s on the horizon from authors of color or Native Americans, originally appearing in Publishers Weekly. Little, Brown has bought at auction Emily X.R. Pan‘s debut YA novel The Astonishing Color of After, plus an a second untitled standalone YA novel. In the first, a girl is convinced that her mother has transformed into a… Read More Rights Reports: July

for a complete list of this years MG/YA books by Native American and Authors of Color click here. The Last Cherry Blossom by Kathleen Burkinshaw; Sky Pony Press. (ages 11-13). Debut author. Yuriko is happy growing up in Hiroshima when it’s just her and Papa. But her aunt Kimiko and her cousin Genji are living with… Read More August Releases