February is Black History month so we decided to highlight some of our favorite black authors.
Katie:
In my house, our favorite book by a black author is Dr. Maggie’s Grand Tour of the Solar System by Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Dr. Maggie, both the author and the character, is a space scientist and has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Among her many accomplishments and awards, she has a true gift for teaching children (and adults) about space in a way that is understandable and entertaining. Her book is a delight. The book specifications say it is for ages 8+, but my 2 ½ year old daughter loves looking at the captivating illustrations and listening while I read it. If you want a book that features a smart black woman scientist role model that will help your child develop an early love of science and space, this book is the book for you.
Jessie:
Duckie:
“The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett was one of the most popular books last year, and for very good reason. It was incredibly thought-provoking not just on issues of race but on the choices we make, the lies we tell ourselves and others, the family we are born into and the family we choose. The story begins in the 1950s with twin sisters that live in the South. Their paths diverge when one of the sisters starts passing as white. The other marries a much darker-skinned man and has a child with him. The book spans several decades and depicts both the sisters’ lives as well as their children’s. Despite the incredibly heavy subject material (in addition to exploring racism it also deals with sexual, physical and emotional abuse as well as sexual identity), this book was hard to put down and so engaging. This should definitely be on everyone’s “to read” list if you haven’t already. I’ve heard really great things about Brit Bennett’s other book The Mothers and am definitely looking forward to diving into it soon.
Kellie:
Dana L. Davis is an actress and author. “Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now” was her debut book published in 2018, “The Voice In my Head” in 2019 and “Roman and Jewel” was just released in January of this year. “Roman and Jewel” is the story of Hiphop oprah retelling of “Romeo and Juliet”. Told through the eyes of Jerzie James a 16 going on 17 star in the making. This story had ups and downs, divides and reunions and [SPOILER] thankfully no young lovers suicides. Unlike the original story (“Romeo and Juliet”) Jerzie really listens and takes Aunt Carla’s advice to heart. I read a critic compare this to SMASH and, yes, they are both about getting a musical on Broadway with a star backing the show. But this book delves deeper (books get to do that) into the love and passion that a lot of people have for the music that makes Broadway what it is. Wow, I loved this book. I think it is important to represent the idea of black joy and excellence—to tell a story of triumph—and that’s exactly what this novel does. Traditionally, black narratives have centered the idea of pain and struggle. It was such a joy to read a story that centers triumph. I think it is really fun to see the inside thoughts of a person who has been in the entertainment world for 20 years like Davis has been.
Kathy: I’ve read a lot of books by black authors in the past year because I have been trying to educate myself on the issues of race and racism. Many of them were non-fiction and very educational, but the book I’m choosing is “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi. A fictional, powerful story following a family of two sisters with amazingly different backgrounds and families. This book is powerful in that it shows you the truly terrible side of the slave trade perpetrated by the different black tribes, the consequences, and yet it also shows you the triumphs of strong characters. I did not want to put this book down!! I highly recommend it. She also wrote “Transcendent Kingdom”, which I liked. Hands down though, “Homegoing” is by far the better book.