Spring has officially sprung, and this April, great books are everywhere. From memoir to mystery, there is no shortage of titles that will make you grateful for the few extra hours of sunlight (for reading, of course).
Whether you’re looking for a new book by and old favorite or a first book by a promising new voice, we dare you not to find something you want to sink your teeth into this month. These are the books we can’t wait to read this April.
CNN anchor Zain E. Asher writes about her mother’s unwavering determination to raise four successful children as a single mother and an immigrant in London in her memoir, “Where the Children Take Us.”
“Cornrows” is Camille Yarbrough’s beautifully illustrated children’s book that celebrates the rich tradition of cornrows in Black culture.
Kids ages 3 to 5 will love reading “An Earth Song (Petite Poems),“ an illustrated adaptation of Langston Hughes’ poem that celebrates everything that is special about the arrival of spring through a child’s eyes.
Unless you spent most of 2022 under a rock, you’ve probably heard at least some of the buzz surrounding EGOT-winning Viola Davis’ memoir “Finding Me.” If you don’t already have a copy, the universe is giving you another chance to get in on the goodness, as the book drops in paperback on April 4. So much more than Davis’ personal account of her journey to becoming an award-winning actress and producer. She also lets readers in on the process she’s gone through to heal from the trauma she experienced after years of being teased and bullied by classmates for the color of her skin.
“The Making of Yolanda La Bruja” follows Yolanda, a Black Dominican teen growing up in the Bronx. When the son of a white politician shows up at her high school, she knows something isn’t quite right. And as she prepares for her initiation into her family’s bruja tradition, Yolanda begins having visions of a threat of violence. And she is left to figure out how to protect her community in a world that doesn’t listen.
“Saltwater Demands a Psalm” is a collection of poems from Detroit-based writer Kweku Abimbola rooted in Ghanaian language and spirituality. The book has already received plenty of buzz, winning an Academy of American Poets First Book Award.
“Rosewater” is the debut novel from author Live Little. The book tells the story of a young woman in London who finds comfort in a long-time friend as she deals with the pain of a struggling career and being estranged from her family.
The sophomore novel from “The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls” author Anissa Gray, “Life and Other Love Songs” is a powerful narrative that explores the realities of race, class, and generational history in the twentieth century. A husband and father leaves for work on his 37th birthday but never returns. And as the family tries to get used to life without him, dark secrets are revealed that make them realize they may have never truly known him.
“Chain-Gang All-Stars” tells the story of two stars of the Chain-Gang All-Stars, part of Criminal Action Penal Entertainment (CAPE), a popular but controversial profit-raising program in the private prison industry where the gladiators and prisoners compete for their freedom. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Just check out what author Kiese Laymon said about it. “An uncanny, singular feat of literature. I’ve never read satire so bruising, so brolic, so tender, and really, so pitch-perfect. It’s nuts brilliant. Just read it!”
“Minor Notes” is a collection of work by Black poets from the 19th and 20th centuries curated by African American literature scholars Joshua Bennett and Jesse McCarthy. The first volume in the series features the work of poets George Moses Horton, Fenton Johnson, Georgia Douglas Johnson, Henrietta Cordelia Ray, David Wadsworth Cannon Jr., Anne Spencer, and Angelina Weld Grimké.
From the author of “The Violin Conspiracy,” comes “Symphony of Secrets.” The story follows a professor who learns that a famous American composer actually stole all of his music from a young Black woman. The professor sets out to uncover the truth and make things right for history and the young woman who was wronged.
“Mermaid and Pirate” is a children’s picture book from bestselling author Tracey Baptiste. The story, geared towards readers ages 3 - 7, follows a mermaid and a pirate who don’t speak the same language but forge a friendship based on kindness and empathy.
Set in 1970s and 80s London, Bristol and Jamaica,“Fire Rush” is a novel that follows Yamaye, a young Jamaican woman who sets out on a journey to find herself after a tragedy.
“The Wishing Pool” is the first book in seven years from the horror and Afrofuturism boss Tananarive Due. It’s a collection of short stories that are just as smart as they are scary.
“In Our Shoes” is a collection of essays that shine a light on the issues Black millennial women face every day. Author Brianna Holt brilliantly tackles everything from code-switching and tone policing to the dangers of medical misinformation.
“Top Billin’” is a memoir from actor and comedian Bill Bellamy. He writes about his decision to leave the corporate world to pursue comedy and reveals some of the highlights of his career, including his interviews with stars like Tupac and Biggie for MTV and other juicy 90s celebrity gossip.
“Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy” is the latest novel by the bestselling author of “The Hate You Give,” Angie Thomas. The book is the first in a fantasy trilogy inspired by African American history and folklore. A young girl and her friends set out to find a powerful magic tool in hopes of saving her father from going to jail for a crime she firmly believes he didn’t commit.
“The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa” is a coming-of-age novel from Stephen Buoro. Narrator Andrew Aziza (‘Andy Africa’) tells his story of transitioning from adolescence to adulthood in Nigeria navigating love, family drama and adversity along the way.
“Can We Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers?” is based on a poem author Junauda Petrus wrote and performed in 2014 after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. In this stunning children’s picture book, Petrus writes about a world where police take a back seat to community-based safety and loving grandmothers who will “pick you up swiftly in their sweet ride and look at you until you catch shame and look down at your lap.”
“That Self-Same Metal” is the debut YA novel by author Brittany N. Williams. It’s a historical fantasy set in Shakespearean London which follows Joan, a craftswoman with the ability to control metal.
“Joie” is a beautiful book by tastemaker and founder of the lifestyle brand Madame de la Maison, Ajiri Aki. It’s full of stunning photographs of Aki exploring markets and restaurants around Paris along with advice on self-care and slowing down from Aki, who gives readers permission to live their best life.
In “Help is On the Way,” Kountry Wayne tells his story of overcoming adversity to find success. His hilarious Facebook sketches based on his observations of Southern Black truths made him an overnight success and one of Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch.” You definitely won’t want to miss the powerful foreword by Cedric the Entertainer.
