The weather is getting warmer, and the days are getting longer. And yes, that could mean that you’ll spend more time out and about with friends. But it could also mean you have more hours of sunlight to enjoy a good book. And this month is full of great titles for the whole family, including children’s books, poetry collections and short stories. These are the books we can’t wait to sink our teeth into this month.
“Black Chameleon” is a memoir, but unlike any you’ve ever read before. Deborah D.E.E.P Mouton reflects on her childhood in a lyrical form that makes it just as much a poem as a reflection on the Black woman’s experience in America.
If you’re looking for a steamy love story, look no further than “Love and Other Flight Delays.” You’ll escape in this collection of sexy interconnected novellas all set in an airport.
“The Unfolding” is Arielle Estoria’s collection of poems and essays designed to help readers walk through the process of getting in touch with the person they were meant to be.
In “Lone Women” readers meet Adelaide Henry, a woman who carries a large steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. But she must keep it locked, because when the trunk opens, people around her start to disappear. This is a blend of historical fiction and horror that you won’t be able to put down.
It’s never too early to start reading to your little ones. And “The Making of Butterflies” is a great place to start. Award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi adapted Zora Neale Hurston’s folktale about how the Creator made butterflies into a beautiful story that’s perfect for bedtime.
“Jamel Shabazz: Albums” is a stunning collection of photos by Jamel Shabazz. Taken at sites around New York City between the 1970s and 1990s, Shabazz captures all that is beautiful about Black people. It makes a great coffee table book.
“I Am Debra Lee” is the highly-anticipated memoir from former CEO of BET and super glass ceiling shatterer Debra Lee. Come for the inspirational story of how a girl from the segregated South went on to head the first Black company traded on the New York Stock Exchange against all odds. Stay for all of the juicy celeb tea she shares from behind the scenes at BET.
In “Little Daymond Learns to Earn,” Shark Tank’s Daymond John teaches young readers about the basics of saving, spending and working for what you want. In the story, a young Daymond is trying to find the money to buy a t-shirt. But without enough money to cover the cost, his mother encourages him to turn something he’s good at into a business. And before long, Daymond and his friends have launched a successful business. The book even includes a simple guide to starting a business for the littlest entrepreneurs.
“There Goes the Neighborhood,” the debut YA novel from Jade Adia is a beautifully-written story about the power of girl power. The story centers around Rhea, a young girl who leads the battle against gentrification in her neighborhood. She and her two best friends will do whatever they can to fight for the place they call home.
With over 100 recipes and flavors, “Africana” is a savory celebration of African cooking from West African food writer, television personality, and cooking teacher Lerato Umah-Shaylor.
“I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know” is a children’s picture book from award-winning actor Leslie Odom Jr. and his wife, Nicolette Robinson that beautifully captures the loving bond parents feel with their children.
“Change the Game” is a graphic memoir from athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick. In the book, geared towards young readers ages 12 and up, readers get to meet a young Colin, who is being heavily recruited to play baseball. But while the scouts and his parents have high hopes for his future in the sport, Colin has other plans. Young readers will love this inspiring story about never compromising on your dreams.
“Above Ground” is a beautiful collection of poetry from the bestselling author of “How the Word is Passed.” The poems explore the ways in which your view the world changes after becoming a parent, and all that is equally beautiful and terrifying about the job.
“Eyes on the Horizon” is a memoir from activist, organizer and former Canadian football star, Balarama Holness, who The New York Times once called “the Canadian Obama.” The son of a Jamaican father and a Quebecois mother, Holness writes about his personal journey and how it led him to answer the call to fight systemic racism.
“A Broken People’s Playlist” is a compilation of short fiction from Nigerian-Irish writer Chimeka Garricks. The twelve, music-inspired stories are loosely but gracefully connected in a beautiful collection of stories about love.
“The Story of the Saxophone” is a colorful picture book that tells the origin story of the saxophone. Readers will love the beautiful illustrations based on the saxophone collection of saxophone expert Whitney Slaten and the poster of iconic jazz musicians inside the book jacket.
”Chaos & Flame” is the first book in a two-part YA fantasy series from Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland. Darling and Talon are two unlikely allies who have to stop fighting each other so they can work together to stop the force that is threatening their world. With ancient magic, warring factions and a forbidden romance, it’s got all of the ingredients for an out-of-this-world love story.
“You Never Know” is the latest work from Connie Briscoe, named one the “100 Black Novelists You Should Read” by USA Today. In her first new fiction in over a decade, Briscoe centers on a hearing-impaired woman who realizes that she’s married to a man who may not be what he seems.
“The Last Suspicious Holdout” is a new story collection by award-winning author Ladee Hubbard. They paint a picture of life in a Black community in a “sliver of southern suburbia” between 1992 and 2007.
Dr. La Verne Ford Wimberly became a viral sensation after posting selfies in her most fabulous church attire along with inspirational messages during the COVID pandemic. Even though her services were virtual, she did not stop looking her Sunday best. Now “My Sunday Best” is a collection of pearls of wisdom from this stylish octogenarian.
