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notes-from-a-young-black-chef
Kwame Onwuachi, Joshua David Stein

Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir

Genre:
Autobiography and Memoir
Age Level:
YA

By the time he was twenty-seven years old, Kwame Onwuachi had opened — and closed — one of the most talked about restaurants in America. He had sold drugs in New York and been shipped off to rural Nigeria to “learn respect.” He had launched his own catering company with twenty thousand dollars made from selling candy on the subway and starred on Top Chef. Through it all, Onwuachi’s love of food and cooking remained a constant, even when, as a young chef, he was forced to grapple with just how unwelcoming the food world can be for people of color. In this memoir about the intersection of race, fame, and food, he shares the remarkable story of his culinary coming-of-age.

 

Avi

Nothing But The Truth: A Documentary Novel

Genre:
Fiction
Age Level:
YA

Phillip Malloy likes to hum as the national anthem is played over the school’s intercom system each morning, despite his teacher’s pleas to stop. Through a series of journal entries, notes, and memos, Avi documents Phillip’s rise to fame, and the consequences he endures along the way.

Young woman looking at the camera
Lisa Charleyboy, Mary Beth Leatherdale

#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women

Genre:
Poetry, Short Stories
Age Level:
YA

Whether looking back to a troubled past or welcoming a hopeful future, the powerful voices of Indigenous women across North America resound in this book. In the same style as the best-selling Dreaming in Indian, #NotYourPrincess presents an eclectic collection of poems, essays, interviews, and art that combine to express the experience of being a Native woman. Sometimes angry, often reflective, but always strong, the women in this book will give teen readers insight into the lives of women who, for so long, have been virtually invisible.

X: A Novel
Ilyasah Shabazz, Kekla Magoon

X: A Novel

Genre:
Historical Fiction
Age Level:
YA

Malcolm Little’s parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what he can tell, that’s a pack of lies—after all, his father’s been murdered, his mother’s been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school. There’s no point in trying, he figures, and lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer. But Malcolm’s efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory. Deep down, he knows that the freedom he’s found is only an illusion—and that he can’t run forever. X follows Malcolm from his childhood to his imprisonment for theft at age twenty, when he found the faith that would lead him to forge a new path and command a voice that still resonates today.

Detail of The Poet X cover featuring mixed race woman with curly hair overlaid with poetry

Novels in Verse

A new form of novel has become popular — the novel told in verse or free-form poetry. Appealing to tweens and young teens, the plots are rich and varied. Here are some of our favorites.

November Blues
Sharon Draper

November Blues

Genre:
Romance
Age Level:
YA

Sixteen-year-old November has just lost her boyfriend Josh in an unfortunate accident. She also found out that she is pregnant with his baby. While she deals with the drama in her own life, Josh’s cousin and best friend, Jericho, is also reeling from the unexpected death. Will Jericho be able to support November through the worst time in both of their lives?

Now You See Her
Jacquelyn Mitchard

Now You See Her

Age Level:
Middle Grade

From community theater, dinner theater, and commercials to auditions around the country and finally a place at a prestigious boarding school for the arts, Hope Shays makes sure nothing gets between her and the spotlight. Hope knows she’s good. She’s so convinced she’s good that she stages her own kidnapping — she’ll fool everybody and end up famous beyond her mother’s wildest dreams.

Number the Stars
Lois Lowry

Number the Stars

Genre:
Historical Fiction
Age Level:
Middle Grade

The narrator, 10-year-old Annemarie, and her family defy the Nazis as Danish Jews are gathered for transport to death camps. They help Annemarie’s best friend, Ellen Rosen, and her family escape to Sweden. The horror of World War II is mitigated by the limited view of the narrator, yet the courage of individuals shines through for a breathtaking look at this time in history.