Belated birthday wishes Angela Johnson! Born June 18, Angela Johnson is an award-winning children’s and young adult author, poet, and an 2003 McArthur Fellow. Here are just a few of the 40 books she has written since she began writing in 1989.
365 Black Books Akwaeke Emezi Saturday
Happy birthday Akwaeke Emezi! Born June 6, Akwaeke Emezi is a Nigerian fiction writer and visual artist, best known for their novels Freshwater, Pet, and the New York Times bestselling work The Death of Vivek Oji. Emezi is a generalist who writes speculative fiction, romance, memoir, and poetry for both young adults and adults with mostly LGBTQ themes.
365 Black Books Fantasy Friday
Today’s post feature a fantasy young adult author Jordan Ifueko. Jordan Ifueko is a Nigerian American writer of fantasy and young adult fiction. She is best known for her novel Raybearer, which became a New York Times bestseller, and its sequel, Redemptor. Her third novel set in the world of Raybearer, The Maid and the Crocodile, was released August 2024.
365 Black Books Wellness Wednesday for Children and Young Adults
Months ago, I featured titles for “Mindfulness Monday” Today, I am featuring some fiction titles that might help children and young adults mentally, socially, and emotionally.
Book 1: I am Enough by Grace Byers
Book 2: A Place Inside of Me by Zetta Elliott
Book 3: Stuntboy by Jason Reynolds
Book 4: We Are All Good at Smiling by Amber McBride
Book 5: The Minus-One Club by Kekla Magoon
Book 6: Break This House by Candice Iloh
365 Black Books Marilyn Nelson Sunday
Happy birthday Marilyn Nelson! Born April 26, Marilyn Nelson is an award-winning children’s and young adult poet, author, and professor. Here are just a few of her award winning books:
365 Black Books Fun Friday with a classic and some books from the 2025 BOTB booklist
Today, it’s about having fun on a Friday. Starting with:
Book 1: Water, Water a classic by Eloise Greenfield; illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist
Book 2: Soggy Like Cush Cush by Karly Pierre; illustrated by Kristen Uroda.
Book 3: Black Diamond Kings by Charles R. Smith; illustrated Adrian Brandon
Book 4: Under the Neon Lights by Arriel Vinson
365 Black Books 2025 BCALA Best of the Best Black Books (BOTB) Saturday
The 2025 BCALA BOTB has been published and is now ready to be released.
Book 1: Prek-4: Dream A Dress, Dream a Poem by Nancy Johnson James; illustrated by Diana Ejaita
Book 2: 5-8: The True Story of Vanilla by Ann Richards; illustrated by Arden Taylor
Book 3: 9-12: Nic Blake and The Remarkables: The House of Anansi by Angie Thomas
365 Black Books Rita Williams-Garcia Monday
Happy birthday Rita Williams-Garcia! Born April 13, Rita Williams-Garcia is an award winning children’s and young adult author. Her notable books include One Crazy Summer, She Persisted-Florence Griffith Joyner, and A Sitting in St. James.
365 Black Books Nnedi Okorafor Wednesday
Happy birthday Nnedi Okorafor! She celebrates her 52nd birthday today, April 8! She is the award author of several science fiction, fantasy, and Afrofuturism books. Here are just a few of her award winning titles!
365 Black Books Kinda Fun/Funny Books from the 2021 BCALA Best of the Best Black Books
These books focus on fun, humor, family, black love and joy, and other themes. Happy reading!
Book 1: Count to Love! by Andrea Davis Pinkney How many ways can you count to love? On fingers and toes, on legs and arms, with belly kisses? Award-winning Andrea Davis and Brian Pinkney bring this sweet board book read-aloud to life with joyful text and exuberant illustrations, capturing that vivacity and energy so familiar to the parents of toddlers.
Book 2: Dream Street by Tricia Elam Walker; illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Cousins take readers on a neighborhood tour and introduce them to the wonderous people who call Dream Street home.
The Swag is in the Socks by Kelly J. Baptist. Xavier is so close to being great and the Scepter League could get him there. Everyone in his family has been a part of the club and now maybe he will be a member as well. Hopefully with the addition of the socks from his uncle and the notes he’s been receiving he will find his way.
Book 4: Long Division by Kiese Laymon After City Coldson’s breakdown during a quiz contest goes viral he is sent to stay with his grandmother. There he embarks on a time bending journey and the only constant is City and a book with a mysterious author named Long Division.
The CamaraIfe Maktaba 