Celebrate and Understand with YA: Juneteenth

As summer begins for libraries everywhere, it marks a time to celebrate and understand Juneteenth. Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas were first informed of their freedom as a result of Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. Now a national day of observance , it is a perfect time to celebrate and understand Juneteenth with YA titles featuring black voices. Check out some of the Hub’s title selections that spotlight family, identity, and history which are cornerstones of Juneteenth celebrations as noted in this New York Times article.

Title Spotlight: Family

Brittney Morris’ The Cost of Knowing is a powerful story of two brothers, Alex and Isaiah, and their experiences as young Black men in America. The story highlights the power of the past, the ability of the future to overwhelm, the strength of familial bonds across generations, and the joy that is possible.

The saga of the Logan family is one that spans across generations of readers. The family’s story by Mildred D. Taylor began with Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry in 1976 and concluded with All the Days Past, All the Days to Come in 2021. Following Cassie Logan and her family, the saga is compelling and showcases how time, history, and the promise of the future can shape a family’s story that leaves an impact on the world.

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite follows the story of sisters Happi and Genny as they grapple with the death of their sister Kezi under suspicious circumstances after attending a social justice rally. As Happi and Genny go on a road trip using the original Green Book as their guide they rediscover the importance of family and sisterhood with a story interwoven with flashbacks and alternating perspectives.

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Best Fiction for Young Adults (#BFYA2022) Featured Review of A Sitting in St. James by Rita Williams-Garcia

A Sitting in St. James by Rita Williams-Garcia
HarperCollins / Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
ISBN: 978-0062367297

Louisiana, 1860: Elderly white matriarch Madame Sylvie Guilbert presides over La Petite Cottage, her family’s plantation. She is determined to sit for a portrait in spite of the financial troubles that are threatening to ruin the Guilbert family. After all, that’s what the heads of all the great families do, and Sylvie will do almost anything to project that kind of power and influence. Also caught up in Sylvie’s scheming are her son, grandson, and the enslaved people forced to work at La Petite Cottage. 

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Best Fiction for Young Adults (#BFYA2021) Nominees Round Up, August 14 Edition

Click here to see all of the current Best Fiction for Young Adults nominees along with more information about the list and past years’ selections.

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins
Publication Date: May 26, 2020
ISBN: 978-0062990297

Growing up mixed-race in London has not been easy. Michael struggles to reconcile his two cultures (Greek Cypriot and Jamacian), deal with his uninvolved father and his over-involved mother, and navigate the world as a gay teen. When he starts his first year at University, Michael discovers The Drag Society and feels he is finally living as his authentic self. He uses his drag persona, The Black Flamingo, to explore different ways to express himself.

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