Punching the Air by
Even though Amal Shahid is an artist and poet, he's still viewed as disruptive at his diverse art school. A fight breaks out between Amal and his friends and a group of white boys, leaving one of the white boys in a coma. Amal is convicted of the attack and sent to prison, even though he's not the one who put the boy in a coma. His despair and rage at having his bright future destroyed threaten to overcome him until he discovers the refuge and hope that his words and art give him.
Run by
Memoir describes Civil Rights activist and former congressman John Lewis' experiences dealing with the negative consequences of being involved in the 1960s protests, such as the ensuing violence that continued to take place against blacks, the push-back from fearmongers, and the rebellion among allies who thought change didn't come quickly enough and didn't reach far enough.
I'm Not Dying with You Tonight by
Lena and Campbell, two high school girls with different styles and social circles are thrown together when a massive fight at a football game leads to a riot as racial tension heats up. The two form an unlikely friendship and both learn about different points of view from living in different parts of the same city.
Zara Hossain Is Here by
Laying low as a Pakistani immigrant awaiting citizenship with her family has become a matter of course for Zara Hossain, 17. Having dealt with racism and suspicion from people in her Corpus Christi, Texas community her whole life, Zara has become a master at brushing aggressions aside. However, when a racial attack at school includes threats against her, Zara pursues action against the perpetrator, a popular white boy, and the fallout broadens to a racially motivated crime against her family.
The Voting Booth by
Marva Sheridan is excited to vote in her first election; Duke Crenshaw just wants to get voting over so that he can get to his band's first paying gig. When Marva sees Duke turned away from their polling place, she's determined to see his vote counted. They cut school, rush from precinct to precinct, and wait in endless lines just to get Duke registered to vote. Over the course of one day, the two strangers find they have more in common than just a passion for democracy.
The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones by
In 1955, biracial Ethan, who was raised in Washington state, is sent to live with his grandparents in Alabama for the summer. Ethan's eyes are opened to blatant racism for the first time, but also to kindness, when a young red-head named Juniper Jones befriends him and they spend the summer exploring the town and having adventures. Their friendship becomes a lifeline for Ethan when the town's ugliness turns deadly.
Black Birds in the Sky by
Chronicles the history of the Tulsa Race Massacre, which took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 1, 1921 when a white mob entered the predominantly black neighborhood of Greenwood and destroyed thirty-five blocks of houses and businesses with fire and explosives. Describes what led up to the event, the resurgence in white supremacy groups, the pervasive jealousy of black prosperity, and the devastating aftermath for the black community. Explains why so little is known about it, and how it fits into the larger struggle for civil rights and equality for black Americans.
Home Is Not a Country by
Muslim immigrant Nina feels out of place in her suburban neighborhood and school; her only friend is her neighbor Haitham. While she wonders what her life would have been like if they had stayed in their home country, Nina begins to grow distant from her mother. When Haitham is attacked in a brutal hate crime that sends him to the hospital, Nina begins to realize that instead of wishing for another life, she'll need to fight for the one she has.
Hearts Unbroken by
Louise dumps her popular, jock boyfriend after he makes some insensitive remarks about his brother's Native American fiancée without regard for the fact that she is also Native American. As a reporter for her school newspaper, she finds herself working on the story of the year alongside Joey. A story that involves racism, blackmail, and bullying centered around the cast of the school play--a cast that includes Louise's younger brother.
Anger Is a Gift by
Sixteen-year-old gay African-American student Moss Jeffries feels stuck in his run-down West Oakland High School. Still mourning the death of his father, shot by police years earlier, a violent incident at his school prompts Moss to channel his simmering anger into community activism against a corrupt authority system.
When You Look Like Us by
When you look like us—brown skin, brown eyes, black braids or fades—everyone else thinks you’re trouble. No one even blinks twice over a missing black girl from public housing because she must’ve brought whatever happened to her upon herself. I, Jay Murphy, can admit that, for a minute, I thought my sister Nicole just got caught up with her boyfriend—a drug dealer—and his friends. But she’s been gone too long. Nic, where are you?
The Lines We Cross by
Michael's parents are leaders of a new anti-immigrant political party called Aussie Values which is trying to halt the flood of refugees from the Middle East; Mina fled Afghanistan with her family ten years ago, and just wants to concentrate on fitting in and getting into college--but the mutual attraction they feel demands that they come to terms with their family's concerns and decide where they stand in the ugly anti-Muslim politics of the time.
One of the Good Ones by
When Kezi Smith loses her life after an encounter with police at a Black Lives Matter protest, her sister Happi questions the media's portrayal of a sister she was never really close to. Pressed by her older sister and other friends, Happi joins a road trip along Route 66 to commemorate the memory of her sister, stopping at historical black safe houses noted in the "Negro Motorist Green Book."
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by
In 2002, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl named Shirin starts over at yet another high school, having dealt with the prejudice and abuse that followed 9/11. She copes with the anti-Islamic animosity by turning to music and break-dancing. She meets Ocean James, who comes from a very different background, but really seems to want to get to know her. But she's had the walls up for so long, she doesn't know if she can really let him in.
Piecing Me Together by
Every day, Jade rides a bus out of her poor, black neighborhood and to a private school where she feels out of place. When she's assigned a mentor as a part of a school program, Jade doesn't think the adult she's paired with understands her at all, and she learns she has more to teach the other adults than she thought.
Kneel by
Monroe, Louisiana high school tight end Russell Boudreaux knows that football will be his only ticket out of his poverty-stricken neighborhood. He's also keenly aware of the racism that divides his town and their white rivals from Westmond. During their rival football game, a fight breaks out among Monroe's quarterback and Russell's friend Marion and white Westmond players in response to racial slurs.
If I Tell You the Truth by
After a sexual assault that leaves her pregnant, young Kiran leaves Punjab to start life over in Canada. There, her daughter Sahaara is born and grows up, but faces her own difficulties when authorities discover her mother has overstayed her visa and become undocumented. Seeking justice, Sahaara learns the truth about Kiran's past and determines to challenge a dangerous man's power.
Dear Justyce by
Incarcerated teen Quan Banks writes letters to Justyce McCallister, with whom he bonded years before over family issues, about his experiences in the American juvenile justice system.
All the Stars Denied by
When resentment surges during the Great Depression in a Texas border town, Estrella, fifteen, organizes a protest against the treatment of tejanos and soon finds herself witih her mother and baby brother in Mexico.
An Emotion of Great Delight by
In 2003, Muslim American teen Shadi is crumbling from sadness and stress, very little of which is related to the hatred she's feeling from peers at school due to the recent 9/11 attacks. Shadi's brother was killed in a car accident and the resulting stress on her family likely led to her father's heart attack and her mother's deep depression. Feeling alone and floundering, Shadi's only lifeline is her former friend's brother Ali, who becomes a source of support--and maybe something more--during this time of family and political turmoil.
