The books below are found in our high school's Learning Commons collection, as well as in Libby, the digital platform of the Scott County Library.
To see where all copies of a print book can be accessed in our schools' Learning Commons, follow these steps. Teachers may request books from other schools' Learning Commons by contacting the school's Media Assistant (Contact List).
All Involved by
At 3:15 p.m. on April 29, 1992, a jury acquitted two Los Angeles Police Department officers charged with using excessive force to subdue civilian Rodney King, and failed to reach a verdict on the same charges involving a third officer. Less than two hours later, the city of LA, a powderkeg of racial tension, exploded in violence as people took to the streets in a terrifying orgy of rioting that lasted six days. In 144 hours, sixty lives were lost.
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.
Black Enough by
Collects seventeen stories that detail what it's like to be young and black in a diverse America. "In these stories, black kids are nerds and geeks, gay and lesbian, first-gen and immigrants, outdoorsy and artists, conflicted and confused, grieving and succeeding, thriving and surviving--in short, they're fully human."
The Black Friend: on Being a Better White Person by
Chronicles the reflections of Frederick Joseph, award-winning marketing professional and writer, and other prominent African American artists, writers, and activists on their experiences with racism and white supremacy. Discusses ways for white people to be anti-racist through their behavior and knowledge.
Between the World and Me by
For Ta-Nehisi Coates, history has always been personal. At every stage of his life, he's sought in his explorations of history answers to the mysteries that surrounded him--most urgently, why he, and other black people he knew, seemed to live in fear. What were they afraid of? ... Coates takes readers along on his journey through America's history of race and its contemporary resonances through a series of awakenings.
A Good Time for the Truth by
Minnesota writers provide a range of perspectives on what it is like to live as a person of color in Minnesota. They give readers a splendid gift: the gift of touching another human being's inner reality, behind masks and veils and politeness. Minnesota communities struggle with some of the nation's worst racial disparities. This book provides an important tool to those who want to be part of closing those gaps.
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.
Dread Nation by
When the dead begin to walk again, America's future changes in an instant. Jane McKeene is being trained to be an Attendant, a woman who protects the well-to-do from zombies, but that is not the future that Jane wants for herself. Soon Jane finds herself in the middle of a dangerous conspiracy fighting for her life against some dangerous enemies.
The Fire This Time by
A collection of eighteen essays, memoir pieces, and poems addressing race in the United States and written in response to James Baldwin's 1962 "Letter to My Nephew" in which the author lamented that 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, it felt like African Americans were celebrating too soon.
Happily Ever Afters by
Aspiring romance novel writer Tessa Johnson is thrilled to be accepted into the creative writing program at well-known art school. As soon as the sixteen-year-old enters the program, however, she experiences writer's block. Her best friend suggests she get out of the conundrum by living out a real-life romance with brooding fellow artist, Nico. As she pursues the fairy tale relationship, she wonders if in the process she'll be losing real-life happiness.
The Hate U Give by
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil (who was unarmed) at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline.
How We Fight White Supremacy by
Presents the argument that Black men and women in America today are in danger of losing their hard-won civil rights in the midst of white supremacist attacks on U.S. democracy and dignity. Collects writings from prominent African American authors offering their stories of how they have fought white supremacy.
I'm Not Dying with You Tonight by
Lena has her killer style, her awesome boyfriend, and a plan. She knows she's going to make it big. Campbell, on the other hand, is just trying to keep her head down and get through the year at her new school.
When both girls attend the Friday-night football game, what neither expects is for everything to descend into sudden mass chaos. Chaos born from violence and hate. Chaos that unexpectedly throws them together.
They aren't friends. They hardly understand the other's point of view. But none of that matters when the city is up in flames, and they only have each other to rely on if they're going to survive the night.
I'm Still Here by
The author's first encounter with a racialized America came at age seven, when her parents told her they named her Austin to deceive future employers into thinking she was a white man. She grew up in majority-white schools, organizations, and churches, and has spent her life navigating America's racial divide as a writer, a speaker, and an expert helping organizations practice genuine inclusion.
Me and White Supremacy by
Provides a twenty-eight day program that asks persons of white privilege to examine racist thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in order to promote greater equality among races. Includes discussion questions, a glossary and information on how to start a book circle.
Not So Pure and Simple by
Del has had a crush on Kiera Westing since kindergarten. And now, during their junior year, she’s finally available. So when Kiera volunteers for an opportunity at their church, Del’s right behind her. Though he quickly realizes he’s inadvertently signed up for a Purity Pledge.
His dad thinks his wires are crossed, and his best friend, Qwan, doesn’t believe any girl is worth the long game. But Del’s not about to lose his dream girl, and that’s where fellow pledger Jameer comes in. He can put in the good word. In exchange, Del just has to get answers to the Pledgers’ questions…about sex ed.
With other boys circling Kiera like sharks, Del needs to make his move fast. But as he plots and plans, he neglects to ask the most important question: What does Kiera want? He can’t think about that too much, though, because once he gets the girl, it’ll all sort itself out. Right?
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."
Pride by
In this reimagining of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," teenager Zuri Benitez is deeply proud of her Afro-Latino roots in their Brooklyn neighborhood, and is disappointed as she watches Bushwick gentrify. And when the wealthy Darcy family moves in, Zuri wants nothing to do with them, especially their two teenage sons, even though her older sister, Janae, falls for the charming Ainsley. The other brother, Darius, is especially obnoxious, but her dislike shifts into understanding and even affection.
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.
A Phoenix First Must Burn by
A collection of sixteen stories of fantasy, science fiction, and magic featuring black and gender non-conforming characters.
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?
So You Want to Talk about Race by
Attempts to open an honest dialogue about race relations in America, bridging the gap between white people and people of color to explore the complexities of discussing race. Provides a frank understanding of basic questions about race some people are too afraid to ask.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by
This adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi's "Stamped from the beginning" explores the history of racist ideas in America by examining the lives of notable historical figures, from Cotton Mather and Thomas Jefferson to W.E.B. Du Bois and Angela Davis. Discusses how racist ideas spread and how they are also discredited.
The Talk by
As long as racist ideas persist, families will continue to have the difficult and necessary conversations with their young ones on the subject. In this inspiring collection, literary all-stars such as Renée Watson, Grace Lin, Meg Medina, Adam Gidwitz, and many more engage young people in frank conversations about race, identity, and self-esteem.
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.
Tyler Johnson Was Here by
African American teen Marvin Johnson and his twin Tyler witness police brutality, gangs, and drug activity in their poor neighborhood on a daily basis. One night Marvin follows Tyler to a party to keep an eye on him. While at the party, a shooting happens and the police arrive. Tyler goes missing in the chaos, and is later found dead. In the midst of Marvin's grief, a video surfaces online that shows Tyler was shot by a police officer.
When They Call You a Terrorist by
A memoir by the co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement explains the movement's position of love, humanity, and justice, challenging perspectives that have negatively labeled the movement's activists while calling for essential political changes.
When They Call You a Terrorist (Young Adult Edition) by
Patrisse Khan-Cullors’ story asks us to remember that protest in the interest of the most vulnerable comes from love. Leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement have been called terrorists, a threat to America. But in truth, they are loving women whose life experiences have led them to seek justice for those victimized by the powerful.
I Am Alfonso Jones by
The ghost of fifteen-year-old Alfonso Jones travels in a New York subway car full of the living and the dead, watching his family and friends fight for justice after he is killed by an off-duty police officer while buying a suit in a Midtown department store.
The Silence of Our Friends by
A New York Times-bestselling graphic novel based on the true story of two families—one white and one black—who find common ground as the civil rights struggle heats up in Texas.
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