Sponsored by Penguin Teen.
Sixteen tales by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the Black experience through fantasy, science fiction, and magic. Evoking Beyoncé’s Lemonade for a teen audience, these authors who are truly Octavia Butler’s heirs, have woven worlds to create a stunning narrative that centers Black women and gender nonconforming individuals. Filled with stories of love and betrayal, strength and resistance, this collection contains an array of complex and true-to-life characters in which you cannot help but see yourself reflected. Witches and scientists, sisters and lovers, priestesses and rebels: the heroines of A Phoenix First Must Burn shine brightly. You will never forget them.
Hey YA Readers!
Sharifah here again! Kelly will be back soon but, in the meantime, let’s peep the latest in YA news, and topple that TBR with some of the great new books hitting shelves this week.
YA Book News
Here’s what’s up from this week’s YA news.
- In light of the spread of COVID-19, this year’s NoVa TEEN book festival has been cancelled. The YA book festival in the Northern VA/DC area will return in 2021.
- The Lambda Literary Awards Finalists have been announced. Check out the Children’s/YA category finalists, which include Wilder Girls by Rory Power and Pet by Akwaeke Emezi.
- New York City education officials announced a new book list with more inclusive titles. Students, parents and guardians, educators, and community members recommended titles for the list, which is aimed at students in kindergarten to 12th grade.
- Looking for graphic novels for teens interested in learning more about racism, climate change, and social justice? There’s a list for that.
New YA Book Releases
Look out for these books on the shelves this week.
28 Days by David Safier
Harley In The Sky by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Most Likely by Sarah Watson
The Small Crimes of Tiffany Templeton by Richard Fifield
Spindle and Dagger by J. Anderson Coats
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi
The Survivor by Bridget Tyler
The Vinyl Underground by Rob Rufus
We Are All His Creatures: Tales of PT Barnum, Greatest Showman by Deborah Noyes
When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk
This Week at Book Riot
Don’t miss the great talk over on Book Riot this week about YA, either.
- Put these March 2020 YA reads on your radar.
- We’ve rounded up some recent Asian American YA books your TBR needs.
- Do you think we need a category for College YA between YA and New Adult?
Thanks for hanging out! You can find me on Instagram at @szainabwilliams.