In James McBride's Deacon King Kong, an old church deacon known as Sportcoat shuffles into the crowded courtyard of a Brooklyn project and shoots the local drug dealer, a violent act that causes the lives of those impacted to overlap in unexpected ways. McBride is speaking with Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. author of […]
In Marisel Vera's The Taste of Sugar, a young Puerto Rican couple, their farm struggling in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War and the San Ciriaco Hurricane of 1899, is lured to the sugar plantations of Hawaii, only to discover the hollowness of America's promises. Praised by Kirkus as “a sprawling family epic that stretches […]
Walter Mosley is the recipient of the 2020 National Book Awards Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters (DCAL). Walter Mosley’s The Awkward Black Man is a collection of 17 short stories in which the heroes are awkward, nerdy, self-defeating, self-involved, and, on the whole, odd. They include a man who keeps a pet fly, […]
In international bestselling author Dean Koontz' Elsewhere, a father and his young daughter lead a quiet life in a small town, until they’re entrusted with a mysterious object that happens to have extraordinary power, a power that figures lurking in the shadows are desperate to possess. The result is a mixture of wonder, mystery, and […]
The cast of characters in Nelson George's The Darkest Hearts includes a former bodyguard turned talent manager, a rapper, his wife and his mistress, an unsavory CEO, a retired hit man, and a female vigilante. Yes, being a Black businessman these days is especially challenging. He’s discussing those and other challenges with Touré, host of […]
In A Nervous Man Shouldn't Be Here in the First Place, Amy Paige Condon tells the story of the late Bill Baggs, editor of the now-defunct Miami Daily News. Under his leadership, the paper promoted such things as desegregation and an end to the Vietnam War on its front pages, earning three Pulitzer Prizes along […]
Grace Elizabeth Hale experienced the Athens music scene in the 1980s as a student, small-business owner, and band member. In Cool Town: How Athens, Georgia, Launched Alternative Music and Changed American Culture, she serves up the inside story of an unexpected mecca of music, experimental art, DIY spirit, and progressive politics that incubated musical acts […]
Grades 7 – 12 Moderated by writer and editor Safon Floyd. In Rebel Sisters, the epic, action-packed sequel to Tochi Onyebuchi’s War Girls, the battles are over, but the fight for justice has just begun. Though they are working toward common goals of helping those who suffered, Ify and Uzo are worlds apart. But when […]
Grades 9 – 12 In the conclusion to Ngozi Ukazu’s mega-popular webcomic, Check, Please!: Sticks and Scones, Eric Bittle not only has new teammates – he has a brand new boyfriend! Bitty and Jack must navigate their new, secret, long-distance relationship, and decide how to reveal their relationship to friends and teammates. It's two full […]
Grades 5 – 9 Science educator, TV host, and New York Times bestselling author Bill Nye is on a mission to help kids understand and appreciate the science that makes our world work. Featuring a range of subjects – physics, chemistry, geology, biology, astronomy, global warming, and more – the profusely illustrated Bill Nye’s Great […]
Grades 3 – 7 Moderated by Dr. Keshia Abraham, J.E.D.I. (Justice, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion) educator. In J.C. Cervantes’ Storm Runner #3: The Shadow Crosser, Zane Obispo has been searching for the remaining godborns with a nasty demon who can sniff them out (literally). But when Zane tracks down the last kid on his list, he’s […]
Grades PreK – 3 In Natalie Portman Fables, actress, director, producer, and activist Natalie Portman retells three classic fables: “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The Three Little Pigs,” and “Country Mouse and City Mouse,” offering modern takes on timeless life lessons. Sponsored by: The Children's Trust Family Resource Guide | Romero Britto Coloring Book […]