Put down the electronic devices! June is coming in hot with great books for every taste. A romance between two unlikely lovers, a travel memoir about Blacks abroad and a novel about the friendship between Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune are just a few of the things on our must-read list.
These are the books by Black authors we can’t wait to read this June.
“All the Sinners Bleed” by S.A. Cosby (June 6)
New York Times bestselling author S.A. Cosby is back with “All the Sinners Bleed,” which tells the story of Titus Crown, a former FBI agent who becomes the first Black sheriff in the history of the town of Charon County, Virginia. While investigating the case of a teacher fatally shot by a former student, Crown uncovers the crimes of a serial killer hiding in plain sight.
“You’ve Got This: Seven Steps to a Life You Love” by Dr. Michaela Dunbar (June 6)
Our anxiety and overthinking can often be the biggest obstacles to our success. But in “You’ve Got This,” Dr. Michaela Bradford, founder of Instagram’s @myeasytherapy, gives readers a guide to getting rid of self-doubt and creating a life they love.
“A Hero Like Me” by Jen Reid and Angela Joy (June 6)
“A Hero Like Me” is a beautiful picture book inspired by the moment a statue of a seventeenth-century slave trader was thrown into England’s Bristol Harbour during an anti-racism protest in 2020. The story is told through the eyes of a child who knows the statue she passes on her way to school every day doesn’t belong.
“Everything’s Fine” by Ceclia Rabess (June 6)
In “Everything’s Fine,” Jess, a Black woman, forges an unlikely friendship with one of her conservative white male coworkers at Goldman Sachs – who also happens to be one of her biggest adversaries from college. But as their friendship develops, the pair notices some romantic chemistry, leaving Jess to wonder if a relationship could work in the real world.
“Sisterhood Heals: The Transformative Power of Healing in Community” by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford (June 27)
“Sisterhood Heals” is the latest book from Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, the licensed clinical psychologist behind the award-winning podcast Therapy for Black Girls. In the book, Dr. Bradford breaks down how your past impacts your relationships with Black women and gives you the tools you need to develop positive, meaningful relationships that last.
“American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress” by Wesley Lowery (June 27)
From Pulitzer Prize winner Wesley Lowery comes “American Whitelash.” The book lays out the cycle of violence that meets every moment of racial progress, including how the recent rise in white supremacy is a direct effect of Barack Obama’s election as the first Black president of the United States.
Ibram X. Kendi, the author of “How to Be an Antiracist“ says: Whitelash is indispensable. Really. It is.”
“Invisible Son” by Kim Johnson (June 27)
Lovers of the “The Hate U Give” will want to get their hands on “Invisible Son” later this month. The story centers around Andre Jackson who is trying to rebuild his life after being arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. When the brother of his long-time crush disappears, he thinks finding him might hold the truth about his case.
“Big Girl” by Mecca Jamilah Sullivan (June 13)
Mecca Jamilah Sullivan’s brilliant debut novel, “Big Girl” is out in paperback this month. This beautiful coming of age story centers around a young girl struggling with her weight and her identity in the rapidly gentrifying Harlem of the 1990s.
“The History of a Difficult Child” by Mihret Sibhat (June 27)
Mihret Sibhat’s debut novel, “The History of a Difficult Child,” tells the story of a young Ethiopian girl growing up in the middle of the socialist revolution.
“Joy Takes Root” by Gwendolyn Wallace (June 20)
“Joy Takes Root” is a beautiful picture book that tells the story of a young girl first experience in her grandmother’s South Carolina garden. There she learns about the importance of gardening to Black people and the many wonderful uses for plants. Young children and their grandparents will love sharing this story together.
“Beyond the Shores: A History of African Americans Abroad” by Tamara J. Walker (June 20)
In “Beyond the Shores,” Tamara J. Walker tells the stories of African Americans who left the United States to escape racism. From Kenya to Paris to Uzbekistan, Walker gives readers an inside look at what life is like for Blacks abroad.
“Nightbloom” by Peace Adzo Medie (June 13)
“Nightbloom” is the latest novel from Peace Adzo Medie, the author of the Reese’s Book Club pick “His Only Wife.” When two cousins, who were once inseparable, find themselves drifting apart, it takes a crisis to help them find their way back to one another.
“The Secret Summer Promise” by Keah Brown (June 6)
In “The Secret Summer Promise,” readers meet Andrea Williams, a young woman trying to live her best life after recovering from her latest surgery for cerebral palsy. But her secret crush on her best friend Hailee is getting in the way. Can she distract herself by spending time with a cute boy instead?
“The First Ladies” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (June 27)
“The First Ladies” is a novel about the unlikely bond formed between Mary McLeod Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt over their shared passion for women’s rights and education.
“Long Gone, Come Home” by Monica Chenault-Kilgore (June 6)
In “Long Gone, Come Home” Birdie Jennings wants more than her small town can give her. And Jimmy Walker promises to help her find the excitement she’s looking for. But when he disappears shortly after they’re married, Birdie must go back to the home she fled with her two small children. That is until she witnesses a murder and is forced to leave. Can she survive the life in the big city she always wanted?
“Words of Wonder from Z to A” by Zaila Avant-Garde (June 27)
“Words of Wonder from Z to A,” is a picture book by Zaila Avant-Garde, who at 14 became the first Black American student to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2021. Little readers will love the vibrant illustrations and the inspirational words on every page.
“The Talk” by Darrin Bell (June 6)
“The Talk” is a graphic memoir from Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell. In the book, Bell recalls having “the talk” with his mother about how Black boys are perceived as dangerous by everyone from teachers to the police. As he reflects on the brutal murders of African Americans like Tamir Rice and George Floyd, he wonders if he is ready to have “the talk” with his young son.
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