Growing up, the YA (also known as Young Adult) books I read seemed to revolve around a white point of view. Until high school, I had not read many books that allowed black people to exist in a place of magic, fantasy, and delight – instead of narratives about suffering. Finally, I am starting to see more novels where black children are afforded an escape – to live in a wizarding world like Harry Potter or to fight dragons and beasts like Shadow of the Gods. I want other Black kids to be able to sit down and read a book without their harrowing history staring back at them. So, without further ado, here are 10 YA books for Black children of the diaspora.
Seasons in Hippoland by Wanjiku wa Ngugi (2021)
Goodreads Summary: Victoriana is a country ruled by an Emperor who is dying from an illness. Truth and facts are decided by him, and the elite goes along with the charade. Their children are conditioned to conform. It is a land of truthful lies, where reality has uncertain meaning. Mumbi, a rebellious child from the capital of Westville, and her brother are sent to live in rural Hippoland. But what was meant to be a punishment turns out to be a glorious discovery of the magic of the land, best captured in the stories their eccentric aunt Sara tells them. Most captivating to the children is the tale of a porcelain bowl supposed to possess healing powers. Returning to Westville as an adult, Mumbi spreads the story throughout the city and to the entire country. Exhausted by years of endless bleak lies, the people are fascinated by the mystery of the porcelain bowl. When word of its healing powers reaches the Emperor himself, he commands Mumbi to find it for him—with dramatic consequences for everyone in Victoriana.
Joy’s Take: This book is captivating and enchanting, with a narrator that moves back and forth between timelines. While some found the flip between future and past confusing, it added more depth to the story to me. You could see how Mumbi’s actions affected the people that come after her over time. The author’s descriptors and imagination is also really riveting.
American Street by Ibi Zoboi (2017)
Summary: On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie—a good life.
But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola’s mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit’s west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own.
Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream?
Joy’s Take: This book is one of my favorites. The protagonist, Fabiola, has such a distinctive voice, and her heritage and spirituality is such a central part of the story. Not only did I learn a lot about vodou, this novel changed my whole perspective on how I interact with my ancestors and those who came before me. Truly an intriguing read, could not put it down.
Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani (2018)
Goodreads Summary: Based on interviews with young women who were kidnapped by Boko Haram, this poignant novel by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani tells the timely story of one girl who was taken from her home in Nigeria and her harrowing fight for survival. Includes an afterword by award-winning journalist Viviana Mazza.
A new pair of shoes, a university degree, a husband–these are the things that a girl dreams of in a Nigerian village. And with a government scholarship right around the corner, everyone can see that these dreams aren’t too far out of reach.
But the girl’s dreams turn to nightmares when her village is attacked by Boko Haram, a terrorist group, in the middle of the night. Kidnapped, she is taken with other girls and women into the forest where she is forced to follow her captors’ radical beliefs and watch as her best friend slowly accepts everything she’s been told. Still, the girl defends her existence. As impossible as escape may seem, her life–her future–is hers to fight for.
Joy’s Take: This story is short, but emotionally poignant and exceptionally powerful. It’s based on true events, and even though the characters are fictional, it breathes life into something I didn’t know much about before. This book isn’t quite like the others on the list – it’s a little more down to earth with concepts that aren’t hard to conceptualize. However, the way that it is written makes you feel like you’re in a completely different time period – and takes you into a different world, like the other books on this list.
By: Joy Young
Memunatu Editorial Fellow
Article has been edited for clarity and brevity
