African American Book Listings 2008-2009
compiled by Diane Patrick -- Publishers Weekly, 12/4/2008 8:00:00 AM
AFRICAN-AMERICAN INTEREST BOOKS 2009
Click here for Children's Listings
The following is a selected listing of African-American interest adult books, fiction and nonfiction, publishing between September 2008 and March 2009.
ABRAMS IMAGE
Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats (Oct., paper $19.95) by Nica de Koenisgwater gathers hundreds of photographs depicting the psyches and lives of legendary jazz artists.
AMBER BOOKS
Before the Legend: The Rise of New Kids on the Block and a Guy Named Maurice Starr: The Early Years: An Unauthorized Biography (Sept., paper $15) by Tony Rose chronicles the collaboration between Maurice Starr and the white teen group.
APPLAUSE
Passing Strange: The Complete Book and Lyrics of the Broadway Musical (Feb., paper, $16.95) by Stew offers the story of Youth, growing up in L.A. and traveling to Europe to find himself.
ATRIA
21 Nights (Sept., $50) by Prince, photographs by Randee St. Nicholas offers a glimpse into the artist’s dueling worlds of performance and solitude.
Before You Do: Making Great Decisions That You Won’t Forget (Sept., $25) by T.D. Jakes focuses on the topic of relationships.
The Black List (Sept., $29.95) by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Elvis Mitchell. Twenty-five prominent African-Americans offer their stories and insights on the struggles, triumphs and joys of black life in America.
In the Night of the Heat: A Tennyson Hardwick Novel (Sept., $25) by Blair Underwood, Tananarive Due, and Steven Barnes delivers the second installation in the Tennyson Hardwick series.
Midnight: A Gangster Love Story (Nov., $26.95) by Sister Souljah revisits the life of Midnight, a silent, fearless young man who uses his Islamic mind-set and African intelligence to protect the ones he loves, build a business, reclaim his wealth and status, and remain true to his beliefs.
Accountable: Making the Covenant Real (Jan., $19.95) by Tavis Smiley explores how citizens can hold their leaders and themselves accountable.
Through It All: Reflections on My Life, My Family, and My Faith (Jan., $25) by Christine King Farris. The only sister of Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. offers an intimate portrait of the King family.
BACKBEAT
I Want to Take You Higher: The Life and Times of Sly and the Family Stone (Oct., $24.95) by Jeff Kaliss, foreword by Sly Stone offers an in-depth biography of the reclusive musician.
The Ultimate Hendrix: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Live Concerts and Sessions (Feb., paper $34.95) by John McDermott, Eddie Kramer and Billy Cox chronicles each of Jimi’s revolutionary recording sessions.
BANTAM DELL
Best African American Essays: 2009 (Jan., paper $16) edited by Gerald Early and Debra J. Dickerson showcases a range and variety of essays that have appeared in publications of all types.
Best African American Fiction: 2009 (Jan., paper $16) edited by Gerald Early and E. Lynn Harris launches a new annual series of fiction by and about African-Americans.
BASIC CIVITAS
The Right Mistake: The Further Philosophical Investigations of Socrates Fortlow, A Novel (Oct., $23) by Walter Mosley brings back, after a ten-year absence, the ex-convict turned street philosopher.
The Hip Hop Wars: What We Talk About When We Talk About Hip Hop: And Why It Matters (Dec., paper $15.95) explains why the music matters and why the battles surrounding it are so fierce.
Triangular Road: A Memoir (Mar., $23) by Paule Marshall chronicles the acclaimed novelist’s coming of age as a writer.
BEACON PRESS
Language is a Place of Struggle: Great Quotes by People of Color (Oct., $19.95) edited by Tram Nguyen gathers mulitracial quotations of wisdom, wit and inspiration.
BROADWAY
Ghettonation: Dispatches from America’s Culture War (Sept., paper $14) by Cora Daniels examines the impact of “ghetto” mores, attitudes and lifestyles on urban communities and American culture in general.
Get Yours: How to Have Everything You Ever Dreamed of and More (Oct., paper $12.95) by Amy DuBois Barnett uses anecdotes, celebrity interviews, quizzes and tips to show how to get more from work, love and life.
The Love Child’s Revenge (Oct., paper $12.95) by Nicole Bailey Williams follows a woman who schemes to pay back the family who harmed her as a child.
My Organic Soul: From Plato to Creflo, Emerson to MLK, Jesus to Jay-Z: A Journal to Help You Discover Words of Wisdom from Visionaries Past and Present (Nov., $16) by Jacqueline Rhinehart provides a guide to self-discovery for the Hip-Hop generation.
It’s All Love: Black Writers on Soul Mates, Family and Friends (Jan., paper $16.95) looks at black love in poetry, fiction and nonfiction from an international array of authors.
The Power of the Ten: How to Embrace the Commandments, Handle Stress, and Achieve Success (Jan., paper $12.95) by Arlene Churn exhorts African-Americans to rely on God’s commandments to combat the effects of materialism, overwork and negative media images.
The Ties That Bind: A Memoir of Race, Memory, and Redemption (Feb., $23.95) by Bertice Berry explores her family’s history from slavery to the present day.
COLLINS
Something Like Beautiful: One Single Mother’s Story (Jan., $23.95) by asha bandele chronicles her experience of single motherhood, from the heartbreaking lows to a vision of a better future.
DA CAPO
Pow-Wow: American Short Fiction from Then to Now (Feb., $28; paper, $18) edited by Ishmael Reed with Carla Blank celebrates the literary achievements of American authors, highlighting legendary African-Americans.
The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success, and Betrayal (Mar., $24.95) by Mark Ribowsky draws on intimate recollections to deliver the story of the successful female vocal group.
Vegan Soul Kitchen: A New and Healthy Way to Cook African American and Southern Fare (Mar., paper $18.95) by Bryant Terry reinvents the traditional cuisine without the use of animal products.
DAFINA
A Rich Man’s Baby (Sept., paper $15) by Daaimah S. Poole weaves a tale of two women who believe that the fastest way out of debt is to have a rich man’s baby.
Drama High: Courtin’ Jayd (Sept., paper $9.95) by L. Divine follows the adventures of a young sister who learns that life in the ’hood is nothing compared to life in high school.
She Had It Coming (Sept., $24) by Mary Monroe. A woman searches for love in a world where secrets don’t always stay hidden.
His First Wife (Oct., paper $15) by Grace Octavia features characters who face the ups and downs of married life.
If I Was Your Girl (Oct., paper $15) by Ni-Ni Simone. Urban teens struggle to balance family, school and relationship in the ’hood.
The Narrows (Nov., paper $15) by Ann Petry repackages and reissues the 1953 classic.
The Ancestors (Dec., paper $14) by L.A. Banks, Tananarive Due and Brandon Massey delivers three novellas exploring ghosts and hauntings using African and African-American ancestral myths, beliefs and cultures.
A Preacher’s Passion (Jan., paper $14) by Lutishia Lovely delves into the scandalous exploits of church folks in the Kingdom Citizens’ congregation.
More Than He Can Handle (Feb., paper $6.99) by Cheris Hodges. A one-night stand between a maid of honor and a sexy best man surprises them both when it turns into something more.
Up to No Good (Feb., $24) by Carl Weber introduces a dysfunctional family dealing with intrigue, sex and fun-filled surprises.
Body By Night (Mar., paper $6.99) by Zuri Day follows one woman’s quest to control her life while experiencing an undeniable attraction.
The Company We Keep (Mar., paper $15) by Mary Monroe. Record company executive Teri Stewart tries to find love.
Step to This (Mar., paper $9.95) by Nikki Carter introduces smart and witty Gia, who marches to her own beat as she navigates the tricky halls of high school.
DIAL PRESS
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (Jan., paper $13) by Ernest J. Gaines. The first paperback publication of the classic novel of one woman’s courageous battle for freedom.
DUTTON
Dying for Revenge (Nov., $25.95) by Eric Jerome Dickey marks the return of Gideon, a contract killer with a troubled past and even more troubled present.
FARRAR, STRAUS & GIROUX
I Heard God Talking to Me: William Edmondson and His Stone Carvings (Feb., $17.95) looks at the life and work of the first African-American to have a solo show at NYC’s Museum of Modern Art.
GOTHAM
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English (Oct., $22.50) by John McWhorter explains the quirks, quandaries and controversies relating to the development of the language.
Tiki Barber’s Pure Hard Workout (Nov., $13) by Tiki Barber and Joe Carini provides step-by-step instructions for achieving optimal physical performance through precise, hardcore strength training.
The Hardest Working Man: How James Brown Saved the Soul of America (Nov., $25) by James Sullivan delivers the story of James Brown’s historic 1968 Boston Garden performance.
There’s No Traffic on the Extra Mile: Lessons on the Road from Dreams to Destiny (Jan., $25) by Rickey Minor provides insight on what it takes to get to the top of any industry.
GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING
Gunmetal Black (Sept., paper $14.99) by Daniel Serrano blends urban lit with classic noir.
Sinful Too (Oct., paper $14.99) by Victor McGlothin. Ms. Dior returns to try to win the heart of a conservative, married pastor.
Erotic City (Nov., paper $13.99) by Pynk takes a ride through the liberated streets of Atlanta as seen by club owner Milan Kennedy.
Forever My Lady (Nov., paper $6.99) by Jeff Rivera serves up a Latino coming-of-age urban love story.
The Bishop’s Daughter (Jan., $13.99) by Tiffany L. Warren follows a journalist who falls in love with the daughter of a preacher he suspects of fraud.
We Take This Man (Jan., paper $14.99) by Candice Dow and Daaimah S. Poole. A love triangle heats up.
God Only Knows (Mar., paper $13.99) by Xavier Knight. A woman returns home and must confront painful demons from her past.
Single Husbands (Mar., $19.99) by Honey B looks at the lives of three men who marry for all the wrong reasons.
GRAND CENTRAL/WELLNESS CENTRAL
Brain Surgeon: A Doctor’s Inspiring Encounters with Mortality and Miracles (Mar., $26.99) by Keith Black uses patient stories to illustrate both the brain’s inner workings and the techniques he uses to extend lives.
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Capitol Men: The Epic Story of Reconstruction through the Lives of the First Black Congressmen (Sept., $30) by Philip Dray shines a light on America’s first black Congressmen who served during Reconstruction.
KENSINGTON/SOULS OF MY SISTERS
It Happened in Church (Sept., paper $24) by Patti Webster gathers true and funny accounts from church.
He’s Gone You’re Back (Jan., paper $12.95) by Kerika Fields helps women get over the end of a relationship and learn to laugh and love again.
LSU PRESS
Emancipating New York: The Politics of Slavery and Freedom, 1777-1827 (Sept., $45; paper, $22.95) by David N. Gellman studies of the abolition of slavery in New York State.
W.W. NORTON
The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family (Sept., $35) by Annette Gordon-Reed plumbs the depth of the family in which blacks and whites were tied by the bonds of blood, coercion and sometimes even affection.
Kenya: A Country in the Making 1880-1940 (Sept., $50) by Nigel Pavitt discovers, restores and annotates photographs of the country from family collections and scrapbooks.
Carolina Clay: The Life and Legend of the Slave Potter Dave (Oct., $25.95) by Leonard Todd reveals that the talented slave potter was owned by the author’s ancestors.
Delta Blues (Oct., $27.95) by Ted Gioia shares research and insights on the blues music of the Mississippi Delta.
Someone Knows My Name (Nov., paper $14.95) by Lawrence Hill. An 18th-century woman strives to secure her freedom and the freedom of her people, whatever the cost.
The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of American’s Favorite Planet (Jan., $23.95) by Neil deGrasse Tyson explores the history of planet classification and America’s obsession with the former planet.
More Than Just Race: Being Black and Poor in the Inner City (Mar., $24.95) by William Julius Wilson offers a new framework for understanding racial inequality, challenging both conservative and liberal dogma.
Sonata Mulattica: Poems (Mar., $24.95) by Rita Dove recreates, through a lyric narrative, the life of a 19th-century virtuoso violinist.
OXFORD UNIV. PRESS
Abraham Lincoln: A Presidential Life (Feb., $14.95) by James McPherson offers a compact biography marking the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth.
Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present: From the Age of Segregation to the Twenty-First Century (Feb., $495) edited by Paul Finkelman. A five-volume set containing 1200 cross-referenced entries signed by leading scholars and experts.
Mrs. Dred Scott (Feb., $29.95) by Lea Vander Velde offers insights into the reasons and ways slaves used the courts to establish their freedom.
POCKET/KAREN HUNTER
Recipes for the Good Life (Nov., $25) by Patti LaBelle serves up personal anecdotes, helpful hints and recipes.
The Children of Children Keep Coming: An Epic Griotsong (Jan., $19.99) by Russell L. Goings features poetry, songs and prayers raising the cry for freedom and justice.
RUNNING PRESS
He Talk Like a White Boy: Reflections of a Conservative Black Man on Faith, Family, Politics and Authenticity (Jan., paper $14.95) updates and revised the 2006 edition.
SIMON & SCHUSTER
The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood (Sept., $25) by Helene Cooper tells the story of the author’s privileged Liberian childhood torn apart by civil war and exile.
The Million Dollar Deception (Sept., $24) by RM Johnson offers a tale of the devious machinations of the rich and powerful.
Pecking Order: A Novel (Sept., $24) by Omar Tyree. The author’s final urban novel chronicling the rise of a frustrated accountant who seeks his fortune in the world of celebrity party promotions.
ST. MARTIN’S PRESS
It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop (Sept., $25.95) by M.K. Asante, Jr. explores ways to redefine the post hip-hop generation.
The 4 Day Diet (Dec., $24.95) by Ian K. Smith delivers a program that retrains the brain to diet naturally.
War Child (Feb., $24.95) by Emmanuel Jal chronicles his horrific experiences as a child soldier in war-torn Sudan.
Picking Cotton (Mar., $25.95) by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton. A rape victim and the man she wrongly accused of the crime share how the wrongful accusation changed both their lives.
That Devil’s No Friend of Mine (Mar., $23.95) by J.D. Mason. The death of Bishop Fontaine unravels the deep secrets and desires of five very different people.
ST. MARTIN’S GRIFFIN
Gutter (Sept., paper $14.95) by K’wan. A novel of a bloody gang retaliation on the streets of Harlem.
Single with Benefits (Oct., paper $14.98) by Relentless Aaron follows two couples who make choices that can only result in mayhem.
Hot Girl (Nov., paper $9.95) by Dream Jordon. Fourteen-year-old Kate must decide between doing well in school and being tempted by influences from her tough-girl past.
Wicked Ways (Dec., paper $13.95) by Donna Hill. Female partners in crime are not about to allow one of them be tempted to put her past behind her.
Better on Top (Jan., paper $13.95) by Delilah Dawson. A single mother helping her girlfriend find love online discovers she’s been chatting with her sexy landlord and neighbor.
Lovers & Liars (Mar., paper $13.95) by Teri Denine. A former R&B superstar flees from the glamorous life and a wrathful husband, only to find that her passion for the stage will not die.
Naughty (Mar., paper $14.95) by Velvet looks at the private lives of the seemingly ordinary women who join the Black Door adult entertainment club.
STREBOR
Street Judge (Sept., $24) by Judge Greg Mathis. A newly appointed judge is caught up in a gritty case involving a brutally murdered woman and a blackmail scheme.
SUNY PRESS
New York and Slavery: Time to Teach the Truth (Sept., paper $16.95) by Alan Singer introduces readers to the truth about the history of slavery in New York State.
Southern Life, Northern City: A History of Albany's Rapp Road Community (Oct., $25) by Jennifer Lemak follows an African-American community that migrated from the Deep South to Albany, New York, in the 1930s.
Black Soldiers of New York State: A Proud Legacy (Jan., paper $14.95) by Anthony Gero reveals the largely untold heroic saga of New York State’s African American soldiers.
TOR/FORGE
Revenge (Jan., $24.95) by Hugh Holton. Cop protagonist Larry Cole returns armed and ready for one last crack at fighting crime in Chicago’s seedy underbelly.
Thin Black Line (Jan., $25.95) by Hugh Holton. Posthumous publication of Holton’s only nonfiction work, featuring the stories and experiences of African-American law enforcement officers from major urban areas.
TOUCHSTONE
The Black Girl Next Door: A Memoir (Jan., $25) by Jennifer Baszile recalls the author’s coming of age as a black girl in the 1970s and 1980s in an exclusive white California suburb.
The Hood Life: A Bentley Manor Tale (Jan., paper $14) by Meesha Mink and De’nesha Diamond. A pimp, a killer, a playa and a drug dealer struggle to get their game right.
What Doesn’t Kill You: A Novel (Jan., $24.95) by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant follows a forty-something woman who loses her job but finds herself along the way.
ANGELA VAN WRIGHT/MISSION ENFANCE
In the Kitchen With Stars (Oct., $55) combines art and recipes, in English, French and Italian, from international personages.
VIKING
City Kid: A Memoir (Mar., $25) by Nelson George illuminates how the pain of life can be turned into thoughtful books and cinema.
VISIBLE INK PRESS
Freedom Facts and Firsts: 400 Years of the African American Civil Rights Experience (Jan., $24.95) by Jessie Carney Smith and Linda T. Wynn tells the inspiring stories of those who shaped the history of the black struggle for freedom.
WILEY
The Equation: Applying the 4 Indisputable Components of Business Success (Jan., $24.95) by Omar Tyree offers a formula for success through creating a personal and corporate culture driven by passion.
African-American Interest Children’s Books 2009
The following is a list of African-American interest children’s books, fiction and nonfiction being published between September 2008 and March 2009.
ABRAMS
Traveling the Freedom Road: From Slavery and the Civil War Through Reconstruction (Feb., $24.95) by Linda Barrett Osborne offers an overview of the antebellum South, the Civil War and Reconstruction.
AMISTAD
Beacon Hills High (Sept., paper $9.95) by Mo’Nique Jackson offers a girl’s coming-of-age story, with 21st-century challenges.
Let’s Talk About Race (Jan., paper $6.99) by Julius Lester, illus. by Karen Barbour is a reprint of this picture book about race and the commonalities that exist under the skin.
CANDLEWICK
Chameleon (Sept., $16.99) by Charles R. Smith Jr. evokes the bittersweet summer of transition for an inner-city Los Angeles teen.
Dance with Me (Sept., $8.99) by Charles R. Smith Jr., illus. by Noah Z. Jones. Two kids bopping down the street get the whole town moving.
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: Volume II (Oct., $22.99) by M.T. Anderson continues the young slave Octavian’s experiences as the Revolutionary War explodes around him, tantalizing him with visions of liberty.
CHRONICLE
When Louis Armstrong Taught Me Scat (Feb., $16.99) by Muriel Harris Weinstein, illus. by R. Gregory Christie. In a dream, a girl learns to scat from the master himself.
CLARION
Kitchen Dance (Oct., $16) by Maurie Manning. A loving Hispanic family comes together for an unexpected nighttime dance.
Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis (Jan., $16) by Robbin Gourley celebrates the country childhood of the pioneering and award-winning chef.
Nikki and Deja: Birthday Blues (Jan., $15) by Karen English, illus. by Laura Freeman, captures the complexities and joys of elementary school girls’ friendships as they plan a birthday party.
DELACORTE
Hollywood & Maine (Jan., $15.99) by Allison Whittenburg. Tenth-grader Charmaine experiences both her first romance and the dream of becoming a Hollywood celebrity.
DISNEY
The Negro Speaks of Rivers (Jan., $16.99) by Langston Hughes, illus. by E.B. Lewis. Hughes’s 1926 signature poem, which portrays the strength and courage of black people in America.
DISNEY-HYPERION
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s American Heroes: Robert Smalls, The Boat Thief (Sept., $16.99) by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., illus. by Patrick Faricy, recounts the story of a 24-year-old slave who masterminded the theft of one of the Confederacy’s most crucial gunships.
Abe’s Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln (Nov., $16.99) by Doreen Rappaport, illus. by Kadir Nelson, paints a portrait of the American president.
DISNEY-JUMP AT THE SUN
Sugar Plum Ballerinas, Book #1: Plum Fantastic (Oct., $14.99) by Whoopi Goldberg, illus. by Maryn Roos. A terrible dancer with stage fright is chosen to be the Sugar Plum Fairy in the school ballet recital.
FARRAR, STRAUS AND GIROUX/KROUPA
Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice (Feb., $19.95) by Phillip Hoose tells the life of an important but little-known figure in the civil rights movement, based on interviews with Colvin and others.
FEIWEL AND FRIENDS
Yes We Can: A Biography of President Barack Obama by Garen Thomas (Jan., paper $6.99) is an updated edition of Thomas’s 2008 biography of Obama, with added material about the campaign and election.
HARPERCOLLINS
Barack (Oct., $17.99) by Jonah Winter, illus. by AG Ford. A picture-book biography about the inspirational political figure, Barack Obama.
Boycott Blues (Oct., $16.99) by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illus. by Brian Pinkney, tells the story of the bus boycott in Montgomery, Ala.
Guardian (Nov., $16.99) by Julius Lester. In the Deep South in 1946, a white adolescent boy and his father witness the lynching of a black man and don’t speak up even though they know the man is innocent.
Doo-Wop Pop (Nov., $16.99) by Roni Schotter, illus. by Bryan Collier. Five shy kids find a common language in their newly discovered love of music.
Ida B. Wells (Nov., $16.99) by Walter Dean Myers, illus. by Bonnie Christensen, blends the life of the pioneer, activist, and journalist with historically detailed watercolors.
Burn My Heart (Jan., $15.99) by Beverly Naidoo. Two boys—one white, one black—struggle to understand their uneasy friendship during the turbulent years of the Mau Mau Rebellion in 1950s Kenya.
Dope Sick (Feb., $16.99) by Walter Dean Myers spins a harrowing urban tale of recreational drug use, violence, perceptions of reality, and second chances.
Jumped (Mar., $16.99) by Rita Williams-Garcia. A gritty novel about bullying and its consequences.
HOLT BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
Lincoln and Douglass: An American Friendship (Oct., $16.95) by Nikki Giovanni, illus. by Bryan Collier, looks at the relationship between the two statesmen who formed a bond over shared ideals and a common goal of equality.
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Most Loved in All the World (Jan., $17) by Tonya Cherie Hegamin, illus. by Cozbi Cabrera, tells how a handmade quilt helps a slave girl whose mother is a secret agent on the Underground Railroad.
Open the Door to Liberty (Jan., $18) by Anne Rockwell, illus. by R. Gregory Christie, tells the story of the revolution leader Toussaint L'Ouverture of St. Domingue, now known as Haiti, who led his island’s slaves into a revolution for freedom.
JUDSON PRESS
Profiles in Black: Phat Facts for Teens (Dec., $22) by Marvin A. McMickle provides a youthful history of black America, highlighting the names and events that have forged black experience in the 21st century.
KENSINGTON/MARIMBA
Clothes I Love to Wear (Sept., paper $3.99) by Cheryl Hudson, illus. by Laura Freeman. A vivacious girl enters a world of her imagination when she tries on clothing she finds in an attic closet.
Places I Love to Go (Sept., paper $3.99) by Wade Hudson, illus. by Laura Freeman, shares the excitement of visits to special places.
It’s Church Going Time (Oct., $16.95) by Wade Hudson, illus. by Peter Ambush, captures the importance of the worship experience.
Puddin’, Jeffrey and Leah (Oct., $6.95) by Wade Hudson, illus. by Nancy Devard, follows three adventurous preschoolers: one white, one black and one Hispanic.
From Where I Stand: In the City (Nov., paper $6.99) by Cheryl Hudson, illus. by Nancy Devard, explores the world from the point of view of a child.
Prayers for the Smallest Hands (Nov., $6.95) by Lauriece Hudson, photos by Stephan J. Hudson, focuses on subjects that youngsters from a variety of ethnic groups can identify with.
Sights I Love to See (Jan, $3.99) by Cheryl Hudson, illus. by Laura Freeman, follows engaging children as they enjoy their favorite sights.
Marvelous Martin: The Case of the Freckled Bully (Feb., $4.99) by Vincent Alexandria, illus. by David Graves, follows kid detective Martin as he tries to find out who stole a boy’s bike.
Block Party (Mar., paper $6.95) by Karen Valentin, illus. by Michelle Dorencamp. A neighborhood’s traditional summer block party, through the eyes of an Hispanic girl named Allie.
What Did Abuela Say? (Mar., paper $6.95) by Karen Valentin, illus. by Michelle Dorencamp. English-speaking Allie, frustrated when her grandmother tells a joke in Spanish, ends up learning about her relatives and her grandmother’s culture.
KNOPF
I’m Your Peanut Butter Big Brother (Sept., $16.99) by Selina Alko. A big brother uses his imagination to wonder what his new sibling will look like.
PENGUIN/DUTTON
Ron’s Big Mission (Jan., $16.99) by Corinne Naden and Rose Blue, illustrated by Don Tate, is a picture book about the childhood of Ron McNair, who would become a scientist and astronaut on the Challenger.
PENGUIN/PUTNAM
Peace, Locomotion (Jan., $15.99) by Jacqueline Woodson. Letters from Lonnie to his sister Lily, from whom he has been separated by the foster care system.
I Want to Be Free (Jan., $16.99) by Joseph Slate, illus. by E.B. Lewis. Based on a Buddhist story, this is the story of a runaway slave who rescues an orphaned slave child.
Flygirl (Jan., $16.99) by Sherri L. Smith. During WWII, Ida Mae is barred from joining because the Woman’s Airforce Service Pilots she is black.
The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had (Jan., $16.99) by Kristin Levine is about the friendship between a white farm boy and an African-American city girl, which disrupts their rural Alabama town.
POCKET BOOKS
Fair Weather Friends (Sept., paper $9.95) by ReShonda Tate Billingsley. The Good Girlz deal with sororities, questions on friendship and racism.
India (Oct., paper $9.95) by Victoria Christopher Murray follows four African-American teen girls who form their own singing group.
Trouble in My Way (Nov., $9.95) by Michelle Stimpson offers a sassy, heartwarming story about a teenage girl becoming a woman.
Friends ’Til the End (Feb., paper $9.99) by ReShonda Tate Billingsley. Everything is working out for The Good Girlz, until an unexpected tragedy throws everyone for a loop.
Veronique (Mar., $9.99) by Victoria Christopher Murray continues the series of four African-American teen girls who form their own singing group.
RANDOM HOUSE
Stitchin’ and Pullin’: A Gee’s Bend Quilt (Oct., $17.99) by Patricia McKissack, illus. by Cozbi A. Cabrera. When Baby Girl is called to quilt, she gets her chance to puzzle her quilt together and tell the story of her family.
RANDOM HOUSE/SCHWARTZ & WADE
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem (Sept., $17.99) by Maya Angelou, illus. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. A family joins with their diverse community to celebrate the holidays.
RUNNING PRESS
Say a Little Prayer (Sept., $17.95) by Dionne Warwick, David Freeman Wooley and Tonya Bolden, illus by Soud, encourages kids to find their best talent and embrace it, just as she did.
SCHOLASTIC
March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World (Sept., $17.99) by Christine King Farris, illus. by London Ladd, offers a sister’s personal account of the day the “I Have A Dream” speech was delivered.
Pemba’s Song: A Ghost Story (Sept., $16.99) by Marilyn Nelson and Tonya C. Hegamin. Pemba is visited and transformed by an apparition of Phyllys, an 18th-century slave girl.
Ruby and the Booker Boys #3: The Slumber Party Payback (Oct., paper $4.99) by Derrick Barnes. Ruby and her crew pay her brother back for his pranks during her slumber party.
Amiri and Odette: A Love Story (Jan., $17.99) by Walter Dean Myers, illus. by Javaka Steptoe. Part poem, part love story, part rap and rhapsody, this book celebrates two hearts that beat together on the mean streets.
Ruby and the Booker Boys #4: Ruby Flips for Attention (Jan., paper $4.99) by Derrick Barnes. Ruby and her crew plan to be the best cheerleading team in their town.
True North (Jan., paper $5.99) by Kathryn Lasky follows the tale of Lucy and Afrika, who make a break for freedom via the Underground Railroad.
Slam Dunk! (Feb., paper $5.99) by Sharon Robinson. Elijah settles into his new life and new school in Harlem–until he hears that his rival is transferring to his school.
Sassy: Little Sister Is Not My Name (Mar., $16.99) by Sharon M. Draper features an unforgettable heroine, a loving family, a diverse cast of teachers, friends and neighbors, and a little magic.
SCHOLASTIC/ORCHARD
Welcome, Precious (Sept., $6.99) by Nikki Grimes. An African-American family welcomes a new baby to the world.
SCHOLASTIC/POINT
If Only You Knew: A Hotlanta Novel (Oct., $4.99) by Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller finds Sydney reeling from a breakup, while at the center of an unfolding murder mystery.
SCHOLASTIC/PUSH
Kendra (Oct., $16.99) by Coe Booth creates the vivid voice of a teen trying to find her place in the world, even though nothing is what she thought it would be.
SIMON & SCHUSTER BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
All God’s Critters (Jan., $16.99) by Bill Staines, illus. by Kadir Nelson. A troop of animals perform in this adaptation of a camp song.
Chains (Oct., $16.99) by Laurie Halse Anderson. A 13-year-old slave in 1776 New York City finds herself caught between her owners and rebel forces in the city.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/ALADDIN
10 Days: Martin Luther King Jr. (Nov., paper $6.99) by David Colbert tells of the civil rights leader by examining 10 key days in his life.
The Rock and the River (Jan., $15.99) by Kekla Magoon. The son of a civil rights activist finds his world in turmoil, following the death of Martin Luther King Jr. and his brother’s interest in the Black Panthers.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/ATHENEUM
Ashley Bryan: Words to My Life’s Song (Jan., $17.99) by Ashley Bryan is an illustrated autobiography of the artist who rose above challenges to achieve success.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/ATHENEUM/SEO
My People (Oct., $17.99) by Langston Hughes, photos. by Charles R. Smith Jr., pairs black-and-white photography with Hughes’ poem.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/MCELDERRY BOOKS
Joseph (Oct., $16.99) by Shelia Moses. Joseph, a 14-year-old in North Carolina, struggles with his mother’s additions, life in a shelter, and the absence of his father, a soldier in Iraq.
SQUARE ONE PUBLISHERS
The Gift of Black Folk: The Negroes in the Making of America. (Jan., $14,95) by W.E.B. Du Bois. Originally published in 1924, this book provided Du Bois an opportunity to document the genius and hardwork that characterized the African American experience in America. Out of print for many years, the book will be featured in the Knights of Columbus book club.
TOR/STARSCAPE
The Secret of Laurel Oaks (Sept., $17.95) by Lois Ruby. An historical mystery based on the legendary tale of a 19th-century slave girl.
