"As universally touching as it is original." -The New York TimesBlack Caucus of the American Library Association 2015 Honor Book in FictionO, The Oprah Magazine "10 Titles to Pick Up Now"A glorious and moving multigenerational, multicultural saga that sweeps from the 1940s through the 1960s in Trinidad and the United States.In a seaside village in the north of Trinidad, young Marcia Garcia, a gifted and smart-mouthed sixteen-year-old seamstress, lives alone, raising two small boys and guarding a family secret. When she meets Farouk Karam, an ambitious young policeman (so taken with Marcia that he elicits help from a tea-brewing obeah woman to guarantee her ardor), the rewards and risks in Marcia's life amplify forever.'Til the Well Runs Dry sees Marcia and Farouk from their sassy and passionate courtship through personal and historical events that threaten Marcia's secret, entangle the couple and their children in a tumultuous scandal, and put the future in doubt for all of them.With this deeply human novel, Lauren Francis-Sharma gives us an unforgettable story about a woman's love for a man, a mother's love for her children, and a people's love for an island rich with calypso and Carnival, cricket and salty air, sweet fruits and spicy stews-a story of grit, imperfection, steadfast love and of Trinidad that has never been told before. BIO Lauren Francis-Sharma, a child of Trinidadian immigrants, was born in New York City and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature with a minor in African-American Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area with her husband and two children. 'Til the Well Runs Dry is her first novel. REVIEWS “Lauren Francis-Sharma's talent shines.” -- USA Today“Marcia's story, told lovingly in this, Francis-Sharma's debut novel, is as universally touching as it is original.” -- The New York Times (Sunday Book Review Shortlist)“You'll hear the calypso music in this vivid debut about a spirited seamstress and devoted mother with a family secret.” -- People“Have you ever met a family whose every tear, every triumph, every heartbreak made your heart leap? I could not put this book down. An unforgettable journey.” -- Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of the New York Times bestseller Wench“Lauren Francis-Sharma is a true story-teller.‘Til the Well Runs Dry burns through its telling like the best gossip, but has the controlled mystery of a fairytale. This narrative is surprising, winding and always gratifying.” -- Tiphanie Yanique, author of Land of Love and Drowning“'Til The Well Runs Dry is unforgettable. Like the best poetry, it has all the high notes: a beautiful girl, a spell that leads to love and death, and a terrible secret -- in language pierced with the cries and colors of the West Indies. But this is not just a story; it's the author's retelling of her own origins. Sweet, brutal, and unsparing, this is Lauren Francis-Sharma's first book, yet she commands the page.” -- Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Deep End of the Ocean [P] Picador USA / September 15, 2015 0.7" H x 8.3" L x 5.5" W (0.6 lbs) 416 pages

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A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection! From award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Ibi Zoboi comes her groundbreaking contemporary fantasy debut—a novel in verse based on Caribbean folklore—about the power of inherited magic and the price we must pay to live the life we yearn for. “Our new home with its thick walls and locked doors wants me to stay trapped in my skin— but I am fury and flame.” Fifteen-year-old Marisol is the daughter of a soucouyant. Every new moon, she sheds her skin like the many women before her, shifting into a fireball witch who must fly into the night and slowly sip from the lives of others to sustain her own. But Brooklyn is no place for fireball witches with all its bright lights, shut windows, and bolt-locked doors.… While Marisol hoped they would leave their old traditions behind when they emigrated from the islands, she knows this will never happen while she remains ensnared by the one person who keeps her chained to her magical past—her mother. Seventeen-year-old Genevieve is the daughter of a college professor and a newly minted older half sister of twins. Her worsening skin condition and the babies’ constant wailing keep her up at night, when she stares at the dark sky with a deep longing to inhale it all. She hopes to quench the hunger that gnaws at her, one that seems to reach for some memory of her estranged mother. When a new nanny arrives to help with the twins, a family secret connecting her to Marisol is revealed, and Gen begins to find answers to questions she hasn’t even thought to ask. But the girls soon discover that the very skin keeping their flames locked beneath the surface may be more explosive to the relationships around them than any ancient magic. BIO Ibi Zoboi is the New York Times bestselling author of American Street, a National Book Award finalist; Nigeria Jones, a Coretta Scott King Award winner; Pride; My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich; Okoye to the People: A Black Panther Novel for Marvel; and the Walter Award and LA Times Book Prize–winning Punching the Air, cowritten with Exonerated Five member Yusef Salaam. She is also a two-time Coretta Scott King Honor Award winner for her picture book The People Remember and her middle grade biography of Octavia Butler, Star Child. She is the editor of the anthology Black Enough. Born in Haiti and raised in New York City, she now lives in New Jersey with her family. You can find her online at ibizoboi.net. REVIEWS "Bold and exciting; employing alternating perspectives, the author plays with language and the book’s format to craft fully realized characters by exploring their envies and desires. Readers will fly through Zoboi’s latest masterpiece and crave more stories featuring Caribbean folklore. An ambitious contemporary fantasy that will grip readers from the first page." -- Booklist (starred review) “The girls’ intertwined tales, blurring and shifting over the course of the narrative, unfold in lyrical alternating first-person verse and are cleverly used to discuss beauty ideals and colorism. Readers will enjoy the ways the monstrous characters’ human facades shift. A vividly creative, heart-pounding poetic journey infused with Caribbean folklore.” -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "The stage is set for secrets and supernatural discoveries. The slow, methodical unraveling of how interwoven the two teenage girls’ stories is the treat of this sharp verse narrative that initially alternates between their POVs. The conclusion is executed with the laudable ambitions of reconciling the seemingly irreconcilable." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review) “Ambitious and unapologetic in its rendering, deftly addressing themes of colorism, assimilation, and inheritance. This fast-paced fever dream of a tale crackles and sparks on the page—almost burning the fingertips as it weaves folklore into reality; these dynamic girls reckoning with an inescapable lineage will change the way you look at the night sky.' -- Amber McBride, National Book Award finalist and author of Me (Moth) [H] Versify / February 11, 2025 For ages 13 and up

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!
From award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Ibi Zoboi comes her groundbreaking contemporary fantasy debut—a novel in verse based on Caribbean folklore—about the power of inherited magic and the price we must pay to live the life we yearn for.
“Our new home with its
thick walls and locked doors
wants me to stay trapped in my skin—
but I am fury and flame.”
Fifteen-year-old Marisol is the daughter of a soucouyant. Every new moon, she sheds her skin like the many women before her, shifting into a fireball witch who must fly into the night and slowly sip from the lives of others to sustain her own. But Brooklyn is no place for fireball witches with all its bright lights, shut windows, and bolt-locked doors.… While Marisol hoped they would leave their old traditions behind when they emigrated from the islands, she knows this will never happen while she remains ensnared by the one person who keeps her chained to her magical past—her mother.
Seventeen-year-old Genevieve is the daughter of a college professor and a newly minted older half sister of twins. Her worsening skin condition and the babies’ constant wailing keep her up at night, when she stares at the dark sky with a deep longing to inhale it all. She hopes to quench the hunger that gnaws at her, one that seems to reach for some memory of her estranged mother. When a new nanny arrives to help with the twins, a family secret connecting her to Marisol is revealed, and Gen begins to find answers to questions she hasn’t even thought to ask.
But the girls soon discover that the very skin keeping their flames locked beneath the surface may be more explosive to the relationships around them than any ancient magic.
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">Ibi Zoboi is the New York Times bestselling author of American Street, a National Book Award finalist; Nigeria Jones, a Coretta Scott King Award winner; Pride; My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich; Okoye to the People: A Black Panther Novel for Marvel; and the Walter Award and LA Times Book Prize&amp;#8211;winning Punching the Air, cowritten with Exonerated Five member Yusef Salaam. She is also a two-time Coretta Scott King Honor Award winner for her picture book The People Remember and her middle grade biography of Octavia Butler, Star Child. She is the editor of the anthology Black Enough. Born in Haiti and raised in New York City, she now lives in New Jersey with her family. You can find her online at ibizoboi.net.
REVIEWS
"Bold and exciting; employing alternating perspectives, the author plays with language and the book’s format to craft fully realized characters by exploring their envies and desires. Readers will fly through Zoboi’s latest masterpiece and crave more stories featuring Caribbean folklore. An ambitious contemporary fantasy that will grip readers from the first page." -- Booklist (starred review)
“The girls’ intertwined tales, blurring and shifting over the course of the narrative, unfold in lyrical alternating first-person verse and are cleverly used to discuss beauty ideals and colorism. Readers will enjoy the ways the monstrous characters’ human facades shift. A vividly creative, heart-pounding poetic journey infused with Caribbean folklore.” -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"The stage is set for secrets and supernatural discoveries. The slow, methodical unraveling of how interwoven the two teenage girls’ stories is the treat of this sharp verse narrative that initially alternates between their POVs. The conclusion is executed with the laudable ambitions of reconciling the seemingly irreconcilable." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
“Ambitious and unapologetic in its rendering, deftly addressing themes of colorism, assimilation, and inheritance. This fast-paced fever dream of a tale crackles and sparks on the page—almost burning the fingertips as it weaves folklore into reality; these dynamic girls reckoning with an inescapable lineage will change the way you look at the night sky.' -- Amber McBride, National Book Award finalist and author of Me (Moth)
[H] Versify  /  February 11, 2025
For ages 13 and up

(S)kin /// Ibi Zoboi /// new

Hardcover

A highly opinionated wine guide from one of the country's most celebrated — and unorthodox — sommeliers and winemakers In this entertaining, informative, and thoroughly unconventional wine guide, award-winning sommelier, winemaker, and wine educator André Mack presents listeners with the 99 bottles that have most impacted his life. Instead of just pairing wines with foods, Mack pairs practical information with personal stories, offering up recommendations alongside reflections on being one of the only African-Americans to ever work at the top level of the American wine industry. The 99 bottles range from highly accessible commercial wines to the most rarefied Bordeaux on the wine list at The French Laundry, and each bottle offers listeners something to learn about wine. This window into Mack's life combines a maverick's perspective on the wine industry with an insider's advice on navigating wine lists, purchasing wine, and drinking more diverse and interesting selections at home. 99 Bottles is a one-of-a-kind exploration of wine culture today from a true trailblazer. BIO André Mack, one of the US’s top sommeliers, worked at both The French Laundry and Per Se. He is the founder of the Mouton Noir wine, annually producing 13 varietals in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and he is also a graphic designer and visual artist. His first wine bar is slated to open in early 2019. Mack lives in Brooklyn, New York. [H] Abrams Image / October 29, 2019 0.8" H x 9.0" L x 6.5" W (1.5 lbs) 256 pages

99 Bottles: A Black Sheep's Guide to Life-Changing Wines /// André Hueston Mack, illustrations by Rob Deborde

In this poignant mixed voice, mixed form collection of interconnected prose, poems and stories, teen characters, their families, and their communities grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst fear and loss, these New York City teens prevail with love, resilience and hope. From the award-winning author of Chlorine Sky and Vinyl Moon.“[A] gorgeous, tender testament to the generation of young people who shouldered the pandemic.”–Brendan Kiely, award-winning and New York Times bestselling authorGrief, pain, hope, and love collide in this short story collection.In New York City, teens, their families, and their communities feel the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the fear and loss, these teens and the adults around them persevere with love and hope while living in difficult circumstances: Malachi writes an Armageddon short story inspired by his pandemic reality. Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive during quarantine. Zamira struggles with depression and loneliness after losing her parents. Mohamed tries to help keep his community spirit alive. A social worker reflects on the ways the foster system fails their children. From award-winning author Mahogany L. Browne comes a poignant collection of interconnected prose, poems, and lists about the humanity and resilience of New Yorkers during the Covid-19 pandemic. BIO Mahogany L. Browne, a Kennedy Center’s Next 50 fellow, is a writer, playwright, organizer, and educator. Browne received fellowships from All Arts, Arts for Justice, Air Serenbe, Baldwin for the Arts, Cave Canem, Poets House, Mellon Research, Rauschenberg, and Wesleyan University. Browne’s books include A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe, Vinyl Moon, Chlorine Sky (optioned for Steppenwolf Theater), Black Girl Magic, and banned books Woke: A Young Poets Call to Justice and Woke Baby. Founder of the diverse litinitiative Woke Baby Book Fair, Browne is the 2024 Paterson Poetry Prize winner. She is the inaugural poet-in-residence at the Lincoln Center and lives in Brooklyn, NY. [H] Crown Books for Young Readers / March 11, 2025 0.69" H x 8.55" L x 5.53" W (0.61 lbs) 160 pages For ages 12 and up

In this poignant mixed voice, mixed form collection of interconnected prose, poems and stories, teen characters, their families, and their communities grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst fear and loss, these New York City teens prevail with love, resilience and hope. From the award-winning author of Chlorine Sky and Vinyl Moon. “[A] gorgeous, tender testament to the generation of young people who shouldered the pandemic.” –Brendan Kiely, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Grief, pain, hope, and love collide in this short story collection. In New York City, teens, their families, and their communities feel the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the fear and loss, these teens and the adults around them persevere with love and hope while living in difficult circumstances: 
<ul>
<li>Malachi writes an Armageddon short story inspired by his pandemic reality.</li>
<li>Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive during quarantine.</li>
<li>Zamira struggles with depression and loneliness after losing her parents.</li>
<li>Mohamed tries to help keep his community spirit alive.</li>
<li>A social worker reflects on the ways the foster system fails their children.</li>
</ul>
 From award-winning author Mahogany L. Browne comes a poignant collection of interconnected prose, poems, and lists about the humanity and resilience of New Yorkers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">Mahogany L. Browne, a Kennedy Center’s Next 50 fellow, is a writer, playwright, organizer, and educator. Browne received fellowships from All Arts, Arts for Justice, Air Serenbe, Baldwin for the Arts, Cave Canem, Poets House, Mellon Research, Rauschenberg, and Wesleyan University. Browne’s books include A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe, Vinyl Moon, Chlorine Sky (optioned for Steppenwolf Theater), Black Girl Magic, and banned books Woke: A Young Poets Call to Justice and Woke Baby. Founder of the diverse litinitiative Woke Baby Book Fair, Browne is the 2024 Paterson Poetry Prize winner. She is the inaugural poet-in-residence at the Lincoln Center and lives in Brooklyn, NY.
[H]  Crown Books for Young Readers  /  March 11, 2025
<meta charset="utf-8">0.69" H x 8.55" L x 5.53" W (0.61 lbs) 160 pages
For ages 12 and up

A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe /// Mahogany L. Browne /// new

Winner of the Man Booker PrizeOne of Entertainment Weekly's Top 10 Books of the Decade One of the Top 10 Books of 2014 - Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times A "thrilling, ambitious . . . intense" (Los Angeles Times) novel that explores the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in the late 1970s, from the author of Black Leopard, Red Wolf In A Brief History of Seven Killings, Marlon James combines masterful storytelling with his unrivaled skill at characterization and his meticulous eye for detail to forge a novel of dazzling ambition and scope. On December 3, 1976, just before the Jamaican general election and two days before Bob Marley was to play the Smile Jamaica Concert to ease political tensions in Kingston, seven unnamed gunmen stormed the singer's house, machine guns blazing. The attack wounded Marley, his wife, and his manager, and injured several others. Little was officially released about the gunmen, but rumors abounded regarding the assassins' fates. A Brief History of Seven Killings is James's fictional exploration of that dangerous and unstable time in Jamaica's history and beyond. Deftly spanning decades and continents and peopled with a wide range of characters--assassins, drug dealers, journalists, and even ghosts--James brings to life the people who walked the streets of 1970s Kingston, who dominated the crack houses of 1980s New York, and who reemerged into a radically altered Jamaica of the 1990s. Brilliantly inventive, A Brief History of Seven Killings is an "exhilarating" (The New York Times) epic that's been called "a tour de force" (The Wall Street Journal). BIO Marlon James was born in Jamaica in 1970. His most recent novel, A Brief History of Seven Killings, won the 2015 Man Booker Prize. It was also a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and won the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature for fiction, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for fiction, and the Minnesota Book Award. It was also a New York Times Notable Book. James is also the author of The Book of Night Women, which won the 2010 Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Minnesota Book Award, and was a finalist for the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award in fiction and an NAACP Image Award. His first novel, John Crow's Devil, was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for first fiction and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was a New York Times Editors' Choice. James lives in Minneapolis. REVIEWS "How to describe Marlon James's monumental new novel A Brief History of Seven Killings? It's like a Tarantino remake of The Harder They Come but with a soundtrack by Bob Marley and a script by Oliver Stone and William Faulkner, with maybe a little creative boost from some primo ganja. It's epic in every sense of that word: sweeping, mythic, over-the-top, colossal and dizzyingly complex. It's also raw, dense, violent, scalding, darkly comic, exhilarating and exhausting--a testament to Mr. James's vaulting ambition and prodigious talent." --Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times "James has written a dangerous book, one full of lore and whispers and history... [a] great book... James nibbles at theories of who did what and why, and scripts Marley's quest for revenge with the pace of a thriller. His achievement, however, goes far beyond opening up this terrible moment in the life of a great musician. He gives us the streets, the people, especially the desperate, the Jamaicans whom Marley exhorted to: 'Open your eyes and look within: / Are you satisfied with the life you're living?'" -- The Boston Globe "A sweeping novel that touches on family, friendship, celebrity, art, sexuality, ghetto politics, geopolitics, drug trade, gender, race and more, sending the reader from Jamaica to New York via Miami and Cuba and back." -- Newsweek [H] Riverhead Books / October 02, 2014 ﻿1.41" H x 9.55" L x 6.42" W (2.2 lbs) 688 pages [P] Riverhead Books / September 08, 2015 1.7" H x 8.2" L x 5.4" W (1.35 lbs) 704 pages

A Brief History of Seven Killings /// Marlon James

"A dozen interlinked, music-oriented stories set in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, where Garricks was raised... Each songlike story feels like a breakout hit encapsulating the brokenness and the beauty in life’s soundtrack."—Booklist, starred review “Beautifully woven . . . a magical delight.”—Hari Kunzru, author of White Tears A Broken People’s Playlist is set to the soundtrack of life, comprised of twelve music-inspired tales about love, the human condition, micro-moments, and the search for meaning and sometimes, redemption. It is also Chimeka Garricks’s love letter to his native city, Port Harcourt, introducing us to a cast of indelible characters in these loosely interlocked tales. There is the teenage wannabe-DJ eager to play his first gig even as his family disastrously falls apart—who reappears many years later as an unhappy middle-aged man drunk-calling his ex-wife; a man who throws a living funeral for his dying brother; three friends who ponder penis captivus and one’s peculiar erectile dysfunction; a troubled woman who tries to find her peace-place in the world, helped by a headful of songs and a pot of ginger tea. Infused with the author’s resonant and evocative storytelling, each page holds “the depth of a novel” (Hari Kunzru); a character, a moment that will—like a favorite song—long linger in the heart and mind. BIO Chimeka Garricks is a Nigerian-Irish writer, editor, screenwriter, and script doctor. His work includes a collection of short stories, A Broken People's Playlist, a novel, and a script in development. He lives in the United Kingdom. REVIEWS "A dozen interlinked, music-oriented stories set in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, where Garricks was raised... Each songlike story feels like a breakout hit encapsulating the brokenness and the beauty in life’s soundtrack." -- Booklist (starred review) "These stories will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page." -- She Reads, Best Book Club Pick of Spring 2023 "A Broken People’s Playlist is an addictive collection of authentic prose. Story after story made me stop to reflect on the complexities of life, our various loves––be it family, friendship or romance––and the way we’re all connected. Elegant, graceful and full of understanding, Garrick’s writing unwraps stories that touch the soul and make you glad to be part of the human race." -- Bisi Adjapon, author of The Teller of Secrets and Daughter in Exile [H] Harpervia / March 21, 2023 1.02" H x 8.35" L x 5.67" W (0.7 lbs) 224 pages [P] Harpervia / January 21, 2025 0.7" H x 8.2" L x 5.2" W (0.4 lbs) 224 pages

"A dozen interlinked, music-oriented stories set in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, where Garricks was raised... Each songlike story feels like a breakout hit encapsulating the brokenness and the beauty in life’s soundtrack."—Booklist, starred review
“Beautifully woven . . . a magical delight.”—Hari Kunzru, author of White Tears
A Broken People’s Playlist is set to the soundtrack of life, comprised of twelve music-inspired tales about love, the human condition, micro-moments, and the search for meaning and sometimes, redemption. It is also Chimeka Garricks’s love letter to his native city, Port Harcourt, introducing us to a cast of indelible characters in these loosely interlocked tales.
There is the teenage wannabe-DJ eager to play his first gig even as his family disastrously falls apart—who reappears many years later as an unhappy middle-aged man drunk-calling his ex-wife; a man who throws a living funeral for his dying brother; three friends who ponder penis captivus and one’s peculiar erectile dysfunction; a troubled woman who tries to find her peace-place in the world, helped by a headful of songs and a pot of ginger tea.
Infused with the author’s resonant and evocative storytelling, each page holds “the depth of a novel” (Hari Kunzru); a character, a moment that will—like a favorite song—long linger in the heart and mind.
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">Chimeka Garricks is a Nigerian-Irish writer, editor, screenwriter, and script doctor. His work includes a collection of short stories, A Broken People's Playlist, a novel, and a script in development. He lives in the United Kingdom.
REVIEWS
"A dozen interlinked, music-oriented stories set in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, where Garricks was raised... Each songlike story feels like a breakout hit encapsulating the brokenness and the beauty in life’s soundtrack." -- Booklist (starred review)
"These stories will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page." -- She Reads, Best Book Club Pick of Spring 2023
"A Broken People’s Playlist is an addictive collection of authentic prose. Story after story made me stop to reflect on the complexities of life, our various loves––be it family, friendship or romance––and the way we’re all connected. Elegant, graceful and full of understanding, Garrick’s writing unwraps stories that touch the soul and make you glad to be part of the human race." -- Bisi Adjapon, author of The Teller of Secrets and Daughter in Exile
[H]  Harpervia  /  March 21, 2023
<meta charset="utf-8"><meta charset="utf-8">1.02" H x 8.35" L x 5.67" W (0.7 lbs) 224 pages 
[P]  Harpervia  /  January 21, 2025
<meta charset="utf-8">0.7" H x 8.2" L x 5.2" W (0.4 lbs) 224 pages

A Broken People's Playlist: Stories (from Songs) /// Chimeka Garricks

Winner of the 1988 Before Columbus Foundation National Book Award, this path-breaking collection of essays is a clarion call to build communities that nurture our spirit. Lorde announces the need for a radical politics of intersectionality while struggling to maintain her own faith as she wages a battle against liver cancer. From reflections on her struggle with the disease to thoughts on lesbian sexuality and African-American identity in a straight white man's world, Lorde's voice remains enduringly relevant in today's political landscape. Those who practice and encourage social justice activism frequently quote her exhortation, "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare." In addition to the journal entries of "A Burst of Light: Living with Cancer," this edition includes an interview, "Sadomasochism: Not About Condemnation," and three essays, "I Am Your Sister: Black Women Organizing Across Sexualities," "Apartheid U.S.A.," and "Turning the Beat Around: Lesbian Parenting 1986," as well as a new Foreword by Sonia Sanchez. BIO A great American theorist of race, sexuality, gender, living, and dying, poet and activist Audre Lorde (1934–1992) created a body of work that was ahead of its time in its embrace of intersectionality. Her debut poetry collection, 1973's From a Land Where Other People Live, was nominated for the National Book Award and she was named New York State's Poet Laureate and received the Bill Whitehead Award for Lifetime Achievement. Other notable works include The Cancer Journals, her novel Zami, and the collection Sister Outsider. A member of the Black Arts Movement and a prominent advocate of the Afro-German identity during her years studying in Berlin, Lorde's writings have become increasingly influential since her death in 1992 of liver cancer. REVIEWS "You don't read Audre Lorde, you feel her." -- Essence"Lorde's timeless prose in this collection provides contemporary social justice warriors the language, strategies, and lessons around resistance, through the power of intersectionality, a Pan-African vision, and — ultimately — through the power of love and radical self-care." -- NBC News"When I don't know what to do, I turn to the Lorde." -- Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Bitch Media"Whenever my mind is heavy with questions and my heart thirsts for nourishment, I turn to the writing of Audre Lorde. Every time I revisit the words of Audre Lorde, I marvel over how relevant they continue to be." -- AfterEllen.com "The self-described black feminist lesbian mother poet used a mixture of prose, theory, poetry, and experience to interrogate oppressions and uplift marginalized communities. She was one of the first black feminists to target heteronormativity, and to encourage black feminists to expand their understanding of erotic pleasure. She amplified anti-oppression, even as breast cancer ravaged her ailing body." -- Evette Dionne, Bustle Magazine [H] Ixia Press / September 13, 2017 0.6" H x 8.7" L x 5.8" W (0.6 lbs) 144 pages [P] Lushena Press / June 29, 2023 0.29" H x 8.5" L x 5.5" W (0.3 lbs) 108 pages

A Burst of Light: and Other Essays /// Audre Lorde, foreword by Sonia Sanchez, illustrations by Jen Keenan

A new cookbook for beginners and curious cooks by Emmy Award–winning talk show host and journalist Tamron Hall and her good friend, award-winning chef Lish Steiling.When Tamron Hall and Lish Steiling first met while working at the Today show, they never imagined that their friendship would lead to endless kitchen adventures filled with laughs, learning, and even tears of pure joy. In A Confident Cook, they share that same empowerment and excitement with those who are just beginning to cook.Learn how to select the tools you need (and skip the ones you don’t!), how to stock your pantry, and how to cook for one, two, or a whole group. This book is packed with scrumptious recipes, including Baked French Toast with Sparkling Berries, Crispy Fried Chicken, Harissa Roasted Carrots with Queso Fresco, and Chai-Spiced Pudding, as well as cocktails and mocktails like the delicious “Not Tonight, Satan.” Throughout, Lish and Tamron chat, teach, learn, and inspire you to keep it going in the kitchen! BIO Tamron Hall is an American broadcast journalist, television talk show host and author. In September 2019, Hall debuted her self-titled syndicated daytime talk show, which has earned her two Daytime Emmy Awards. REVIEWS “Lish and Tamron’s passion for cooking and sharing meals with family and friends comes crashing through the pages of this playful compendium of simple, delicious recipes and techniques. The book is chatty and personal, with very clear directions on how to really set up your kitchen and become a confident cook. With irresistible recipes like Big Citrus Dutch Baby with Ice Cream Sauce for brunch and Chicken Thighs with Dates and Olives for dinner, I am in. You need this book!” -- Suzanne Goin “Get ready for a culinary adventure like no other! A Confident Cook is not your average recipe collection. It’s a conversation between friends. Join Lish and Tamron as they deliver simple and tasty twists to your favorite dishes, from classics to favorites. Get ready to explore a whole new world of deliciousness!” -- Carla Hall“A Confident Cook is what happens when two genuine pros collaborate—in this case, a seasoned chef and an acclaimed host/interviewer. Together, Tamron and Lish get at the very heart and soul of cooking, why it matters, how it connects us, and how truly satisfying it can be when done with patience and love. Theirs is a friendship worth celebrating!” -- Gail Simmons“A Confident Cook is the perfect title for this book. It will give you the skills and tips you’ve always wanted and will make you feel great in the kitchen. It is amazing to see a professional like Lish teach her friend Tamron the ins and outs of cooking. Lish makes everything look so easy due to her vast background, and has an extremely wide range of what she can cook. You will use this book day in and day out as your reference bible for things we all want to master—the perfectly cooked eggs, the crispiest roast chicken, the ultimate potatoes, the simplest desserts that will make you look like a pro. Brava, Tamron and Lish.” -- Missy Robbins [H] Hyperion Avenue / September 03, 2024 0.9" H x 9.7" L x 7.7" W (2.7 lbs) 256 pages

A new cookbook for beginners and curious cooks by Emmy Award–winning talk show host and journalist Tamron Hall and her good friend, award-winning chef Lish Steiling. When Tamron Hall and Lish Steiling first met while working at the Today show, they never imagined that their friendship would lead to endless kitchen adventures filled with laughs, learning, and even tears of pure joy. In A Confident Cook, they share that same empowerment and excitement with those who are just beginning to cook. Learn how to select the tools you need (and skip the ones you don’t!), how to stock your pantry, and how to cook for one, two, or a whole group. This book is packed with scrumptious recipes, including Baked French Toast with Sparkling Berries, Crispy Fried Chicken, Harissa Roasted Carrots with Queso Fresco, and Chai-Spiced Pudding, as well as cocktails and mocktails like the delicious “Not Tonight, Satan.” Throughout, Lish and Tamron chat, teach, learn, and inspire you to keep it going in the kitchen!
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">Tamron Hall is an American broadcast journalist, television talk show host and author. In September 2019, Hall debuted her self-titled syndicated daytime talk show, which has earned her two Daytime Emmy Awards.
REVIEWS
“Lish and Tamron’s passion for cooking and sharing meals with family and friends comes crashing through the pages of this playful compendium of simple, delicious recipes and techniques. The book is chatty and personal, with very clear directions on how to really set up your kitchen and become a confident cook. With irresistible recipes like Big Citrus Dutch Baby with Ice Cream Sauce for brunch and Chicken Thighs with Dates and Olives for dinner, I am in. You need this book!”  -- Suzanne Goin   “Get ready for a culinary adventure like no other! A Confident Cook is not your average recipe collection. It’s a conversation between friends. Join Lish and Tamron as they deliver simple and tasty twists to your favorite dishes, from classics to favorites. Get ready to explore a whole new world of deliciousness!” -- Carla Hall “A Confident Cook is what happens when two genuine pros collaborate—in this case, a seasoned chef and an acclaimed host/interviewer. Together, Tamron and Lish get at the very heart and soul of cooking, why it matters, how it connects us, and how truly satisfying it can be when done with patience and love. Theirs is a friendship worth celebrating!” -- Gail Simmons “A Confident Cook is the perfect title for this book. It will give you the skills and tips you’ve always wanted and will make you feel great in the kitchen. It is amazing to see a professional like Lish teach her friend Tamron the ins and outs of cooking. Lish makes everything look so easy due to her vast background, and has an extremely wide range of what she can cook. You will use this book day in and day out as your reference bible for things we all want to master—the perfectly cooked eggs, the crispiest roast chicken, the ultimate potatoes, the simplest desserts that will make you look like a pro. Brava, Tamron and Lish.”  -- Missy Robbins
[H]  Hyperion Avenue  /  September 03, 2024
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A Confident Cook: Recipes for Joyous, No-Pressure Fun in the Kitchen /// Tamron Hall, Lish Sterling

A Domestic Cook Book (1866) by Malinda Russell is the oldest known published cookbook written by an African American woman. Born in Tennessee, and descended from Virginia freemen, Russell decided to move to Liberia at the age of 19. When her money for the trip was stolen, she was stranded in Lynchburg, Virginia, and began working as a cook and companion, traveling with women as a nurse. After living in Lynchburg for only four years, Russell’s husband died and she moved with her son to Tennessee where she kept a boarding house and then went on to run a pastry shop. After a second dramatic robbery in 1864, Russell moved to Paw Paw, Michigan, because she had heard it was the “garden of the west” and published a cookbook “with the intention of benefiting the public” as well as supporting herself. A Domestic Cook Book contains 260 recipes and household tips that draw from Malinda Russell’s twenty years of experience cooking in Southern kitchens, her boarding house, and her pastry shop, and showcase her skills as a pastry chef. This new edition includes a foreword by scholar Rafia Zafar as well as an introduction by the late food historian Janice Bluestein Longone that contextualize Russell’s cookbook. Using the only known copy of the original book housed in the Janice Bluestein Longone Culinary Archive at the University of Michigan Library's Special Collections Research Center, this new edition preserves an important part of Michigan and American history and makes it widely available to readers for the first time. BIO Malinda Russell was born and raised in eastern Tennessee. In 1864, Russell moved to Michigan, where she settled in the Paw Paw area and published this volume in 1866. [P] University of Michigan Regional / February 18, 2025 120 pages

A Domestic Cook Book (1866) by Malinda Russell is the oldest known published cookbook written by an African American woman. Born in Tennessee, and descended from Virginia freemen, Russell decided to move to Liberia at the age of 19. When her money for the trip was stolen, she was stranded in Lynchburg, Virginia, and began working as a cook and companion, traveling with women as a nurse. After living in Lynchburg for only four years, Russell’s husband died and she moved with her son to Tennessee where she kept a boarding house and then went on to run a pastry shop. After a second dramatic robbery in 1864, Russell moved to Paw Paw, Michigan, because she had heard it was the “garden of the west” and published a cookbook “with the intention of benefiting the public” as well as supporting herself.
A Domestic Cook Book contains 260 recipes and household tips that draw from Malinda Russell’s twenty years of experience cooking in Southern kitchens, her boarding house, and her pastry shop, and showcase her skills as a pastry chef. This new edition includes a foreword by scholar Rafia Zafar as well as an introduction by the late food historian Janice Bluestein Longone that contextualize Russell’s cookbook. Using the only known copy of the original book housed in the Janice Bluestein Longone Culinary Archive at the University of Michigan Library's Special Collections Research Center, this new edition preserves an important part of Michigan and American history and makes it widely available to readers for the first time.
BIO
Malinda Russell was born and raised in eastern Tennessee. In 1864, Russell moved to Michigan, where she settled in the Paw Paw area and published this volume in 1866.
[P]  University of Michigan Regional  /  February 18, 2025
<meta charset="utf-8">120 pages

A Domestic Cook Book Containing a Careful Selection of Useful Receipts for the Kitchen /// Malinda Russell

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Expert quilter Kim Taylor shares a unique and powerful story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth, from the perspective of a young girl.On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, General Gordon Granger of the Union Army delivered the message that African Americans in Texas were free. Since then, Juneteenth, as the day has come to be known, has steadily gained recognition throughout the United States. ln 2020,a powerful wave of protests and demonstrations calling for racial justice and equality brought new awareness to the significance of the holiday.A Flag for Juneteenth depicts a close-knit community of enslaved African Americans on a plantation in Texas, the day before the announcement is to be made that all enslaved people are free. Young Huldah, who is preparing to celebrate her tenth birthday, can’t possibly anticipate how much her life will change that Juneteenth morning. The story follows Huldah and her community as they process the news of their freedom and celebrate together by creating a community freedom flag. Debut author and artist Kim Taylor sets this story apart by applying her skills as an expert quilter. Each of the illustrations has been lovingly hand sewn and quilted, giving the book a homespun, tactile quality that is altogether unique. BIO Kim Taylor is a speech language pathologist and Department Supervisor at a large school for deaf children on Long Island. She is also an expert quilter whose works have been exhibited at several venues throughout the Midatlantic region. Taylor’s quilts reflect African American life, and she tells stories through her materials (visit Kim’s website to see her quilts). After researching the origins of the Juneteenth celebration, she created a Juneteenth story quilt which she has exhibited and presented in dozens of local schools. Realizing that few teachers and students had ever heard of the holiday, she was moved to write the book A Flag for Juneteenth. REVIEWS “The picture book . . . not only reveals Taylor’s considerable talents as an inspiring raconteur but as a self-taught quilter whose creations uniquely and symbolically illustrate the historically based narrative.” -- Newsday★ ”Kim Taylor’s portrayal of a girl witnessing the first Juneteenth, accompanied by exquisite quilted artwork, is filled with a spirit of jubilation and freedom. . . . her textile art perfectly complements her evocative prose. . . .” -- BookPage, Starred Review “The illustrations quilted by Taylor display strong artistic use of color, texture, movement, stitching, and symbols. Each page has vibrant colors that grab readers at first glance. . . . Taylor effectively breathes life into the characters, even those muddled in the background, by showing their humanity in each page.” -- School Library Journal“Both lyrical and descriptive, Huldah’s voice conveys the joy that is found in freedom. . . . A great introduction to the federal holiday.” -- The Horn Book“Taylor aptly depicts this story through colorful woven fabrics and folk art-style, quilted scenes.” -- Booklist“[A] moving debut. . . . It’s a discussion-starting, personal-feeling portrait of a communal celebration.” -- Publishers Weekly“The art in this work from quilter Taylor is stunning. The craftsmanship and attention to detail are breathtaking. . . . Visually dazzling. . . .” -- Kirkus Reviews [H] Neal Porter Books / January 03, 2023 0.39" H x 10.24" L x 9.92" W (0.92 lbs) 40 pages

A Flag for Juneteenth /// Kim Taylor

One of the Gardin women must navigate a season rich with unexpected challenges in the follow-up to The Gardins of Edin, a heartwarming story about love, forgiveness, new beginnings, and what it takes to get there.Martha Gardin is a mess, and no one knows this better than the women in her family. Good-hearted but often misguided by distrust and insecurity, Martha is known for stirring up drama. That’s why Ruth, Naomi, and Mary are pleasantly surprised when Martha mellows out after she begins dating one of the most eligible bachelors in town. Handsome, well-connected Oji Greenwald is everything Martha hoped to find in a man, and it’s only a matter of time before he pops the question. Rarely caught off guard, Martha is accustomed to getting her way. But when it appears she’s finally about to have the life she’s always wanted, a crisis in Oji’s family brings out Martha’s tendency to try to save the day her way, and the divide deepens between her and Oji’s already indifferent mother, Eve. Confronted with these unforeseen challenges to her plans, Martha finds herself on a journey that forces her to fully acknowledge her previous mistakes and reconcile her past. But will it be enough to deliver her the future—and the love—her heart desires? BIO Rosey Lee is the author of The Gardins of Edin. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up on the Westbank of New Orleans, Louisiana. REVIEWS “If you’re craving a heartfelt, character-driven story about love, legacy, healing, and what it means to truly show up for your people (and yourself), don’t sleep on this series.” -- Emely Rumble, LCSW, bibliotherapist and author of Bibliotherapy in The Bronx [P] Prh Christian Publishing / May 13, 2025 0.9" H x 8.2" L x 5.4" W (0.6 lbs) 304 pages

A Gardin Wedding: A Gardin of Edin Novel /// Rosey Lee

﻿A Good Day to Bake is full of 70 sweet and savory baking recipes for any day of the week, led by flavor. Going through the ritual of bringing out the measuring scales, pouring out flour, whipping up the eggs, stirring the batter and impatiently slicing up warm cake is a beautiful thing that deserves to be enjoyed all year round no matter the day, season or occasion. This is a cookbook that embraces simplicity, mindfulness and the therapeutic comforts of baking. The Great British Bake Off's 2016 contestant Benjamina writes so warmly about cakes and her recipes speak to a natural, seasonal and down-to-earth way of baking. Chapters include Herbs & Tea, Stone Fruit & Berries, Vegetables, Best of Beige, Spice Cupboard, and Chocolate. Because every day is a good day to bake. BIO Benjamina Ebuehi writes recipes, styles and creates content for media, such as BBC Good Food, Waitrose Weekend and Guardian Feast as well as brands such as Sainsbury's, McVities, Lindt, Lyles Golden Syrup, Anthropologie, Baileys and Schwartz spices. Benjamina is an ambassador for the incredible social enterprise Luminary Bakery, and co-founded, with her sister Bonita, The Sister Table (www.thesistertable.com), hosting pop-up brunches and supper clubs for women across London. Her food blog Carrot and Crumb (www.carrotandcrumb.com) was a finalist in the 2019 Saveur Blog Awards. A Good Day to Bake is her second cookbook. [H] Quadrille Publishing / March 01, 2022 0.9" H x 9.9" L x 7.5" W (1.85 lbs) 192 pages

﻿<meta charset="UTF-8">A Good Day to Bake is full of 70 sweet and savory baking recipes for any day of the week, led by flavor. 
Going through the ritual of bringing out the measuring scales, pouring out flour, whipping up the eggs, stirring the batter and impatiently slicing up warm cake is a beautiful thing that deserves to be enjoyed all year round no matter the day, season or occasion. 
This is a cookbook that embraces simplicity, mindfulness and the therapeutic comforts of baking. The Great British Bake Off's 2016 contestant Benjamina writes so warmly about cakes and her recipes speak to a natural, seasonal and down-to-earth way of baking. Chapters include Herbs &amp; Tea, Stone Fruit &amp; Berries, Vegetables, Best of Beige, Spice Cupboard, and Chocolate. 
Because every day is a good day to bake.
BIO
Benjamina Ebuehi writes recipes, styles and creates content for media, such as BBC Good Food, Waitrose Weekend and Guardian Feast as well as brands such as Sainsbury's, McVities, Lindt, Lyles Golden Syrup, Anthropologie, Baileys and Schwartz spices.
Benjamina is an ambassador for the incredible social enterprise Luminary Bakery, and co-founded, with her sister Bonita, The Sister Table (www.thesistertable.com), hosting pop-up brunches and supper clubs for women across London. Her food blog Carrot and Crumb (www.carrotandcrumb.com) was a finalist in the 2019 Saveur Blog Awards.
A Good Day to Bake is her second cookbook.
[H] Quadrille Publishing  /  March 01, 2022
0.9" H x 9.9" L x 7.5" W (1.85 lbs) 192 pages

A Good Day to Bake: Simple Baking Recipes for Every Mood /// Benjamina Ebuehi

“A compelling story of how the transformative events of history weigh on individual lives and relationships.” - Barack ObamaThe Nobel Prize–nominated Kenyan writer’s best-known novel, featuring an introduction by Nobel Prize winner Abdulrazak GurnahSet in the wake of the Mau Mau rebellion and on the cusp of Kenya's independence from Britain, A Grain of Wheat follows a group of villagers whose lives have been transformed by the 1952–1960 Emergency. At the center of it all is the reticent Mugo, the village's chosen hero and a man haunted by a terrible secret. As we learn of the villagers' tangled histories in a narrative interwoven with myth and peppered with allusions to real-life leaders, including Jomo Kenyatta, a masterly story unfolds in which compromises are forced, friendships are betrayed, and loves are tested. BIO Ngugi wa Thiong'o is an award-winning novelist, playwright, and essayist from Kenya whose novels have been translated into more than thirty languages. He lives in Irvine, California, where he is Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine. REVIEWS “One of the greatest writers of our time.” -- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, The Guardian“His novels . . . have been deservedly canonized by the iconic [Penguin Classics] series.” --The Wall Street Journal [P] Penguin Group / June 05, 2012 0.8" H x 7.6" L x 5.1" W (0.45 lbs) 272 pages

A Grain of Wheat /// Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, introduction by Abdulrazak Gurnah, edited by Chinua Achebe

The New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice • Longlisted for the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction​ • A sweeping and beautifully rendered exploration of home and yearning, following the fracturing of a family upon the demise of its patriarch“Each character here is richly and deeply drawn…This is a novel that encourages us to stand in life’s burning doorways, and to think long before we walk away or walk through.”—New York TimesIn the early hours of June 14, 2017, the world watches as flames leap up the sides of a residential high-rise in West London, consuming Grenfell Tower and many of the lives within it. Across town, an earlier spark has caught fire. A cigarette left burning in an ashtray. A table strewn with post-it reminders and old newspapers. And one Cornelius Winston Pitt—estranged husband, complicated dad, and Pitt family patriarch—takes his final breaths alone.These twin tragedies open Diana Evans’s A House for Alice, an aching portrait of a family of women shaken by loss and searching for closure. At the novel’s center is Alice herself, the Pitt matriarch who, after fifty years in England, now longs to live out her final years in her homeland of Nigeria. Her three daughters are torn on the issue of whether she stays or goes, and while youngest sibling Melissa also grapples with the embers of her own failed relationship, the Pitt family’s foundational pillars—of trust, love, and cultural identity—begin to crack.Intimately drawn and set against a fraught political backdrop, yet equally full of hope, humor, and humanity, A House for Alice traces the scars of grief and betrayal across generations and uncovers the secrets we keep from those closest to us. BIO Diana Evans is the author of the novels 26a, The Wonder and Ordinary People. She has received nominations for the Whitbread First Novel, the Guardian First Book and the Commonwealth Best First Book awards and was the inaugural winner of the Orange Award for New Writers. Ordinary People won the 2019 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Literature and was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the Rathbones Folio Prize and the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction, and also received a nomination for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction. Her journalism appears in among others Time magazine, the Guardian, Vogue, and the Financial Times. She lives in London. REVIEWS A Most Anticipated Book: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Good Morning America •“Each character here is richly and deeply drawn, with histories and personalities so fully realized that it’s a pleasure to get to know them…This is a novel that encourages us to stand in life’s burning doorways, and to think long before we walk away or walk through.” -- New York Times“A beautiful, deep exploration of home and fractured families” -- Good Morning America“Twin domestic tragedies entwine in this richly loving and fraught novel. The 2017 Grenfell Towers fire in London looms as Diana Evans juxtaposes this disaster with the death of a patriarch whose loss complicates the actions of his wife, Alice, who longs to return at last to her homeland, Nigeria.” -- Boston Globe“The shifting sands of relationships, time, and place frame a vibrant new novel from an award-winning British writer.Broad in range, vivid in detail, alight often with eloquent language, Evans’ fourth novel, set among a Black community in London, takes time to reveal itself. Sprawling but always engaging, the novel’s cast is filled with rounded individuals, their problems and options as Black, middle-class Londoners showcased at work and play and contemplation, with humor and empathy.” -- Kirkus Review (starred review) “All is conjured with Evans’s keen eye for human behavior… Her prose is distinguished by its lively, lyrical energy, by its seemingly effortless expansiveness, and by masterful turns of phrase” -- Guardian “A warm but devastating narrative, dealing with the fallout of the Grenfell tragedy… Like any Evans novel, it is unputdownable” -- Harper’s Bazaar “Evans…has an exquisite turn of phrase…The people on the page, and the problems they face, are real and raw" -- Times UK [H] Pantheon Books / September 12, 2023 1.6" H x 9.3" L x 6.1" W (1.35 lbs) 352 pages

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The New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice • Longlisted for the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction​ • A sweeping and beautifully rendered exploration of home and yearning, following the fracturing of a family upon the demise of its patriarch “Each character here is richly and deeply drawn…This is a novel that encourages us to stand in life’s burning doorways, and to think long before we walk away or walk through.” —New York Times In the early hours of June 14, 2017, the world watches as flames leap up the sides of a residential high-rise in West London, consuming Grenfell Tower and many of the lives within it. Across town, an earlier spark has caught fire. A cigarette left burning in an ashtray. A table strewn with post-it reminders and old newspapers. And one Cornelius Winston Pitt—estranged husband, complicated dad, and Pitt family patriarch—takes his final breaths alone. These twin tragedies open Diana Evans’s A House for Alice, an aching portrait of a family of women shaken by loss and searching for closure. At the novel’s center is Alice herself, the Pitt matriarch who, after fifty years in England, now longs to live out her final years in her homeland of Nigeria. Her three daughters are torn on the issue of whether she stays or goes, and while youngest sibling Melissa also grapples with the embers of her own failed relationship, the Pitt family’s foundational pillars—of trust, love, and cultural identity—begin to crack. Intimately drawn and set against a fraught political backdrop, yet equally full of hope, humor, and humanity, A House for Alice traces the scars of grief and betrayal across generations and uncovers the secrets we keep from those closest to us.
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">Diana Evans is the author of the novels 26a, The Wonder and Ordinary People. She has received nominations for the Whitbread First Novel, the Guardian First Book and the Commonwealth Best First Book awards and was the inaugural winner of the Orange Award for New Writers. Ordinary People won the 2019 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Literature and was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the Rathbones Folio Prize and the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction, and also received a nomination for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction. Her journalism appears in among others Time magazine, the Guardian, Vogue, and the Financial Times. She lives in London.
REVIEWS
<meta charset="utf-8">A Most Anticipated Book: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Good Morning America • “Each character here is richly and deeply drawn, with histories and personalities so fully realized that it’s a pleasure to get to know them…This is a novel that encourages us to stand in life’s burning doorways, and to think long before we walk away or walk through.” -- New York Times “A beautiful, deep exploration of home and fractured families” -- Good Morning America “Twin domestic tragedies entwine in this richly loving and fraught novel. The 2017 Grenfell Towers fire in London looms as Diana Evans juxtaposes this disaster with the death of a patriarch whose loss complicates the actions of his wife, Alice, who longs to return at last to her homeland, Nigeria.” -- Boston Globe “The shifting sands of relationships, time, and place frame a vibrant new novel from an award-winning British writer. Broad in range, vivid in detail, alight often with eloquent language, Evans’ fourth novel, set among a Black community in London, takes time to reveal itself. Sprawling but always engaging, the novel’s cast is filled with rounded individuals, their problems and options as Black, middle-class Londoners showcased at work and play and contemplation, with humor and empathy.” -- Kirkus Review (starred review)   “All is conjured with Evans’s keen eye for human behavior… Her prose is distinguished by its lively, lyrical energy, by its seemingly effortless expansiveness, and by masterful turns of phrase” -- Guardian   “A warm but devastating narrative, dealing with the fallout of the Grenfell tragedy… Like any Evans novel, it is unputdownable” -- Harper’s Bazaar   “Evans…has an exquisite turn of phrase…The people on the page, and the problems they face, are real and raw" -- Times UK
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A House for Alice /// Diana Evans

Our history echoes with events which, over time, have become hidden, yet are important to all of us. Juneteenth is a celebration which recognizes the end of the enslavement of Black people in America. This book opens a door to understanding our history and celebrating our future—together.Meet A Kids Co., a new kind of media company with a collection of beautifully designed books that kickstart challenging, empowering, and important conversations for kids and their grownups. Learn more about us at akidsco.com. BIO Garrison Hayes (he/him) is a filmmaker, creator, and entrepreneur who amplifies stories which change the world. He believes the truth of the past helps us better understand the present and gives us the foundation to build a better tomorrow. [H] DK Publishing / May 21, 2024 0.5" H x 10.5" L x 8.3" W (0.9 lbs) 64 pages For ages 6 to 9

A Kids Book About Juneteenth /// Garrison Hayes

“Steady-handed and gut-punching. I’m in awe.”—NoViolet Bulawayo An Oprah Daily Most Anticipated Book of 2024 In ten vivid, evocative stories set in contemporary Nigeria, Uche Okonkwo’s extraordinary debut asks: why are the people and places we hold closest so often the ones that drive us to madness? A teenage girl from a poor family is dazzled by her rich, vivacious friend, but as the friend’s behavior grows unstable and dangerous, she must decide whether to cover for her or risk telling the truth to get her the help she needs. A young woman and her mother bask in the envy of their neighbors when the woman receives an offer of marriage from the family of a doctor living in Belgium—though when the offer fails to materialize, that envy threatens to turn vicious, pitting them both against their community. And a lonely daughter finds herself wandering a village in eastern Nigeria in an ill-fated quest, struggling to come to terms with her mother’s mental illness. Across ten stories, Uche Okonkwo’s A Kind of Madness unravels the tensions between mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, best friends, siblings, and more, marking the arrival of an extraordinary new talent in fiction. BIO Uche Okonkwo’s stories have been published in A Public Space, One Story, the Kenyon Review, Ploughshares, The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2019, and Lagos Noir, among others. A former Bernard O’Keefe Scholar at Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and resident at Art Omi, she is a recipient of the George Bennett Fellowship at Phillips Exeter Academy, a Steinbeck Fellowship, and an Elizabeth George Foundation grant. Okonkwo grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, and is currently pursuing a creative writing PhD at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln REVIEWS "This debut short-story collection features 10 stories set in present-day Nigeria, all concerned with madness—both the literal madness of mental illness as well as the unruliness of outsize emotions like envy, shame, and desire." -- Oprah Daily, A Most Anticipated Book of 2024"Okonkwo has a Chekhovian eye for the tangle of internal motivations and assumptions that steer her characters. . . .Readers will be eager for more of Okonkwo’s artful writing." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review"Surprising, illuminating, and deeply human." -- Booklist"Vivid. . . . In addition to striking a perfect balance between humor and heartbreak, A Kind of Madness shows incredible wiseness on the complexity and at times maddening nature of loving our family, our friends, and our home.” -- Chicago Review of Books, A Best Book of April"Amazingly written characters in unforgettable settings. Okonkwo’s writing is transformative". -- Debutiful, A Best Book of April [P] Tin House Books / April 16, 2024 0.64" H x 8.52" L x 5.57" W (0.53 lbs) 224 pages

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“Steady-handed and gut-punching. I’m in awe.”—NoViolet Bulawayo
An Oprah Daily Most Anticipated Book of 2024
In ten vivid, evocative stories set in contemporary Nigeria, Uche Okonkwo’s extraordinary debut asks: why are the people and places we hold closest so often the ones that drive us to madness?
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A teenage girl from a poor family is dazzled by her rich, vivacious friend, but as the friend’s behavior grows unstable and dangerous, she must decide whether to cover for her or risk telling the truth to get her the help she needs. A young woman and her mother bask in the envy of their neighbors when the woman receives an offer of marriage from the family of a doctor living in Belgium—though when the offer fails to materialize, that envy threatens to turn vicious, pitting them both against their community. And a lonely daughter finds herself wandering a village in eastern Nigeria in an ill-fated quest, struggling to come to terms with her mother’s mental illness.
Across ten stories, Uche Okonkwo’s A Kind of Madness unravels the tensions between mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, best friends, siblings, and more, marking the arrival of an extraordinary new talent in fiction.
BIO
Uche Okonkwo’s stories have been published in A Public Space, One Story, the Kenyon Review, Ploughshares, The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2019, and Lagos Noir, among others. A former Bernard O’Keefe Scholar at Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and resident at Art Omi, she is a recipient of the George Bennett Fellowship at Phillips Exeter Academy, a Steinbeck Fellowship, and an Elizabeth George Foundation grant. Okonkwo grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, and is currently pursuing a creative writing PhD at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
REVIEWS
"This debut short-story collection features 10 stories set in present-day Nigeria, all concerned with madness—both the literal madness of mental illness as well as the unruliness of outsize emotions like envy, shame, and desire." -- Oprah Daily, A Most Anticipated Book of 2024 "Okonkwo has a Chekhovian eye for the tangle of internal motivations and assumptions that steer her characters. . . .Readers will be eager for more of Okonkwo’s artful writing." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review "Surprising, illuminating, and deeply human." -- Booklist "Vivid. . . . In addition to striking a perfect balance between humor and heartbreak, A Kind of Madness shows incredible wiseness on the complexity and at times maddening nature of loving our family, our friends, and our home.” -- Chicago Review of Books, A Best Book of April "Amazingly written characters in unforgettable settings. Okonkwo’s writing is transformative". -- Debutiful, A Best Book of April
[P]  Tin House Books  /  April 16, 2024
0.64" H x 8.52" L x 5.57" W (0.53 lbs) 224 pages

A Kind of Madness: Stories /// Uche Okonkwo

-- SIGNED COPIES - From the award-winning author of High on the Hog—inspiration for the “energetic, emotional, and deeply nuanced” (The New York Times) Netflix series of the same name—comes a new and updated edition of A Kwanzaa Keepsake, another important exploration of African American culture, food, and family, featuring recipes and stories to help this generation create unique holiday traditions.Now with a new introduction by award-winning writer and iconic culinary historian Jessica B. Harris, a foreword by chef and television personality Carla Hall, revised recipes and stories, and a fresh new package, A Kwanzaa Keepsake offers proverbs, ceremonies, family projects, inspirational biographies, blessings, and of course, wonderful recipes. Structured around the seven days of Kwanzaa and the virtues each day represents, Harris shares a themed feast for each night, designed to reflect the principle of the day. Some of the menus include:- Umoja (Unity), featuring dishes of multinational origin such as Seasoned Olives, Mechoui-Style Leg of Lamb with cumin, mint, and chili, and a classic Caribbean rum punch, and reminds readers of the union of all peoples of African descent. - Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), composed of dishes from the African continent including Sweet Potato Fritters, Grilled Pepper Salad, and Piment Aimee, a hot sauce from one of the author’s friends. - Kuumba (Creativity) is a healing supper and communal meal that opens the gates of remembrance through food. The repast is centered around a heritage recipe and includes others for Pickled Black-Eyed Peas, a fish dish from the the Ivory Coast, Spicy Cranberry Chutney, and a killer pecan pie with molasses whipped cream.Interspersed throughout the book are spaces to record family memories, sayings, and recipes. Rich in culinary history, and a source of inspiration for treasuring and recording family traditions both old and new, A Kwanzaa Keepsake is a book to cherish, and one that families will turn to again and again. BIO Dr. Jessica B. Harris holds a PhD from NYU and taught English at Queens College for more than thirty years. She lectures internationally. She is the author of High on the Hog, which inspired the hit 2021 Netflix show of the same name. She is also the author of a memoir, My Soul Looks Back, as well as twelve cookbooks. Her articles have appeared in Vogue, Food & Wine, Essence, and The New Yorker, among other publications. She has made numerous television and radio appearances and has been profiled in The New York Times. Considered one of the preeminent scholars of the food of the African Diaspora, Harris has been inducted into the James Beard Who’s Who in Food and Beverage in America, she received the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, and an Augie Award from the Culinary Institute of America in 2022. She also received an honorary doctorate from Johnson & Wales University and recently helped the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture to conceptualize its cafeteria. [H] Scribner Book Company / November 05, 2024 0.64" H x 9.13" L x 7.38" W (0.53 lbs) 256 pages

A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook: Celebrating the Holiday with Family, Community, and Tradition /// Dr. Jessica B. Harris

In this lyrical picture book, world-renowned poet, New York Times bestselling author, and Coretta Scott King Honor winner Nikki Giovanni and fine artist Erin Robinson craft an ode to the magic of a library as a place not only for knowledge but also for imagination, exploration, and escape. In what other place can a child "sail their dreams" and "surf the rainbow" without ever leaving the room? This ode to libraries is a celebration for everyone who loves stories, from seasoned readers to those just learning to love words, and it will have kids and parents alike imagining where their library can take them. This inspiring read-aloud includes stunning illustrations and a note from Nikki Giovanni about the importance of libraries in her own childhood. BIO Nikki Giovanni, poet, activist, mother, and professor, is a seven-time NAACP Image Award winner and the first recipient of the Rosa Parks Woman of Courage Award, and holds the Langston Hughes Medal for Outstanding Poetry, among many other honors. The author of twenty-eight books and a Grammy nominee for The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection, she is the University Distinguished Professor of English at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. Erin Robinson is a Fashion Designer by trade but also a trained fine artist from Parsons School of Design and the Corcoran School of Art. Her daydreamy, magical imagination is inspired by travel, color, texture, the feminine shape and the many shades and coifs of Brooklyn. She currently splits her time between New York City and Washington, D.C. Find her at brooklyndolly.com and on Instagram @brooklyndolly. REVIEWS “Powerful.... Playful and inspiring. Every lover of books, young or old, will see themselves in this story.” -- Booklist (starred review) “Vibrant, carefully composed digital illustrations, with bright colors that invite readers in.... A lushly illustrated homage to librarians.” -- Kirkus Reviews “In this picture-book celebration of libraries and reading, poet Giovanni writes about the Carnegie Library, which she regularly visited as a child. Robinson’s digital art resembles vibrant collages.” -- Horn Book Magazine “Poetic text and evocative, textured illustrations work in concert to show how books and libraries enable people to imagine other lives—including other versions of their own selves.... A must-have.” -- School Library Journal [H] Versify / September 27, 2022 0.3" H x 11.1" L x 9.0" W (0.95 lbs) 32 pages

A Library /// Nikki Giovanni, illustrations by Erin K. Robinson

Tyree Daye’s a little bump in the earth is an act of invention and remembrance. Through sprawling poems, the town of Youngsville, North Carolina, where Daye’s family has lived for the last 200 years, is reclaimed as the “Ritual House.” Here, “every cousin aunt uncle ghost” is welcome. Daye invokes real and imagined people, the ancestral dead, land, snakes, and chickens, to create a black town on a hill. Including dreams, letters, revised rental agreements, and “a little museum in the herein-&-after,” where collaged images appear beside documents from Daye’s ancestors—census records, marriage licenses, and WWII Draft Registration cards—the collection asks if the past can be a portal to the future, the present a catalyst for the past. a little bump in the earth explores what it means to love someone, someplace, even as it changes, dies right in front of your eyes. Poem by poem, Daye is honoring the people of Youngsville and “bringing back the dead.” BIO Tyree Daye is a poet from Youngsville, North Carolina. He is the author of two poetry collections, including River Hymns, the 2017 APR/Honickman First Book Prize winner. Daye is a 2017 Ruth Lilly Finalist and Cave Canem fellow. Daye’s work has been published in Prairie Schooner, The New York Times, and Nashville Review. Daye won the 2019 Palm Beach Poetry Festival Langston Hughes Fellowship, 2019 Diana and Simon Raab Writer-In-Residence at UC Santa Barbara and is a 2019 Kate Tufts Finalist. Daye most recently was awarded a 2019 Whiting Award and a 2019 Ragin Rubin Award winner. [P] Copper Canyon Press / April 02, 2024 0.5" H x 8.9" L x 6.9" W (0.45 lbs) 104 pages

a little bump in the earth /// Tyree Daye

-- This title will ship on or after August 19, 2025 -- Impressive small-batch bakes, which are a breeze to make.A Little of What You Fancy showcases creative baking recipes that are tailored for smaller portions. From marbled cookies to swiss roll cake to crème brûlée Basque cheesecake, there are a variety of cakes, bakes and dessert recipes that only require minimal effort. Made using basic equipment and accessible ingredients, Dee Omole’s elegant style combines diverse flavours in intriguing ways. These treats are all easy enough for a mid-week treat for one, but special enough to serve as a dinner party treat. With easy-to-follow instructions, A Little of What You Fancy is full of achievable and indulgent bakes to satisfy your cravings – and with little to no waste (or leftovers!). There are also decorating tips and tricks to help you elevate your baked creations to new heights, making them the perfect handmade edible gift for loved ones. If you’re after homemade bakes without days and days of leftovers, A Little of What You Fancy is the book for you. BIO Dee Omole is a pastry chef and founder of confectionery studio Dee's Basement based in London, known for bringing a modern, creative flair to classic desserts. She's worked with a plethora of brands such as Tastemade and Pinterest showcasing her artistic approach to creating edible art. [H] Quadrille Publishing / August 19, 2025

-- This title will ship on or after August 19, 2025 --
Impressive small-batch bakes, which are a breeze to make. A Little of What You Fancy showcases creative baking recipes that are tailored for smaller portions. From marbled cookies to swiss roll cake to crème brûlée Basque cheesecake, there are a variety of cakes, bakes and dessert recipes that only require minimal effort.   Made using basic equipment and accessible ingredients, Dee Omole’s elegant style combines diverse flavours in intriguing ways. These treats are all easy enough for a mid-week treat for one, but special enough to serve as a dinner party treat.   With easy-to-follow instructions, A Little of What You Fancy is full of achievable and indulgent bakes to satisfy your cravings – and with little to no waste (or leftovers!). There are also decorating tips and tricks to help you elevate your baked creations to new heights, making them the perfect handmade edible gift for loved ones.   If you’re after homemade bakes without days and days of leftovers, A Little of What You Fancy is the book for you.
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">Dee Omole is a pastry chef and founder of confectionery studio Dee's Basement based in London, known for bringing a modern, creative flair to classic desserts. She's worked with a plethora of brands such as Tastemade and Pinterest showcasing her artistic approach to creating edible art.
[H]  Quadrille Publishing  /  August 19, 2025

A Little of What You Fancy: Irresistible Small-Batch Bakes /// Dee Omole /// pre

This inspiring historical picture book based on the childhood of Lucy Tolliver, the mother of Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, and written by her siblings, Sally-Ann Roberts and Lawrence Roberts, tells of the uplifting power that music has in keeping hope alive, even in times of strife. "A sweet snapshot of an inspiring girl who finds hope in song." —Kirkus Reviews Life is filled with ups and downs. No matter what, keep a song in your heart. Keep singing. For Lucimarian “Lucy” Tolliver, life on Lucy Street was nothing but a joyful dream. She spent her days happily playing in the neighborhood with her best friend, Wanda, and her grandpa’s wise words and warm embrace were only a few blocks away. However, when financial misfortune strikes Lucy and her family during the Depression, she struggles to hold on to the optimism that’s always kept her spirit lifted. But can one night—and one song—remind her that the light can continue to shine even in the darkest of times? From Sally-Ann Roberts and Lawrence Roberts comes a heartwarming and moving tale based on their mother's childhood, about the uplifting power that music has with keeping hope alive in times of extreme strife, featuring an epilogue from Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts BIO Lawrence E. "Butch" Roberts II was born in Akron, Ohio. He is a graduate of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, with a BA in English literature. After a career in finance, he taught high school English and coached boys basketball. Sally-Ann Roberts co-anchored with Eric Paulsen the popular Eyewitness Morning News on WWL-TV New Orleans and made the newscast one of the highest-rated morning newscasts in the country for more than twenty-five years. She was born in Chandler, Arizona, to Colonel Lawrence Roberts of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen and Lucimarian Roberts. She is the author of three books: Going Live . . . An Anchorwoman Reports Good News, the novel Angelvision, and the very inspirational Your Power Is On. Jestenia Southerland is an illustrator living in Dover, Delaware. She received an MFA in illustration from Syracuse University and a BFA in film and television studies from Boston University. In her art, she aims to portray a sense of whimsy through bright colors, graphic shapes, and charming characters. Visit her online at citrusfoam.com. [H] HarperCollins / May 13, 2025 0.5" H x 10.1" L x 9.9" W (0.95 lbs) 40 pages For ages 4 to 8

This inspiring historical picture book based on the childhood of Lucy Tolliver, the mother of Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, and written by her siblings, Sally-Ann Roberts and Lawrence Roberts, tells of the uplifting power that music has in keeping hope alive, even in times of strife.
"A sweet snapshot of an inspiring girl who finds hope in song." —Kirkus Reviews
Life is filled with ups and downs.
No matter what, keep a song in your heart.
Keep singing. 
For Lucimarian “Lucy” Tolliver, life on Lucy Street was nothing but a joyful dream. She spent her days happily playing in the neighborhood with her best friend, Wanda, and her grandpa’s wise words and warm embrace were only a few blocks away. However, when financial misfortune strikes Lucy and her family during the Depression, she struggles to hold on to the optimism that’s always kept her spirit lifted. But can one night—and one song—remind her that the light can continue to shine even in the darkest of times?
From Sally-Ann Roberts and Lawrence Roberts comes a heartwarming and moving tale based on their mother's childhood, about the uplifting power that music has with keeping hope alive in times of extreme strife, featuring an epilogue from Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">Lawrence E. "Butch" Roberts II was born in Akron, Ohio. He is a graduate of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, with a BA in English literature. After a career in finance, he taught high school English and coached boys basketball. 
<meta charset="utf-8"> Sally-Ann Roberts co-anchored with Eric Paulsen the popular Eyewitness Morning News on WWL-TV New Orleans and made the newscast one of the highest-rated morning newscasts in the country for more than twenty-five years. She was born in Chandler, Arizona, to Colonel Lawrence Roberts of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen and Lucimarian Roberts. She is the author of three books: Going Live . . . An Anchorwoman Reports Good News, the novel Angelvision, and the very inspirational Your Power Is On.
<meta charset="utf-8"> Jestenia Southerland is an illustrator living in Dover, Delaware. She received an MFA in illustration from Syracuse University and a BFA in film and television studies from Boston University. In her art, she aims to portray a sense of whimsy through bright colors, graphic shapes, and charming characters. Visit her online at citrusfoam.com.
[H]  HarperCollins  /  May 13, 2025
<meta charset="utf-8"> 0.5" H x 10.1" L x 9.9" W (0.95 lbs) 40 pages
For ages 4 to 8

Lucy Sings on Lucy Street /// Lawrence Roberts and Sally-Ann Roberts, illustrations by Jestenia Southerland /// new

An achingly compassionate and beautifully empathetic novel exploring the intersections of race, mental health, and the meaning of family—perfect for fans of Robin Benway’s Far from the Tree and Jas Hammonds’ We Deserve Monuments.For Aaliyah Campbell, family is everything. Her cousin Ivy is her best friend and track costar, and Grandpa Joe is her rock. He may be crotchety and dramatic, but he’s raised Aaliyah since she was a toddler. Still, Aaliyah can’t stop thinking about what’s missing—her parents. When Aaliyah secretly contacts her mom, Lena, she risks upsetting the family who’s always been there for her. But Grandpa Joe refuses to explain why her parents gave her up and, without answers, Aaliyah cannot silence the anxious voice telling her she’s never been good enough. Aaliyah is hardly surprised when Lena ghosts her, though she’s shocked when her dad, Quincy, steps up instead. Quincy turns out to be immature but surprisingly fun to hang out with. And when the rest of the family finds out they’re in contact, old secrets will finally be forced into the light. Aaliyah Campbell is a champion for young Black girls coping with anxiety and depression, and a voice for all teens navigating the messy process of learning how to advocate for ones’ self. Through honest storytelling and a voice that oozes humor and heart, Briana Johnson’s memorable debut explores sensitive topics with authenticity and compassion. BIO "The story, which unfolds over the second half of Aaliyah’s senior year, is very quickly paced, sustaining readers’ interest, while offering deep characterization. A deeply emotional and complex novel that looks at how we define family." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"Johnson’s young adult debut is rich with tight, complicated family bonds, with Aaliyah and Grandpa Joe’s relationship as the beating heart of the book. Aaliyah is passionate about running track, and her commitment to her sport and genuine love of it enrich the story. The plot twists and turns throughout Aaliyah’s budding relationship with Lena and Quincy, leading to unexpected conclusions." -- Booklist"If I Could Go Back is a poignant deep-dive into the messy intricacies of family—how they twist us up and push us down and lift us back up again. A stunning debut." -- A.L. Graziadei, award-winning author of Icebreaker"Tender, powerful, and equal parts funny and poignant. This story of Aaliyah—a girl searching for belonging amidst abandonment—shines with hard-won hope. With remarkable writing and emotional depth, it explores the weight of generational wounds and the healing power of truth, love, and chosen family. A stunning exploration of what it means to bloom from broken roots." -- Jay Coles, critically acclaimed author of Tyler Johnson Was Here [H] Peachtree Teens / May 06, 2025 1.4" H x 8.1" L x 5.4" W (0.9 lbs) 368 pages For ages 14 and up

If I Could Go Back /// Briana Johnson /// new

For three decades, the legacy of the revered writer, editor, performer, and activist Essex Hemphill has been lovingly sustained through xeroxed copies of his few published works. They are as potent now as they were in the 1980s. With tenderness and rage, Hemphill’s poems unflinchingly explore the complex, overlapping identities of sexuality, gender, and race; the American political landscape; and his own experiences as a black gay man during the AIDS crisis. Edited by John Keene and Robert F. Reid-Pharr, Love Is a Dangerous Word contains selections from Hemphill’s only published full-length collection, Ceremonies—named one of the 25 most influential works of postwar queer literature by the New York Times—alongside rarely seen poems from magazines and chapbooks. It serves as both an introduction to Hemphill’s poetic prowess and a treasure trove for those who have long awaited his return to the literary spotlight. BIO Essex Hemphill was born in Chicago and grew up in Southeast Washington, DC. A poet and performer known for his political edge, he openly addressed race, identity, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, and the family in his work, voicing issues central to the African American gay community. His first collections of poems were the self-published chapbooks Earth Life (1985) and Conditions (1986). His first full-length collection, Ceremonies: Prose and Poetry (1992), won the National Library Association’s Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual New Author Award. His work is included in the anthologies Gay and Lesbian Poetry in Our Time (1986) and Life Sentences: Writers, Artists, and AIDS (1993). Hemphill studied English at the University of Maryland; in 1978, with a fellow student, he helped found and run the Nethula Journal of Contemporary Literature. His later editing credits include the anthology Brother to Brother: New Writing by Black Gay Men (1991), which won the Lambda Literary Award. Poet and novelist John Keene grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned a BA at Harvard University and an MFA at New York University. He is the author of the novella and story collection Counternarratives (2015), the poetry collection Seismosis (2006, with art by Christopher Stackhouse), and the novel Annotations (1995). A member of the Dark Room Collective, Keene’s honors include a Whiting Award and fellowships from Cave Canem, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the New York Times Foundation, Yaddo, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and the Pan-African Literary Forum. He has taught at Northwestern University and served as the managing editor of Callaloo. He is an associate professor of English, African American Studies, and African Studies at Rutgers University–Newark. Robert F. Reid-Pharr is a Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University. He holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and an M.A. in African American Studies from Yale University as well as a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has been the Jess and Sara Cloud Distinguished Visiting Professor of English at the College of William and Mary, the Edward Said Visiting Chair of American Studies at the American University of Beirut, the Drue Heinz Visiting Professor of English at the University of Oxford, the Carlisle and Barbara Moore Distinguished Visiting Professor of English at the University of Oregon, and the F.O. Matthiessen Visiting Professor of Gender and Sexuality at Harvard University. A prominent scholar in the field of race and sexuality studies, he is the author of four books and numerous essays. His research and writing have been supported by grants from the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies, and the American Academy in Berlin. His work has been honored by the Publishing Triangle, the Modern Language Association and the American Literature Association. In 2015 he was inducted into the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars and he is the recipient of a 2016 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship. REVIEWS "A necessary and long-awaited book. In his best work—and there are at least half-a-dozen poems here that are modern classics—Hemphill is at once confessional and secretive, vulnerable and tough. At one point he states: ‘Consider hatred / to be this: / the absence of everything’. Love, then, would be fullness, presence, the condition Hemphill’s work struggles towards in a world hostile to his existence." -- Luke Roberts, New Left Review "When I read a poet like Essex Hemphill, my heart just comes up in my mouth and does an African folk-dance on the back of my throat…. He’s making something that has never been made or said before. He gives me hope and strength." -- Audre Lorde "If I’d met him I guess I’d have just said thank you." -- Dev Hynes "A master of frank desire." -- Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker [P] New Directions Publishing Corporation / March 04, 2025 0.49" H x 7.99" L x 5.34" W (0.37 lbs) 192 pages

For three decades, the legacy of the revered writer, editor, performer, and activist Essex Hemphill has been lovingly sustained through xeroxed copies of his few published works. They are as potent now as they were in the 1980s. With tenderness and rage, Hemphill’s poems unflinchingly explore the complex, overlapping identities of sexuality, gender, and race; the American political landscape; and his own experiences as a black gay man during the AIDS crisis.
Edited by John Keene and Robert F. Reid-Pharr, Love Is a Dangerous Word contains selections from Hemphill’s only published full-length collection, Ceremonies—named one of the 25 most influential works of postwar queer literature by the New York Times—alongside rarely seen poems from magazines and chapbooks. It serves as both an introduction to Hemphill’s poetic prowess and a treasure trove for those who have long awaited his return to the literary spotlight.
BIO
Essex Hemphill was born in Chicago and grew up in Southeast Washington, DC. A poet and performer known for his political edge, he openly addressed race, identity, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, and the family in his work, voicing issues central to the African American gay community. His first collections of poems were the self-published chapbooks Earth Life (1985) and Conditions (1986). His first full-length collection, Ceremonies: Prose and Poetry (1992), won the National Library Association’s Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual New Author Award. His work is included in the anthologies Gay and Lesbian Poetry in Our Time (1986) and Life Sentences: Writers, Artists, and AIDS (1993).
Hemphill studied English at the University of Maryland; in 1978, with a fellow student, he helped found and run the Nethula Journal of Contemporary Literature. His later editing credits include the anthology Brother to Brother: New Writing by Black Gay Men (1991), which won the Lambda Literary Award.
<meta charset="utf-8">Poet and novelist John Keene grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned a BA at Harvard University and an MFA at New York University. He is the author of the novella and story collection Counternarratives (2015), the poetry collection Seismosis (2006, with art by Christopher Stackhouse), and the novel Annotations (1995). 
<meta charset="utf-8">A member of the Dark Room Collective, Keene’s honors include a Whiting Award and fellowships from Cave Canem, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the New York Times Foundation, Yaddo, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and the Pan-African Literary Forum. He has taught at Northwestern University and served as the managing editor of Callaloo. He is an associate professor of English, African American Studies, and African Studies at Rutgers University–Newark.
<meta charset="utf-8">
Robert F. Reid-Pharr is a Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University. He holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and an M.A. in African American Studies from Yale University as well as a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He has been the Jess and Sara Cloud Distinguished Visiting Professor of English at the College of William and Mary, the Edward Said Visiting Chair of American Studies at the American University of Beirut, the Drue Heinz Visiting Professor of English at the University of Oxford, the Carlisle and Barbara Moore Distinguished Visiting Professor of English at the University of Oregon, and the F.O. Matthiessen Visiting Professor of Gender and Sexuality at Harvard University. A prominent scholar in the field of race and sexuality studies, he is the author of four books and numerous essays. 
His research and writing have been supported by grants from the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies, and the American Academy in Berlin.  His work has been honored by the Publishing Triangle, the Modern Language Association and the American Literature Association. In 2015 he was inducted into the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars and he is the recipient of a 2016 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship.  
REVIEWS
"A necessary and long-awaited book. In his best work—and there are at least half-a-dozen poems here that are modern classics—Hemphill is at once confessional and secretive, vulnerable and tough. At one point he states: ‘Consider hatred / to be this: / the absence of everything’. Love, then, would be fullness, presence, the condition Hemphill’s work struggles towards in a world hostile to his existence." -- Luke Roberts, New Left Review 
"When I read a poet like Essex Hemphill, my heart just comes up in my mouth and does an African folk-dance on the back of my throat…. He’s making something that has never been made or said before. He gives me hope and strength." -- Audre Lorde
"If I’d met him I guess I’d have just said thank you." -- Dev Hynes
"A master of frank desire." -- Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker 
[P]  New Directions Publishing Corporation  /  March 04, 2025
<meta charset="utf-8">0.49" H x 7.99" L x 5.34" W (0.37 lbs) 192 pages

Love Is a Dangerous Word: The Selected Poems of Essex Hemphill /// edited by John Keene and Robert F. Reid-Pharr

Keith Sandiford's study examines the importance of sugar as a central metaphor in the work of six influential authors of the colonial West Indies. Sugar, he argues, became a focus for cultural desires as well as a hard fact of the Caribbean's political economy. Sandiford defines this metaphorical turn as a trope of "negotiation" that organizes the structure and content of the narratives. Based on extensive historical knowledge of the period and recent postcolonial theory, this book suggests the possibilities negotiation offers in the continuing recovery of West Indian intellectual history. BIO Keith Albert Sandiford is a Barbadian-born historian. He has taught literature at Louisiana State University since 1986. [P] Cambridge Press University / July 13, 2010 0.52" H x 9.0" L x 6.0" W (0.75 lbs) 228 pages

The Cultural Politics of Sugar: Caribbean Slavery and Narratives of Colonialism /// Keith A. Sandiford

Surely the most stylish and cool island in the Caribbean, Jamaica is not only the cradle of reggae but also a favorite destination for James Bond. While there is no shortage of luxury villas and white-sand beaches, Jamaica offers something that other destinations lack: a vibrant culture, wholly its own. Overflowing with character, Jamaica has a strong sense of self, which was shaped over the centuries during its fight for freedom and independence. This national pride is reflected in the music, dance, cuisine and literature that originated in Jamaica but has since influenced people across the globe. The legacy of Bob Marley is intricately linked with the image of Jamaica, leaving an indelible mark on the country and the world. For novelist Ian Fleming, Jamaica was his creative incubator. At his home, GoldenEye, Fleming crafted one of the most well-known characters in the world, James Bond. Travelers can now walk in the footsteps of these titans of creative expression by touring 56 Hope Road in Kingston, Bob Marley’s former home, or by staying at GoldenEye. Whether you’re born and raised on the island, or just on a vacation, Jamaica’s influence is undeniable. Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, contributes a foreword to Jamaica Vibes, presenting an intimate, insider portrait of this vibrant island nation and its mesmerizing power. BIO A winner of the British Vogue talent competition at age eighteen, Lisa Lovatt-Smith spent fifteen years as an editor and fashion director at various editions of Vogue. She was also a freelance journalist for international magazines and newspapers, including Architectural Digest, The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, El Pais and others. Lisa has authored sixteen interior-design and photography books, in addition to her memoir, Who KnowsTomorrow (2014). Since 2002 she has dedicated most of her time to the children’s charity she founded in Ghana, OAfrica. For her work as an activist, she was recognized with the Face Africa Award in the U.S., the Prix Clarins in France and the LiberPress Award in Spain. Novia McDonald-Whyte is the senior associate editor for lifestyle and social content at the Jamaica Observer Media Group. An ardent believer in the possibilities of the Caribbean, Novia has contributed articles to Paris Match, Vogue France, Cosmopolitan, SkyWritings, Maco Caribbean, Ocean Style, She Caribbean and US Airways. Her latest project, “Herself,” is an award-winning six-part master-class tutorial, produced in association with the LAB advertising agency. [H] Assouline / September 2023 W 11 x L 14 x D 1.4 in (6.0 lbs)

Surely the most stylish and cool island in the Caribbean, Jamaica is not only the cradle of reggae but also a favorite destination for James Bond. While there is no shortage of luxury villas and white-sand beaches, Jamaica offers something that other destinations lack: a vibrant culture, wholly its own. Overflowing with character, Jamaica has a strong sense of self, which was shaped over the centuries during its fight for freedom and independence.
This national pride is reflected in the music, dance, cuisine and literature that originated in Jamaica but has since influenced people across the globe. The legacy of Bob Marley is intricately linked with the image of Jamaica, leaving an indelible mark on the country and the world. For novelist Ian Fleming, Jamaica was his creative incubator. At his home, GoldenEye, Fleming crafted one of the most well-known characters in the world, James Bond. Travelers can now walk in the footsteps of these titans of creative expression by touring 56 Hope Road in Kingston, Bob Marley’s former home, or by staying at GoldenEye. Whether you’re born and raised on the island, or just on a vacation, Jamaica’s influence is undeniable. Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, contributes a foreword to Jamaica Vibes, presenting an intimate, insider portrait of this vibrant island nation and its mesmerizing power.
BIO
A winner of the British Vogue talent competition at age eighteen, Lisa Lovatt-Smith spent fifteen years as an editor and fashion director at various editions of Vogue. She was also a freelance journalist for international magazines and newspapers, including Architectural Digest, The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, El Pais and others. Lisa has authored sixteen interior-design and photography books, in addition to her memoir, Who KnowsTomorrow (2014). Since 2002 she has dedicated most of her time to the children’s charity she founded in Ghana, OAfrica. For her work as an activist, she was recognized with the Face Africa Award in the U.S., the Prix Clarins in France and the LiberPress Award in Spain.
Novia McDonald-Whyte is the senior associate editor for lifestyle and social content at the Jamaica Observer Media Group. An ardent believer in the possibilities of the Caribbean, Novia has contributed articles to Paris Match, Vogue France, Cosmopolitan, SkyWritings, Maco Caribbean, Ocean Style, She Caribbean and US Airways. Her latest project, “Herself,” is an award-winning six-part master-class tutorial, produced in association with the LAB advertising agency.
[H]  Assouline  /  September 2023
W 11 x L 14 x D 1.4 in (6.0 lbs)

Jamaica Vibes /// Lisa Lovatt-Smith and Novia McDonald-Whyte

-- This book is currently available in hardcover. The paperback version of this title is available for pre-order and will ship on or after August 05, 2025 -- A Book Marks Best Reviewed MemoirAn Essence Most Anticipated BookA Bustle Most Anticipated Book Blending mythology and memory, Saga Boy follows a young Black immigrant’s vibrant personal metamorphosis. Growing up as a clever, willful boy in a tiny village in the tropical forests of Trinidad—raised by his indomitable grandmother, Miss Excelly, and her King James Bible—Antonio Michael Downing is steeped in the legacies of his scattered family, the vibrant culture of the island, and the weight of its colonial history. But following Miss Excelly’s death, everything changes. The eleven-year-old Downing seems to fall asleep in the jungle and to wake up in a blizzard: he is sent to live with his devoutly evangelical Aunt Joan in rural Canada, where they are the only Black family in a landscape starkly devoid of the warm lushness of his childhood. Isolated and longing for home, Downing begins a decades-long journey to transform himself through music and performance. A reunion with his birth parents, whom he has known only through story, closes more doors than it opens. Instead, Downing seeks refuge in increasingly extravagant musical personalities: “Mic Dainjah,” a boisterous punk rapper; “Molasses,” a soul crooner; and, finally, an eccentric dystopian-era pop star clad in leather and gold, “John Orpheus.” In his mid-thirties, increasingly addicted to escapism, attention, and sex, Downing realizes he has become a “Saga Boy”—a Trinidadian playboy archetype—like his father and grandfather before him. When his choices land him in a jail cell, Downing must face who he has become. Harnessing the lyricism of an evangelical childhood into a flourishing and unforgettable prose all its own, Saga Boy is a poignant journey of overcoming, belonging, and becoming one’s own self. BIO Antonio Michael Downing is an author, speaker, and musical artist. His memoir Saga Boy was called “singularly dazzling” by Kiese Laymon and “the triumph of Blackness everywhere” by Scotiabank Giller Prize–winner Ian Williams. He has been shortlisted for several awards including the 2019 RBC Taylor Prize Emerging Writer Award, the 2021 Toronto Book Award, and the 2021 Speaker’s Book Award. He is also the author of the children’s picture book Stars in My Crown and his debut novel, Black Cherokee. He writes and performs music as John Orpheus. Raised in Trinidad, Toronto, and Brooklyn, Antonio Michael Downing now lives in Kitchener, Ontario. REVIEWS “Singularly dazzling … A brilliant collage of the twenty-first century’s most incredible memoirs.” -- Kiese Laymon “[A] deeply moving memoir . . . [and] lyrical story. . . . Suffused with poetic prose that jumps off the page, this inspiring account sings.” -- Publishers Weekly *STARRED REVIEW*"Powerful and beautifully written." -- Toronto Star“An engaging narrative about the search for home, belonging, and identity.… [Saga Boy is] intriguing, passionate, and often moving.” -- Kirkus Reviews [H] Milkweed Editions / September 14, 2021 1.18" H x 9.06" L x 6.3" W (1.5 lbs) 344 pages [P] Milkweed Editions / August 05, 2025

Saga Boy: My Life of Blackness and Becoming /// Antonio Michael Downing

-- This title will ship on or soon after September 09, 2025 -- Indulge your love of chocolate and learn to make delectable desserts you have only dreamed of . . . until now! Step into a world where cocoa isn't just an ingredient but a source of endless creativity, and explore the rich, luxurious depths of chocolate. In For the Love of Chocolate, Phillip Ashley Rix, whose skill and innovation have made him a renowned name in the world of chocolatiers, guides you through an inspiring collection of desserts, confections, and drinks that promise to transform your chocolate-making experience—whether you are a beginner or experienced baker. For the Love of Chocolate comes to you from the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, a place as vibrant and soulful as the flavors embedded in every recipe. Each page is a discovery of imaginative flavors, blending tradition with innovation, and ranging from the comfort of Phillip’s beloved grandmother’s recipes to the thrill of avant-garde creations. The unique mouthwatering creations you can master include: "Bollywood" Cashew Coconut Curry Truffles Turtle Cheesecake Baked French Toast Blue Cheese Shortbread with White Chocolate Drizzle Smoky Chocolate-Covered Orange Cocktail Peanut Butter-Caramel-Cayenne Brownies Black Velvet Cake with Tanghulu "Glass" Strawberries Chocolate Sweet Potato Pie with Brown Sugar Meringue If you're taking your first steps into the delightful world of chocolate desserts or seeking to refine your craft with new, inventive recipes, Phillip's wisdom and creativity are here to guide you. You'll gain a deeper appreciation for what he calls chocistry (the art of making chocolates) and learn about: the history of chocolate, tempering chocolate, chocolate varieties, equipment for working with chocolate, chocolate molds and shells, and fancy finishes. For the Love of Chocolate not simply a cookbook; it's a love letter to the craft of chocolate-making and a gateway to mastering the art of chocolate. Embark on this flavorful journey, empower your culinary skills, and celebrate the transformative power of chocolate in bringing people together. This cookbook is an essential addition to the libraries of all who dream in chocolate. BIO Phillip Ashley Rix has achieved international acclaim as a renowned luxury chocolatier and is celebrated for his exceptional craftsmanship. He has created premium gifts for Hollywood’s elite at the EMMYS®, GRAMMYS®, and OSCARS®, and was named one of America’s finest confectioners by Forbes. A finalist on Food Network’s Chopped Sweets, his “Perfect Turtle” was featured on Oprah's Favorite Things list in 2020. He is the Official Chocolatier for Cadillac, designed chocolates for President Barack Obama, and was a James Beard Awards nominee in 2023 and 2024. His imaginative chocolate factory and home are in Memphis, Tennessee. [H] Harper Celebrate / September 09, 2025 256 pages

-- This title will ship on or soon after September 09, 2025 --
Indulge your love of chocolate and learn to make delectable desserts you have only dreamed of . . . until now! Step into a world where cocoa isn't just an ingredient but a source of endless creativity, and explore the rich, luxurious depths of chocolate.
In For the Love of Chocolate, Phillip Ashley Rix, whose skill and innovation have made him a renowned name in the world of chocolatiers, guides you through an inspiring collection of desserts, confections, and drinks that promise to transform your chocolate-making experience—whether you are a beginner or experienced baker.
For the Love of Chocolate comes to you from the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, a place as vibrant and soulful as the flavors embedded in every recipe. Each page is a discovery of imaginative flavors, blending tradition with innovation, and ranging from the comfort of Phillip’s beloved grandmother’s recipes to the thrill of avant-garde creations. The unique mouthwatering creations you can master include:
<ul>
<li>"Bollywood" Cashew Coconut Curry Truffles</li>
<li>Turtle Cheesecake Baked French Toast</li>
<li>Blue Cheese Shortbread with White Chocolate Drizzle</li>
<li>Smoky Chocolate-Covered Orange Cocktail</li>
<li>Peanut Butter-Caramel-Cayenne Brownies</li>
<li>Black Velvet Cake with Tanghulu "Glass" Strawberries</li>
<li>Chocolate Sweet Potato Pie with Brown Sugar Meringue</li>
</ul>
 
If you're taking your first steps into the delightful world of chocolate desserts or seeking to refine your craft with new, inventive recipes, Phillip's wisdom and creativity are here to guide you. You'll gain a deeper appreciation for what he calls chocistry (the art of making chocolates) and learn about: the history of chocolate, tempering chocolate, chocolate varieties, equipment for working with chocolate, chocolate molds and shells, and fancy finishes.
For the Love of Chocolate not simply a cookbook; it's a love letter to the craft of chocolate-making and a gateway to mastering the art of chocolate. Embark on this flavorful journey, empower your culinary skills, and celebrate the transformative power of chocolate in bringing people together. This cookbook is an essential addition to the libraries of all who dream in chocolate.
BIO
Phillip Ashley Rix has achieved international acclaim as a renowned luxury chocolatier and is celebrated for his exceptional craftsmanship. He has created premium gifts for Hollywood’s elite at the EMMYS®, GRAMMYS®, and OSCARS®, and was named one of America’s finest confectioners by Forbes. A finalist on Food Network’s Chopped Sweets, his “Perfect Turtle” was featured on Oprah's Favorite Things list in 2020. He is the Official Chocolatier for Cadillac, designed chocolates for President Barack Obama, and was a James Beard Awards nominee in 2023 and 2024.
His imaginative chocolate factory and home are in Memphis, Tennessee.
[H]  Harper Celebrate  /  September 09, 2025
256 pages

For the Love of Chocolate: 80 At-Home Recipes from a Master Chocolatier's Imagination /// Phillip Ashley Rix /// pre

This new audiobook is written and read New York Times bestselling author of The Three Mothers, Anna Malaika Tubbs. In Erased, Anna recovers all that American patriarchy has tried to destroy.Patriarchy has oppressed women and denied their contributions worldwide, but the United States of America has its own unique gendered hierarchy. Dr. Anna Malaika Tubbs applies her signature blend of approachable yet rigorous analysis in this definitive and groundbreaking history of American patriarchy. She proves that humanity in the United States is determined by gender in a limited and flawed binary that is also always tied to whiteness. Tubbs shows how a fabricated hierarchy became so deeply ingrained over time that it now goes unnoticed, along with everything it intentionally conceals.From the founding fathers to the current Supreme Court justices, from the treatment of enslaved women to the American maternal health crises, from the exclusion of women in the Constitution to the continued lack of an Equal Rights Amendment, Tubbs brings together academic research, the stories of freedom fighters both past and present, and her own experiences to reveal what is erased in the wake of American patriarchy. The system has survived by hiding the tools that are necessary to dismantle it. But Tubbs beautifully reminds us that those tools, including our intuition, courage, ancient wisdom, and power, are still well within our reach.Erased is the story of the United States from a new perspective: one where the people who shaped this country–who have been oppressed and whose contributions have been denied–are at the center, reminding us that we can restore what has been strategically kept from us. Once again, Dr. Anna Malaika Tubbs has written a book that will be a touchstone for conversations on gender, race, and equity for years to come. BIO Anna Malaika Tubbs is a New York Times bestselling author and multidisciplinary expert on current and historical understandings of race, gender, and equity. With a Ph.D. in Sociology and a Masters in Multidisciplinary Gender Studies from the University of Cambridge in addition to a Bachelors in Medical Anthropology from Stanford University, Anna translates her academic knowledge into stories that are clear and engaging. Her articles have been published by TIME Magazine, New York Magazine, CNN, Motherly, the Huffington Post, For Harriet, The Guardian, Darling Magazine, and Blavity. Anna’s storytelling also takes form in her talks, including her TED Talk that has been viewed 2 million times, as well as the scripted and unscripted screen projects she has in development. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their three kids. REVIEWS “A primer for understanding the way and why of patriarchy that couldn't be more on time. Anna's remarkable storytelling makes this more than an academic exercise—it places you right in the center of it, and asks you to engage directly with how we help patriarchy persist, and more importantly, what's at stake for all of us if we dare to resist—and leave no one behind along the way.” -- Alicia Garza, civil rights activist and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement “With Erased, Anna Malaika Tubbs offers a visionary and clear-eyed understanding of patriarchy that goes beyond the incomplete definitions that many of us have grown to accept as fact. This book is not a simplistic story of men vs. women; it’s about the full complexity of our lives and our futures.” -- Tarana Burke, activist, author, and founder of the Me Too movement “Drawing from history, law, and lived experience, this book provides an unflinching examination of how patriarchy has shaped America’s past and present. With masterful prose, Tubbs challenges readers through proven evidence to confront the systems that perpetuate inequity and invites us to imagine a future where those systems are dismantled.” -- Eve Rodsky, NYT bestselling author of Fair Play “Anna Malaika Tubbs has written a book that demands we directly confront the way patriarchy – both systemic and interpersonal – has shaped the history of our country and the reality of our present. Erased is unflinching in its assessment and necessary in its urgency. There is so much to learn from these pages. I am so grateful this book exists.” --Clint Smith, #1 New York Times bestselling author of How the Word is Passed “An illuminating and inspiring examination of the structures that founding fathers used to establish this country. This is the framework that we all need to understand American history today. At a time when facts are disputed and access to them is contested, Erased is a balm and a breath of fresh air.” -- Christy Turlington Burns, Founder & President of Every Mother Counts “A trenchant treatise on the damaging reach of American patriarchy [...] renders complex concepts a pleasure to read.” -- Kirkus Reviews [H] Flatiron Books / May 20, 2025 1.08" H x 9.47" L x 6.56" W (1.24 lbs) 384 pages

Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us /// Anna Malaika Tubbs /// new

-- This title will ship on or after August 19, 2025 -- A young girl looks out on the world from her favorite chair in this “quiet meditation on the sweet delight of simply observing the changing world” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) by award-winning poet and New York Times bestselling author Rio Cortez.In the morning, a young child opens her eyes, and, after one biiiiig streeeeetch, heads straight for her favorite place in the house: the blue velvet chair. Perched from the chair set by the living room window, the child daydreams about each season of the year and the changes that come with them. A now-snowy roof was once pelted by the slick rain of spring showers. Icy windows will once again transform into conveyors of sunshine and warmth against her skin.And just as the seasons change, the child will continue to change too. But one thing will always remain the same: the coziness of the blue velvet chair. BIO Rio Cortez is the New York Times bestselling author of picture book The ABCs of Black History and adult poetry collection Golden Ax, which was longlisted for the 2022 National Book Award in poetry and the PEN Open Book Award. Born and raised in Salt Lake City, she now lives, writes, and works in Harlem, New York. REVIEWS "A gentle look at constant change narrated from a comfortingly anchored place." -- Publishers Weekly [H] Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers / August 19, 2025 0.13" H x 8.5" L x 11.0" W 40 pages For ages 4 to 8

-- This title will ship on or after August 19, 2025 --
<meta charset="utf-8">A young girl looks out on the world from her favorite chair in this “quiet meditation on the sweet delight of simply observing the changing world” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) by award-winning poet and New York Times bestselling author Rio Cortez. In the morning, a young child opens her eyes, and, after one biiiiig streeeeetch, heads straight for her favorite place in the house: the blue velvet chair. Perched from the chair set by the living room window, the child daydreams about each season of the year and the changes that come with them. A now-snowy roof was once pelted by the slick rain of spring showers. Icy windows will once again transform into conveyors of sunshine and warmth against her skin. And just as the seasons change, the child will continue to change too. But one thing will always remain the same: the coziness of the blue velvet chair.
BIO 
<meta charset="utf-8">Rio Cortez is the New York Times bestselling author of picture book The ABCs of Black History and adult poetry collection Golden Ax, which was longlisted for the 2022 National Book Award in poetry and the PEN Open Book Award. Born and raised in Salt Lake City, she now lives, writes, and works in Harlem, New York.
REVIEWS
"A gentle look at constant change narrated from a comfortingly anchored place." -- Publishers Weekly
[H]  Denene Millner Books/Simon &amp; Schuster Books for Young Readers  /  August 19, 2025
<meta charset="utf-8">0.13" H x 8.5" L x 11.0" W 40 pages
For ages 4 to 8

The Blue Velvet Chair /// Rio Cortez, illustrations by Aaron Marin /// pre

-- This title will ship on or after July 08, 2025 -- In the western imagination, a Black man is always a stranger. Outsider, foreigner, intruder, alien. One who remains associated with their origins irrespective of how far they have travelled from them. One who is not an individual in their own right but the representative of a type.What kind of performance is required for a person to survive this condition? And what happens beneath the mask?In answer, Ekow Eshun conjures the voices of five very different men. Ira Aldridge: nineteenth century actor and playwright. Matthew Henson: polar explorer. Frantz Fanon: psychiatrist and political philosopher. Malcolm X: activist leader. Justin Fashanu: million-pound footballer. Each a trailblazer in his field. Each haunted by a sense of isolation and exile. Each reaching for a better future. BIO Described as a ‘cultural polymath’ by The Guardian, Ekow Eshun has been at the heart of international creative culture for several decades, curating exhibitions, authoring books, presenting documentaries and chairing high-profile lectures. His work stretches the span of identity, style, masculinity, art and culture. Ekow rose to prominence as a trailblazer in British culture. He was the first Black editor of a major magazine in the UK (Arena Magazine in 1997) and continued to break ground as the first Black director of a major arts organisation, the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London (2005-2010). As Chairman of the commissioning group for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, he leads one of the world’s most famous public art projects. REVIEWS "Thrilling and ingenious, propulsive and genre-defying: The Strangers is an outstanding book" -- Bernardine Evaristo"Luminous and extraordinary... This book will be referenced for years to come" -- Lemn Sissay [H] Harper / July 08, 2025

-- This title will ship on or after July 08, 2025 --
<meta charset="utf-8">In the western imagination, a Black man is always a stranger. Outsider, foreigner, intruder, alien. One who remains associated with their origins irrespective of how far they have travelled from them. One who is not an individual in their own right but the representative of a type. What kind of performance is required for a person to survive this condition? And what happens beneath the mask? In answer, Ekow Eshun conjures the voices of five very different men. Ira Aldridge: nineteenth century actor and playwright. Matthew Henson: polar explorer. Frantz Fanon: psychiatrist and political philosopher. Malcolm X: activist leader. Justin Fashanu: million-pound footballer. Each a trailblazer in his field. Each haunted by a sense of isolation and exile. Each reaching for a better future.
BIO
Described as a ‘cultural polymath’ by The Guardian, Ekow Eshun has been at the heart of international creative culture for several decades, curating exhibitions, authoring books, presenting documentaries and chairing high-profile lectures. His work stretches the span of identity, style, masculinity, art and culture.
Ekow rose to prominence as a trailblazer in British culture. He was the first Black editor of a major magazine in the UK (Arena Magazine in 1997) and continued to break ground as the first Black director of a major arts organisation, the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London (2005-2010).
As Chairman of the commissioning group for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, he leads one of the world’s most famous public art projects.
REVIEWS
<meta charset="utf-8">"Thrilling and ingenious, propulsive and genre-defying: The Strangers is an outstanding book" -- Bernardine Evaristo "Luminous and extraordinary... This book will be referenced for years to come" -- Lemn Sissay
[H]  Harper  /  July 08, 2025

The Strangers: Five Extraordinary Black Men and the Worlds That Made Them /// Ekow Eshun /// pre

-- This title will ship on or after July 08, 2025 -- “Among the most profound and dazzling debuts I've ever read.” —Kiese Laymon, award-winning author of Heavy: An American MemoirAn essay collection from culture critic Lawrence Burney that is a personal and analytical look at his home city of Baltimore, music from throughout the global Black diaspora, and the traditions that raised him.There are moments throughout our lives when we discover an artist, an album, a film, or a cultural artifact that leaves a lasting impression, helping inform how we understand the world, and ourselves, moving forward. In No Sense in Wishing, Lawrence Burney explores these profound interactions with incisive and energizing prose, offering us a personal and critical perspective on the people, places, music, and art that transformed him.In a time when music is spearheading Black Americans’ connection with Africans on The Continent, Burney takes trips to cover the bubbling creative scenes in Lagos and Johannesburg that inspire teary-eyed reflections of self and belonging. Seeing his mother perform as the opening act at a Gil Scott-Heron show as a child inspires an essay about parent-child relationships and how personal taste is often inherited. And a Maryland crab feast with family facilitates an assessment of how the Black people in his home state have historically improvised paths for their liberation.Taking us on a journey from the streets of Baltimore to the concert halls of Lagos, No Sense in Wishing is a kaleidoscopic exploration of Burney’s search for self. With its gutsy and uncompromising criticism alongside intimate personal storytelling, it’s like an album that hits all the right notes, from a promising writer on the rise. BIO Lawrence Burney is a writer, critic, and the founder of True Laurels, an independent magazine covering Baltimore’s music and culture scene. His work has appeared in publications such as New York magazine, GQ, and Pitchfork. He has also worked at The Fader, VICE, and The Baltimore Banner. No Sense in Wishing is his first book. Follow him on Instagram and X @TrueLaurels. REVIEWS “For the last few years, I thought I was in need of a new cultural critic to cleave to—until I read Lawrence Burney’s work and realized I wasn’t in search of a critic at all. Instead, I was looking for more of a cultural ambassador. Someone wrestling, not with what they hate but with what they love, and trying to display these touchpoints of adoration, no matter how complicated they may be, for the world to see. That's what No Sense In Wishing is. A series of billboards. Better yet, a collection of love letters with Burney at the helm, not just as pen and hand, but also as the heart unabashedly beating this new rhythm. This is truly a gift.” --Jason Reynolds, MacArthur Genius Grant recipient and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Look Both Ways “No Sense In Wishing is a stunning, richly intimate tapestry of affections that, most importantly, does incredible work to pay close attention to the people, things, and places that might otherwise be looked over. Through this, and within these pages, dignity is afforded to an interior world—and how grateful readers should be for that.” -- Hanif Abdurraqib, New York Times bestselling author of There’s Always This Year and A Little Devil in America “No Sense In Wishing is among the most profound and dazzling debuts I’ve ever read. Lawrence Burney writes at once like a rusty-knuckled Southern gardener and a skilled Northern conjurer of the nth degree. The work here is provocative, yet firmly rooted in the exciting fringes of traditions yet to be named. No Sense in Wishing might actually do more for understanding how Baltimore, Maryland is, and what is actually happening in that beautifully black Northern Southern city. I'm absolutely shook at how good the book-making here is.” -- Kiese Laymon, bestselling author of Heavy: An American Memoir “Cutting and clarifying in equal measure, Burney’s essays combine sharp cultural analysis with lucid selfexamination, resulting in a lively collection that slots comfortably alongside the work of writers like Hanif Abdurraqib. Readers will be rapt.” -- Publisher’s Weekly [H] Atria Books / July 08, 2025 0.83" H x 9.0" L x 6.0" W (1.13 lbs) 256 pages

-- This title will ship on or after July 08, 2025 -- 
<meta charset="utf-8">“Among the most profound and dazzling debuts I've ever read.” —Kiese Laymon, award-winning author of Heavy: An American Memoir An essay collection from culture critic Lawrence Burney that is a personal and analytical look at his home city of Baltimore, music from throughout the global Black diaspora, and the traditions that raised him. There are moments throughout our lives when we discover an artist, an album, a film, or a cultural artifact that leaves a lasting impression, helping inform how we understand the world, and ourselves, moving forward. In No Sense in Wishing, Lawrence Burney explores these profound interactions with incisive and energizing prose, offering us a personal and critical perspective on the people, places, music, and art that transformed him. In a time when music is spearheading Black Americans’ connection with Africans on The Continent, Burney takes trips to cover the bubbling creative scenes in Lagos and Johannesburg that inspire teary-eyed reflections of self and belonging. Seeing his mother perform as the opening act at a Gil Scott-Heron show as a child inspires an essay about parent-child relationships and how personal taste is often inherited. And a Maryland crab feast with family facilitates an assessment of how the Black people in his home state have historically improvised paths for their liberation. Taking us on a journey from the streets of Baltimore to the concert halls of Lagos, No Sense in Wishing is a kaleidoscopic exploration of Burney’s search for self. With its gutsy and uncompromising criticism alongside intimate personal storytelling, it’s like an album that hits all the right notes, from a promising writer on the rise.
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">Lawrence Burney is a writer, critic, and the founder of True Laurels, an independent magazine covering Baltimore’s music and culture scene. His work has appeared in publications such as New York magazine, GQ, and Pitchfork. He has also worked at The Fader, VICE, and The Baltimore Banner. No Sense in Wishing is his first book. Follow him on Instagram and X @TrueLaurels.
REVIEWS
“For the last few years, I thought I was in need of a new cultural critic to cleave to—until I read Lawrence Burney’s work and realized I wasn’t in search of a critic at all. Instead, I was looking for more of a cultural ambassador. Someone wrestling, not with what they hate but with what they love, and trying to display these touchpoints of adoration, no matter how complicated they may be, for the world to see. That's what No Sense In Wishing is. A series of billboards. Better yet, a collection of love letters with Burney at the helm, not just as pen and hand, but also as the heart unabashedly beating this new rhythm. This is truly a gift.” --Jason Reynolds, MacArthur Genius Grant recipient and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Look Both Ways
<div class="with-margin-bottom-medium">
“No Sense In Wishing is a stunning, richly intimate tapestry of affections that, most importantly, does incredible work to pay close attention to the people, things, and places that might otherwise be looked over. Through this, and within these pages, dignity is afforded to an interior world—and how grateful readers should be for that.” -- Hanif Abdurraqib, New York Times bestselling author of There’s Always This Year and A Little Devil in America
</div>
<div class="with-margin-bottom-medium">
“No Sense In Wishing is among the most profound and dazzling debuts I’ve ever read. Lawrence Burney writes at once like a rusty-knuckled Southern gardener and a skilled Northern conjurer of the nth degree. The work here is provocative, yet firmly rooted in the exciting fringes of traditions yet to be named. No Sense in Wishing might actually do more for understanding how Baltimore, Maryland is, and what is actually happening in that beautifully black Northern Southern city. I'm absolutely shook at how good the book-making here is.” -- Kiese Laymon, bestselling author of Heavy: An American Memoir
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“Cutting and clarifying in equal measure, Burney’s essays combine sharp cultural analysis with lucid selfexamination, resulting in a lively collection that slots comfortably alongside the work of writers like Hanif Abdurraqib. Readers will be rapt.” -- Publisher’s Weekly
[H]  Atria Books  /  July 08, 2025
<meta charset="utf-8">0.83" H x 9.0" L x 6.0" W (1.13 lbs) 256 pages
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No Sense in Wishing: Essays /// Lawrence Burney /// pre

-- This title will ship on or after June 24, 2025 -- Inspired by Bob Marley's iconic song "Jamming," this joyful picture book by eight-time Grammy winner Ziggy Marley about a fun-filled pajama party celebrates screen-free family time, creativity, and connection. Join a family’s pajama party sleepover as they spend a fun night together filled with games, pillow fights, music, and stories. It’s a time to break normal routines, turn off electronics, build a blanket fort, and stay up late—to start family traditions and make memories that will last a lifetime. Using the most iconic lines from reggae legend Bob Marley’s “Jamming” as a jumping-off point, Pajammin’ reinvents the song for kids and caregivers, celebrating mindfulness, togetherness, and the power of imagination. BIO Ziggy Marley is an eight-time Grammy winner, Emmy winner, musician, producer, humanitarian, and author with a long history of projects for kids and families, including the picture books I Love You Too, My Dog Romeo, and Music Is in Everything. He is the eldest son of reggae icons Bob Marley and Rita Marley. When he’s not making music or writing books, Ziggy likes to play chess and soccer and enjoys cooking and gardening. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Orly, and their children. REVIEWS 'Inspired by his late father Bob Marley’s hit song “Jamming,” Grammy-winning musician Ziggy Marley tells the story of a family throwing an epic pajama party complete with games, snacks, storytelling, and music-making. A sweet and joyful family tale.' -- Kirkus Reviews [H] Clarion Books / June 24, 2025 For ages 4 to 8

-- This title will ship on or after June 24, 2025 --
Inspired by Bob Marley's iconic song "Jamming," this joyful picture book by eight-time Grammy winner Ziggy Marley about a fun-filled pajama party celebrates screen-free family time, creativity, and connection.
Join a family’s pajama party sleepover as they spend a fun night together filled with games, pillow fights, music, and stories. It’s a time to break normal routines, turn off electronics, build a blanket fort, and stay up late—to start family traditions and make memories that will last a lifetime.
Using the most iconic lines from reggae legend Bob Marley’s “Jamming” as a jumping-off point, Pajammin’ reinvents the song for kids and caregivers, celebrating mindfulness, togetherness, and the power of imagination.
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">Ziggy Marley is an eight-time Grammy winner, Emmy winner, musician, producer, humanitarian, and author with a long history of projects for kids and families, including the picture books I Love You Too, My Dog Romeo, and Music Is in Everything. He is the eldest son of reggae icons Bob Marley and Rita Marley. When he’s not making music or writing books, Ziggy likes to play chess and soccer and enjoys cooking and gardening. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Orly, and their children. 
REVIEWS
<meta charset="utf-8">'Inspired by his late father Bob Marley’s hit song “Jamming,” Grammy-winning musician Ziggy Marley tells the story of a family throwing an epic pajama party complete with games, snacks, storytelling, and music-making. A sweet and joyful family tale.' -- Kirkus Reviews
[H]  Clarion Books  /  June 24, 2025
For ages 4 to 8

Pajammin' /// Ziggy Marley, illustrations by Letícia Moreno /// pre

-- This title will ship on or after June 10, 2025 -- Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author S. A. Cosby returns with King of Ashes, a Godfather-inspired Southern crime epic and dazzling family drama.When eldest son Roman Carruthers is summoned home after his father’s car accident, he finds his younger brother, Dante, in debt to dangerous criminals and his sister, Neveah, exhausted from holding the family—and the family business—together. Neveah and their father, who run the Carruthers Crematorium in the run-down central Virginia town of Jefferson Run, see death up close every day. But mortality draws even closer when it becomes clear that the crash that landed their father in a coma was no accident and Dante’s recklessness has placed them all in real danger.Roman, a financial whiz with a head for numbers and a talent for making his clients rich, has some money to help buy his brother out of trouble. But in his work with wannabe tough guys, he’s forgotten that there are real gangsters out there. As his bargaining chips go up in smoke, Roman realizes that he has only one thing left to offer to save his brother: himself, and his own particular set of skills.Roman begins his work for the criminals while Neveah tries to uncover the long-ago mystery of what happened to their mother, who disappeared when they were teenagers. But Roman is far less of a pushover than the gangsters realize. He is willing to do anything to save his family. Anything.Because everything burns. BIO S.A. Cosby is an American author of "Southern noir" crime fiction. He resides in Gloucester, Virginia, on the York River. Cosby has published four crime novels: My Darkest Prayer, Blacktop Wasteland, Razorblade Tears, and All the Sinners Bleed. REVIEWS “Pick up the novel everyone will be talking about. . . The flashy sequences of violence feel apt for TV (Netflix, along with Steven Spielberg’s production outfit and the Obamas’ media company, is working on a series), but the novel’s real draw is the quieter ache of a family torn apart.” -- The Atlantic“A fast-paced thriller that will have readers asking whether the ends justify the means if there is no end in sight. . . Reminiscent of the great tragedies, this is Cosby at his best.” -- Library Journal, starred review“Cosby is one of the biggest names in the crime/thriller world these days. . . King of Ashes takes its cue from The Godfather – an ailing patriarch, a family falling apart and a son who comes back home to hold it all together.” -- NPR.com“A Southern crime drama to the tune of “The Godfather.” -- USA TODAY“A thrilling and dark take on a twisted American Dream cum Shakespearean tragedy. . . Cosby crafts an exquisite thriller; the pages whir by on superb prose. . . Building to a cataclysmic finale, Cosby once again propels readers on one hell of a ride. Excellent.” -- Deadly Pleasures, A+ [H] Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar / June 10, 2025

-- This title will ship on or after June 10, 2025 --
<meta charset="utf-8">Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author S. A. Cosby returns with King of Ashes, a Godfather-inspired Southern crime epic and dazzling family drama. When eldest son Roman Carruthers is summoned home after his father’s car accident, he finds his younger brother, Dante, in debt to dangerous criminals and his sister, Neveah, exhausted from holding the family—and the family business—together. Neveah and their father, who run the Carruthers Crematorium in the run-down central Virginia town of Jefferson Run, see death up close every day. But mortality draws even closer when it becomes clear that the crash that landed their father in a coma was no accident and Dante’s recklessness has placed them all in real danger. Roman, a financial whiz with a head for numbers and a talent for making his clients rich, has some money to help buy his brother out of trouble. But in his work with wannabe tough guys, he’s forgotten that there are real gangsters out there. As his bargaining chips go up in smoke, Roman realizes that he has only one thing left to offer to save his brother: himself, and his own particular set of skills. Roman begins his work for the criminals while Neveah tries to uncover the long-ago mystery of what happened to their mother, who disappeared when they were teenagers. But Roman is far less of a pushover than the gangsters realize. He is willing to do anything to save his family. Anything. Because everything burns.
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">S.A. Cosby is an American author of "Southern noir" crime fiction. He resides in Gloucester, Virginia, on the York River. Cosby has published four crime novels: My Darkest Prayer, Blacktop Wasteland, Razorblade Tears, and All the Sinners Bleed.
REVIEWS
<meta charset="utf-8">“Pick up the novel everyone will be talking about. . . The flashy sequences of violence feel apt for TV (Netflix, along with Steven Spielberg’s production outfit and the Obamas’ media company, is working on a series), but the novel’s real draw is the quieter ache of a family torn apart.” -- The Atlantic “A fast-paced thriller that will have readers asking whether the ends justify the means if there is no end in sight. . . Reminiscent of the great tragedies, this is Cosby at his best.” -- Library Journal, starred review “Cosby is one of the biggest names in the crime/thriller world these days. . . King of Ashes takes its cue from The Godfather – an ailing patriarch, a family falling apart and a son who comes back home to hold it all together.” -- NPR.com “A Southern crime drama to the tune of “The Godfather.” -- USA TODAY “A thrilling and dark take on a twisted American Dream cum Shakespearean tragedy. . . Cosby crafts an exquisite thriller; the pages whir by on superb prose. . . Building to a cataclysmic finale, Cosby once again propels readers on one hell of a ride. Excellent.” -- Deadly Pleasures, A+
[H]   Flatiron Books: Pine &amp; Cedar /  June 10, 2025

King of Ashes /// S.A. Crosby /// pre

-- This title will ship on or after June 10, 2025 -- Community ideals and magic clash in this follow-up to Grievers and Maroons by adrienne maree brown. Ancestors is the powerful conclusion to adrienne maree brown's Grievers trilogy—a story of how life blooms amid tragedy and hate. In the wake of a mysterious pandemic known as Syndrome H-8, the survivors of a ravaged and isolated Detroit are building a future inside the network of deserted skyscrapers that define the city’s skyline. Dune’s magic keeps a lush green wall encircling the community, and while some settle inside its safety, others grow desperate to get out, fueling the tension between shelter and confinement. As Dune’s power blossoms and her connection to the spirits of the departed deepens, she must learn how to balance the needs of her people, both living and dead. BIO adrienne maree brown, the Co-Editor of Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction from Social Justice Movements, is a social justice facilitator, healer, doula and pleasure activist living in Detroit. She is a student of emergence, somatics, transformation and science fiction. She is part of the training body of generative somatics, and coodinating the Just Films Narrative Shift Program for Allied Media Projects. She is the 2015-2016 Ursula le Guin Fellowship, the Knight Arts Challenge for 2013 and 2015, a Kresge Literary Arts Fellow for 2013, in the inaugural Speculative Fiction Workshop at Voices of Our Nation 2014, and a graduate of the Clarion Sci-Fi and Fantasy Workshop in 2015. REVIEWS "Ancestors is a moving, kaleidoscopic portrait of resistance and survival ... adrienne maree brown has written something profound, a novel exploring those things we hold dear, what we preserve, and perhaps most importantly, what we must fight to defend." -- Daniel Alarcón, author of At Night We Walk in Circles "A timely narrative ... This post-industrial, post-pandemic, post-apocalyptic novel examines the collective struggle for harmony in the face of personal and collective trauma. ... Ancestors delivers tender conjecture full of somatic healing, spiritual fortitude, and human re-connection. This is the book we need." -- Nandi Comer, Michigan Poet Laureate and author of Tapping Out “In a place ‘thick with souls,’ brown tells an un-mythological story of gentrification, a deadly virus, and the undoing of systems. … Rich with beautiful Black-love-story-telling … AMB's voice speaks in lush poems that give us optimism for a tangible revolutionary Detroit future. -- jessica Care moore, Detroit Poet Laureate and author of We Want Our Bodies Back [P] AK Press / June 10, 2025 1.0" H x 6.9" L x 5.0" W (0.62 lbs) 256 pages

-- This title will ship on or after June 10, 2025 --
Community ideals and magic clash in this follow-up to Grievers and Maroons by adrienne maree brown.
Ancestors is the powerful conclusion to adrienne maree brown's Grievers trilogy—a story of how life blooms amid tragedy and hate. In the wake of a mysterious pandemic known as Syndrome H-8, the survivors of a ravaged and isolated Detroit are building a future inside the network of deserted skyscrapers that define the city’s skyline. Dune’s magic keeps a lush green wall encircling the community, and while some settle inside its safety, others grow desperate to get out, fueling the tension between shelter and confinement. As Dune’s power blossoms and her connection to the spirits of the departed deepens, she must learn how to balance the needs of her people, both living and dead.
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">adrienne maree brown, the Co-Editor of Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction from Social Justice Movements, is a social justice facilitator, healer, doula and pleasure activist living in Detroit. She is a student of emergence, somatics, transformation and science fiction. She is part of the training body of generative somatics, and coodinating the Just Films Narrative Shift Program for Allied Media Projects. She is the 2015-2016 Ursula le Guin Fellowship, the Knight Arts Challenge for 2013 and 2015, a Kresge Literary Arts Fellow for 2013, in the inaugural Speculative Fiction Workshop at Voices of Our Nation 2014, and a graduate of the Clarion Sci-Fi and Fantasy Workshop in 2015.
REVIEWS
"Ancestors is a moving, kaleidoscopic portrait of resistance and survival ... adrienne maree brown has written something profound, a novel exploring those things we hold dear, what we preserve, and perhaps most importantly, what we must fight to defend." -- Daniel Alarcón, author of At Night We Walk in Circles
"A timely narrative ... This post-industrial, post-pandemic, post-apocalyptic novel examines the collective struggle for harmony in the face of personal and collective trauma. ... Ancestors delivers tender conjecture full of somatic healing, spiritual fortitude, and human re-connection. This is the book we need." -- Nandi Comer, Michigan Poet Laureate and author of Tapping Out 
“In a place ‘thick with souls,’ brown tells an un-mythological story of gentrification, a deadly virus, and the undoing of systems. … Rich with beautiful Black-love-story-telling … AMB's voice speaks in lush poems that give us optimism for a tangible revolutionary Detroit future. -- jessica Care moore, Detroit Poet Laureate and author of We Want Our Bodies Back
[P]  AK Press  /  June 10, 2025
<meta charset="utf-8">1.0" H x 6.9" L x 5.0" W (0.62 lbs) 256 pages

Ancestors: A Grievers Novel /// adrienne maree brown /// pre

-- This title will ship on or after June 03, 2025 -- Acclaimed author-artist Daria Peoples illuminates the life of civil rights icon Angela Davis in this strikingly illustrated picture book biography. This profound exploration of American history, activism, the civil rights movement, and the power of the people is for fans of Maya's Song, Nina, and There Was a Party for Langston. Before she was an iconic civil rights activist, before she was one of the FBI’s Most Wanted, before she was a teacher, Angela Davis was a young girl in Birmingham, Alabama. A girl whose parents taught her that freedom lives anywhere and everywhere it pleases. A girl who believed it when her mother told her, “It won’t always be this way.” And a girl who grew up to fight for the world and the future that she imagined could exist—for all people. In this resonant and timely picture book biography of Angela Davis, acclaimed author-artist Daria Peoples invites young readers to join the fight. Her striking paintings and powerful text pay tribute to Angela Davis’s evolution as an abolitionist, and dare readers of all ages to light the way to the future. An inspiring choice for fans of books by Kwame Alexander, Kadir Nelson, Christian Robinson, and Carole Boston Weatherford. Features extensive back matter, including a timeline of Angela Davis’s life, a visual glossary, and an author’s note. BIO Daria Peoples grew up in Paso Robles, California, in a household rich with culture. She has a degree in English from UC Santa Barbara and earned her master's in education from Regis University. The daughter of two educators, Daria Peoples has worked as an educator herself, teaching both English and art in elementary and middle schools and at the college level. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is the author-illustrator of This Is It; I Got Next; America, My Love, America, My Heart; and Hello, Mister Blue. REVIEWS “A moving picture-book biography that reveals a complex personality who followed a unique path.” -- Kirkus Reviews “Peoples fuses lyrical text with stark realism, transitioning from a bucolic reflection that personifies Davis’ childhood emotions to a more firm directness, capitalizing fully her various roles. The art strikes a similar balance between conceptual and groundedness. . . . The dual messages here—that current inequities are terrible and brutal but can be fixed—make a timely reminder.” -- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “A forthright account of the life of activist Angela Davis.” -- Publishers Weekly [H] Greenwillow Books / June 03, 2025 0.5" H x 9.1" L x 9.0" W (0.95 lbs) 56 pages For ages 4 to 8

-- This title will ship on or after June 03, 2025 --
Acclaimed author-artist Daria Peoples illuminates the life of civil rights icon Angela Davis in this strikingly illustrated picture book biography. This profound exploration of American history, activism, the civil rights movement, and the power of the people is for fans of Maya's Song, Nina, and There Was a Party for Langston. 
Before she was an iconic civil rights activist, before she was one of the FBI’s Most Wanted, before she was a teacher, Angela Davis was a young girl in Birmingham, Alabama. A girl whose parents taught her that freedom lives anywhere and everywhere it pleases. A girl who believed it when her mother told her, “It won’t always be this way.” And a girl who grew up to fight for the world and the future that she imagined could exist—for all people.
In this resonant and timely picture book biography of Angela Davis, acclaimed author-artist Daria Peoples invites young readers to join the fight. Her striking paintings and powerful text pay tribute to Angela Davis’s evolution as an abolitionist, and dare readers of all ages to light the way to the future. An inspiring choice for fans of books by Kwame Alexander, Kadir Nelson, Christian Robinson, and Carole Boston Weatherford. Features extensive back matter, including a timeline of Angela Davis’s life, a visual glossary, and an author’s note.
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">Daria Peoples grew up in Paso Robles, California, in a household rich with culture. She has a degree in English from UC Santa Barbara and earned her master's in education from Regis University. The daughter of two educators, Daria Peoples has worked as an educator herself, teaching both English and art in elementary and middle schools and at the college level. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is the author-illustrator of This Is It; I Got Next; America, My Love, America, My Heart; and Hello, Mister Blue.
REVIEWS
“A moving picture-book biography that reveals a complex personality who followed a unique path.” -- Kirkus Reviews
“Peoples fuses lyrical text with stark realism, transitioning from a bucolic reflection that personifies Davis’ childhood emotions to a more firm directness, capitalizing fully her various roles. The art strikes a similar balance between conceptual and groundedness. . . . The dual messages here—that current inequities are terrible and brutal but can be fixed—make a timely reminder.” -- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“A forthright account of the life of activist Angela Davis.” -- Publishers Weekly
[H]  Greenwillow Books  /  June 03, 2025<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta charset="utf-8">0.5" H x 9.1" L x 9.0" W (0.95 lbs) 56 pages
For ages 4 to 8

Be the Light: How She Became Angela Davis /// words and illustrations by Daria Peoples /// pre

Gloria and her relatives celebrate Juneteenth and share the history and significance of this freedom celebration in a Level 3 I Can Read. The Morris family celebrates Juneteenth together every year with a barbeque including red food and drinks. Gloria and Grandma Daisy explain why Juneteenth is called Freedom Day and why we celebrate this important date. Angela Dalton’s explanation of Juneteenth through the lively voice of young Gloria makes this I Can Read an accessible, engaging introduction to this national holiday. Keisha Morris’s pitch-perfect illustrations of both our past and present perfectly capture this freedom celebration. This Level Three I Can Read book focuses on history and family with some complex themes and is written for early independent readers. BIO Angela Dalton is a children’s book author living in Oakland, California. Her picture books include To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights, Ruby’s Reunion Day Dinner, Show the World!, and her award-winning debut, If You Look Up to the Sky. Visit her online at angeladalton.com. REVIEWS 'A comprehensive overview of this celebration in language that is easy for emerging readers. Highly recommended for all ­collections.' -- School Library Journal [H] HarperCollins / May 06, 2025 0.4" H x 9.1" L x 6.1" W (0.45 lbs) 32 pages For ages 4 to 8

Gloria and her relatives celebrate Juneteenth and share the history and significance of this freedom celebration in a Level 3 I Can Read. 
The Morris family celebrates Juneteenth together every year with a barbeque including red food and drinks. Gloria and Grandma Daisy explain why Juneteenth is called Freedom Day and why we celebrate this important date.
Angela Dalton’s explanation of Juneteenth through the lively voice of young Gloria makes this I Can Read an accessible, engaging introduction to this national holiday. Keisha Morris’s pitch-perfect illustrations of both our past and present perfectly capture this freedom celebration. This Level Three I Can Read book focuses on history and family with some complex themes and is written for early independent readers.
BIO
<meta charset="utf-8">Angela Dalton is a children’s book author living in Oakland, California. Her picture books include To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights, Ruby’s Reunion Day Dinner, Show the World!, and her award-winning debut, If You Look Up to the Sky. Visit her online at angeladalton.com.
REVIEWS
<meta charset="utf-8">'A comprehensive overview of this celebration in language that is easy for emerging readers. Highly recommended for all ­collections.' -- School Library Journal
[H]  HarperCollins  /  May 06, 2025
<meta charset="utf-8">0.4" H x 9.1" L x 6.1" W (0.45 lbs) 32 pages
For ages 4 to 8

Freedom Celebration: A Juneteenth Party /// Angela Dalton, illustrations by Keisha Morris

Marcus Bridgewater, also known as the social media sensation Garden Marcus, shows kids the lessons he learned in his grandma’s garden when he was growing up.Grandma’s favorite place is her garden. It seems like she could stay there forever! Marcus wants to know why–so they set about exploring it together. From shells protecting seeds (like Marcus’s helmet protects his head!) to a small seed eventually growing into something big (also just like Marcus!), there are so many amazing connections to be made in this wonderful place. Day after day, Marcus delights in realizing how much he has in common with the plants–he drinks water every day, too, and he gets haircuts just like the plants get pruned. As his grandma says, there’s a whole world to explore in a garden, and Marcus likes thinking about it as a playground for all the snails, birds, bugs, and worms. And one of its many beauties is the bounty they are rewarded with after all the love and care they pour into it! BIO Marcus Bridgewater, known on social media as Garden Marcus, is also the author of How to Grow: Nurture Your Garden, Nurture Yourself. Media outlets that have featured his work include Vogue, Dwell, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and The Drew Barrymore Show. A creator, educator, motivational speaker, and plant enthusiast, he is also the founder and CEO of Choice Forward, a company that offers life coaching, seminars, and workshops. He lives in Texas with his wife, son, and a thousand plants.Reggie Brown also illustrated the New York Times bestselling picture book Who Are Your People? (by Bakari Sellers), as well as Bros (by Carole Boston Weatherford), Tacko Fall: To New Heights (by Tacko Fall and and Justin Haynes), Santa in the City (by Tiffany D. Jackson), and the chapter book series The Magnificent Makers (by Theanne Griffith). The recipient of the California Arts Council’s 2023 Established Artist Award, Reggie is passionate about bringing stories of Black children and families to life, one picture at a time. When he’s not busy in his studio, you can find him indulging in his love for fantasy, superheroes, and science fiction. He lives in San Diego, California. REVIEWS “Bridgewater spotlights the positive power of greenery in this children’s debut. As young Marcus’s grandmother offers upbeat instruction in gardening basics, the pair draw parallels between human and plant needs. . . . Working with mangoes, tomatoes, pineapples, and cilantro, the duo model attentiveness to nature, with Grandma observing that ‘plants grow better when you show them love.’ Dialogue-driven lines frequently convey an exuberant tone . . . while Brown’s texturized digital artwork centers Marcus’s evident glee as a budding gardener, amplifying the story’s message of nurturing curiosity and supporting growth across species.” --Publishers Weekly“[Bridgewater] tells the story of a curious Black child who discovers ‘a playground for nature.’ . . . Before Marcus can even take off his bright red helmet, he’s caught up in the garden that Grandma cares for. . . . Mango seeds, tomato seedlings, and squirming worms comprise a delicate ecosystem that Marcus is eager to learn more about. Grandma clearly draws connections between plant and human growth as she patiently explains that both children and seedlings need ‘water and air and sunshine. And space to grow.’ Vibrant details, such as Grandma’s curly hair and large, round, red glasses, enhance a green space already packed with diverse life ranging from a prickly pineapple plant to a small snail. . . . As the story transitions from the garden to the kitchen, its themes of nourishment and care remain potent, supported well by an author’s note that dedicates the book to Bridgewater’s grandmother and the invaluable lessons she espoused. A simple yet effective introduction to green spaces for young readers.” -- Kirkus Reviews [H] Nancy Paulsen Books / May 06, 2025 0.5" H x 10.6" L x 9.2" W (0.85 lbs) 32 pages For ages 3 to 7

See Marcus Grow /// Marcus Bridgewater, illustrations by Reggie Brown

A wrenching love story and literary debut following two strangers whose paths converge in a series of seemingly chance encounters and shared histories, perfect for readers of Jesmyn Ward, NoViolet Bulawayo, and Yaa Gyasi.On a bus moving across rural landscapes from town to town, two young people are escaping with nothing to hold except hope. She has committed a horrifying act for which there will certainly be retribution. He is staggering from a devastating discovery. They will find each other and attempt to move forward, even as their grief leaves wounds on their new beginnings.Seamlessly transitioning between past lives and present realities, The Ones We Loved tenderly weaves both myth and memory into an account of two people desperate for connection and yearning for a place to belong. They will find sunflowers carrying death, rivers that whisper secrets and trees that will see it all. The Ones We Loved is told in the rhythms of oral retellings practiced in Zimbabwe, where a ngano (story)—its melodies, pauses and lifts—creates a call-and-response with the audience. It is a breathtakingly beautiful story about the homes we leave behind, the lonely voices that find us and the painful consequences of experiencing a love that has never known how to let go. BIO Tarisai Ngangura is a journalist andphotographer. Born and raised in Zimbabwe, she completed her post-secondaryeducation at what was then Ryerson University in Canada. Reporting from Brazil,Canada and the US, her essays and interviews have appeared in RookieMag, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Lapham’sQuarterly and the Globe and Mail. Previously at VanityFair, Ngangura currently splits her time between Toronto andManhattan. The Ones We Loved is her debut novel. REVIEWS “If Toni Morrison is a language, Tarisai Ngangura speaks it as well as any novelist writing today. In a magnificent novel, that seethes with beauty, passion and rage, Ngangura contemplates how to embrace a history composed of love and devastating pain.” -- Donna Bailey Nurse, literary critic and journalist "The Ones We Loved is a literary cat burglar. Steals your breath. Makes off with your time before you see it gone. Pockets your heart and hands it back—rewired. Tarisai Ngangura has penned a haunting, unforgettable story about a shattered girl and a shattered boy rebuilding their lives on the thinnest reeds of hope." -- Lawrence Hill, award-winning author of The Book of Negroes [H] Park Row / May 06, 2025 1.1" H x 9.2" L x 6.3" W (0.9 lbs) 304 pages

The Ones We Loved: A Novel /// Tarisai Ngangura

National Treasure gets a Harlem Renaissance twist in this epic adventure through New York City, filled with history, humor, and heartTwelve-year-old Zeus Jones is just about the only person in the world who believes in his grandfather’s stories about the Harlem Renaissance. To be fair, they are a bit far-fetched. After all, what are the chances that there was a renowned magazine called Burn! whose headquarters literally burned down, destroying almost every single copy? And who would believe that a secret page was actually hidden amongst the ashes, said to be the key to unlocking a lost fortune? No one, that’s who. But when Zeus accidentally stumbles upon the secret page on the same day that his grandfather disappears without a trace, he finally has proof that his grandfather’s stories are more than just stories—they’re real. And now he knows that the secret page is more than just a secret page—it’s a treasure map, leading to a prize beyond all imagining. Follow the map, find the treasure, save his grandfather. Seems simple enough. But as Zeus and his friends work to solve the riddles of the map, long-buried secrets about the Harlem Renaissance, Black history, and Zeus’s own family are unraveled. And what’s more, they aren’t the only ones intent on seizing this prize... BIO Taylor Banks is a dark fantasy and action/adventure writer with an obsession with storytelling and world-building. She earned my MFA from The New Writers Project at the University of Texas at Austin in 2019, and her writing tends to take one of two directions: exploring the forgotten history of marginalized communities or building vast, ultra-detailed secondary worlds that offer pure escapism. [H] Melissa de la Cruz Studio / May 06, 2025 1.14" H x 8.51" L x 5.89" W (0.94 lbs) 336 pages For ages 8 to 12

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