This year welcomes a slate of African-American authors publishing young adult fiction that vary in subject matter, but share a common goal: to expand what it means to see Black teenage girls as whole and complete characters.
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mahogany brown, faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, l.l. McKinney, J. elle, elise bryant, renée watson and camryn garrett will publish books this year in which black girls take the lead as broken and brave figures, warriors and wanderers.
You are reading: Books for black teenage girl
With a wave of coming-of-age TV shows and movies, black girl characters often play second fiddle with little agency, low stakes, and few lines. but this group of authors is among those actively challenging mainstream notions consumers may have about what is possible for a black girl, particularly in fiction. the genre lends itself to the magical, the fantastical, and the bizarre, but black girls were rarely, if ever, portrayed as witches, superheroes, goddesses, or warriors.
but now there seems to be more room for you to explore black joy, love, fantasy, social justice and simple existence. From black, queer, and transgender representation in kacen callender’s “felix ever after,” to black fantasy like namina forna’s “the gilded ones,” black writers are taking up the mantle of portraying black youth in a variety of ways. . As black books already continue to shift narratives and provide needed commentary on race and respectability politics, these 2021 books spark much-needed conversation and ignite a movement where anything is possible for a black girl.
“chlorine sky” by mahogany l. browne (January)
Written with poetic verse, Browne’s coming-of-age novel follows Skyy, a girl struggling to move on from the end of her friendship with Lay Li. We watch Skyy as she learns to rediscover her identity outside Lay Li’s looming presence, while also trying to navigate a new romantic relationship and building her own self-esteem.
“I think we should introduce the many ways black people live and exist. We deserve to tell stories that don’t just exalt our trauma.” said browne.
browne wanted to write the book for “young black women online trying to find their footing, without succumbing to toxic friendships as a means of belonging. she wanted to center a voice that we rarely think of as soft or vulnerable.”
“ace of spades” by faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (June)
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Àbíké-Íyímídé’s thriller centers on Chiamaka and Devon, two students at Niveus Private Academy, whose pursuits of academic achievement and social status are imperiled by an online bully named Aces who exposes the girls’ most closely-guarded secrets through anonymous text messages. Chiamaka and Devon must find and stop Aces before more texts are released that place lives at risk. Àbíké-Íyímídé said she was inspired by her character in response to popular shows such as Pretty Little Liars, and Gossip Girl character Blair Waldorf. Writing a young queer Nigerian girl like Chiamaka, who is complex and flawed, disrupts the one-dimensional, heteronormative tropes of Black teens.
“I wanted to write a flawed character who is just trying to survive in a world that tells him he has no place in it,” said Àbíké-Íyímídé. That is why her protagonist “is ruthless in her struggle not only to have a seat at the table, but to own the table itself.”
“such a cursed crown” by l.l. mckinney (November)
The third book in McKinney’s YA fantasy Nightmare-Verse series, “A Crown So Cursed,” continues to follow Alice as she battles a mythical army of Nightmares that have crossed over from Wonderland into her world and threaten to destroy both.
“although black women are capable of great things like killing monsters, while facing the nonsense of the world around them, black women and girls also need protection. to be loved. having people take care of her even when she takes care of them,” Mckinney said. “That the idea of being strong, of having to figure it all out or do it all, can actually have negative consequences. Black women are truly heroic, and this shouldn’t mean they can’t have someone to save their day.”
“happily ever after” by elise bryant (January)
Bryant’s debut YA fiction follows Tessa Johnson, a 16-year-old budding writer with a passion for romantic fiction. When stricken by writer’s block after enrolling in a creative writing program at a renowned art school, Tessa’s best friend Caroline comes up with a ‘happily ever after’ plan, a series of romantic novel-inspired steps, for Tessa to win over classmate Nico and inspire her writing once more. But as Tessa’s plan begins to fall in place, and her relationship with friend and neighbor Sam continues to grow, she risks losing herself and all those she cares for.
In a recent interview with Afoma Umesi about middle grade reading, Bryant shared that, like Tessa, she is a fan of romantic fiction who has longed to see herself in the genre. She “she also longed to see me reflected in the pages of those faded pink-covered books that she devoured. so I signed up for the stories I wanted to see, mostly fan fiction and short stories.”
“ebony wings” by j. her (January)
In a debut novel that blends YA fantasy with contemporary fiction, “Wings of Ebony” focuses on demigod Rue, a black teen from Houston who discovers her divine ancestry after a personal tragedy. Sent to the shrouded island of Ghizon to live with other godly beings, Rue discovers an evil force with the potential of consuming the world of the gods, and humans. She must summon her magic powers and embrace the fullness of her identity before everything she loves is destroyed.
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despite the fantasy elements, “rue is me,” elle said. “She is my sister, my friend from home, my cousin.” She said that her novel is “a love letter to young women who grow up in places like where I grew up that in a few words says: you are magical. the world does not define who you are or what you will be. your shoulders are no stronger than anyone else’s and the world has no right to sit on them. also know that it is okay to fall apart, not to be perfect. the world only sees your jacket, but I know we have to flip through the pages to even begin to touch the complexity of your wealth.”
“off the record” by camryn garrett (may)
Inspired by the #MeToo movement, Garrett’s “Off the Record” reveals the power of women speaking out and standing in solidarity with one another. While writing a celebrity profile for a magazine, Josie Wright hears a secret by a young actress. As more stories arise that involve the same man, Josie faces the dilemma of whether to publicly share the secrets she has received or keep silent.
“I hope readers think about the specific ways black women are forgotten in big conversations like the ones surrounding #metoo,” garrett said. she added that “I was so excited to write a character with anxiety because I think we see so many ideas of black women being ‘strong’ and unbreakable that we’re not always allowed to be real people when it comes to fiction. I hope people realize that black women can have anxiety disorders and be shy and still be worth listening to.”
“love is a revolution” by renée watson (February)
Watson’s “Love Is a Revolution” tells the story of Nala Robertson, 17, who is spending the summer with her family and falls hopelessly for an activist and open mic emcee, Tye. The only problem: Nala has created a false image of activism and neo-soul “wokeness” to impress him. The story shows what happens when Nala becomes trapped by a web of lies and disingenuous falsehoods. Love is a Revolution follows an everyday girl struggling down a journey of radical self-love and self-acceptance. The true revolution is in learning to show up fully and authentically.
“I wanted Nala to represent a more complete representation of the black girls I know, someone who is confident and doesn’t try to change her body,” Watson said. “I wanted nala to exist without having to save anyone, a burden we often put on black girls and women. nala saves herself. And by saving herself, she can develop healthy and honest relationships with the people in her life.”
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correction (February 19 at 12:11 PM et al): An earlier version of this article misrepresented the age of the protagonist of “love is a revolution”. nala is 17, not 13.
correction, Feb. 21 (1:50 PM et al): An earlier version of this article misrepresented the plot details of Elise Bryant’s Happily Ever After.
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