Antiracist YA/Middle Grade Reading List

Young adult novels are great for a couple of reasons: they're easy to read and they address issues teenagers face on a daily basis. The list of books below were written for YA and middle grade readers and address issues of racism, antiracism, resilience, and community. We will be adding to this list over time, so let us know if there's a title you'd like to see added. You can also view our other Antiracist Reading Lists here:

View our Antiracist Adult Reading List

View our Antiracist Kids Reading List

Questions or Suggestions? Email read@napabookmine.com.


 

Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice By Bryan Stevenson Cover Image
$12.99
ISBN: 9780525580065
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Published: Ember - September 10th, 2019

Bryan Stevenson's incredible fight to end mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and racial inequality comes to life in this young adult adaptation of the acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestseller that was adapted into a major motion picture starring Michael B. Jordan, Jaime Foxx, and Brie Larson.


Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning By Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316453691
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Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - March 10th, 2020

This crucial, empowering, #1 New York Times bestselling exploration of racism—and antiracism—in America makes critical ideas accessible for teen readers, adapted from Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning.

This is NOT a history book.This is a book about the here and now.


The Hate U Give: A Printz Honor Winner By Angie Thomas, Amandla Stenberg (Foreword by) Cover Image
By Angie Thomas, Amandla Stenberg (Foreword by)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062498533
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Published: Balzer + Bray - February 28th, 2017

8 starred reviews · Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best  ·  William C. Morris Award Winner · National Book Award Longlist · Printz Honor Book · Coretta Scott King Honor Book · #1 New York Times Bestseller!

"Absolutely riveting!" —Jason Reynolds


From the Desk of Zoe Washington By Janae Marks Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780062875853
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Published: Katherine Tegen Books - January 14th, 2020

#1 Kids Indie Next List * Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year * Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of the Year * SLJ Best Book of the Year * Kirkus Best Book of the Year * Junior Library Guild Selection * Edgar Award Nominee * Four Starred Reviews * Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year A


Dear Martin By Nic Stone Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781101939499
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Published: Crown Books for Young Readers - October 17th, 2017

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WILLIAM C. MORRIS AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME
 


Brown Girl Dreaming By Jacqueline Woodson Cover Image
$10.99
ISBN: 9780147515827
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Nancy Paulsen Books - October 11th, 2016

Jacqueline Woodson's National Book Award and Newbery Honor winner is a powerful memoir that tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.

A President Obama "O" Book Club pick


Harbor Me By Jacqueline Woodson Cover Image
$8.99
ISBN: 9780525515142
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Published: Nancy Paulsen Books - April 21st, 2020

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

Jacqueline Woodson's first middle-grade novel since National Book Award winner Brown Girl Dreaming celebrates the healing that can occur when a group of students share their stories.


New Kid: A Newbery Award Winner By Jerry Craft, Jerry Craft (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Jerry Craft, Jerry Craft (Illustrator)
$12.99
ISBN: 9780062691194
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Quill Tree Books - February 5th, 2019

Winner of the Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Author Award, and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature! 


Dear Martin By Nic Stone Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781101939499
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Published: Crown Books for Young Readers - October 17th, 2017

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WILLIAM C. MORRIS AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME
 


Ghost Boys By Jewell Parker Rhodes Cover Image
$8.99
ISBN: 9780316262262
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Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - September 10th, 2019

A heartbreaking and powerful story about a black boy killed by a police officer, drawing connections through history, from award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes.

Only the living can make the world better. Live and make it better.


Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks By Jason Reynolds, Alexander Nabaum (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Jason Reynolds, Alexander Nabaum (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9781481438285
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Published: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books - October 8th, 2019

A National Book Award Finalist
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
UK Carnegie Medal winner
An NPR Favorite Book of 2019
A New York Times Best Children’s Book of 2019

A Time Best Children’s Book of 2019
A Today Show Best Kids’ Book of 2019
A Washington Post Best Children’s


The Poet X By Elizabeth Acevedo Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780062662804
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Published: Quill Tree Books - March 6th, 2018

Winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpré Award!


SLAY By Brittney Morris Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781534445420
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Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - September 24th, 2019

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2019!
“Gripping and timely.” —People
“The YA debut we’re most excited for this year.” —Entertainment Weekly
“A book that knocks you off your feet while dropping the kind of knowledge that’ll keep you down for the count.


All American Boys By Jason Reynolds, Brendan Kiely Cover Image
$12.99
ISBN: 9781481463348
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Published: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books - August 29th, 2017

A 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor book, and recipient of the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature.


The Season of Styx Malone By Kekla Magoon Cover Image
$8.99
ISBN: 9781524715984
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Published: Yearling - December 3rd, 2019

A CORETTA SCOTT KING HONOR BOOK AND THE WINNER OF THE BOSTON GLOBE HORN BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION!

"Extraordinary friendships . . . extraordinary storytelling." --Rita Williams-Garcia, Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award-Winning author of One Crazy Summer


We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices By Wade Hudson (Editor), Cheryl Willis Hudson (Editor) Cover Image
By Wade Hudson (Editor), Cheryl Willis Hudson (Editor)
$10.99
ISBN: 9780525580454
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Published: Yearling - December 31st, 2019

Fifty of the foremost diverse children's authors and illustrators--including Jason Reynolds, Jacqueline Woodson, and Kwame Alexander--share answers to the question, "In this divisive world, what shall we tell our children?" in this beautiful, full-color keepsake collection, published in partnership with Just Us Books.


The Power Book: What is it, Who Has it, and Why? By Dr. Roxane Gay (Foreword by), Claire Saunders, Georgia Buckthorn, Minna Salami, Mik Scarlet, Hazel Songhurst, Joelle Avelino (Illustrator) Cover Image
$21.99
ISBN: 9781782409274
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Published: Ivy Kids - October 1st, 2019

With this inspiring and brightly illustrated guide to power, learn about the different types of power, what it means to have power, and what you can do with your own power to create positive change in the world, no matter who or how old you are.

What makes you the boss of me? What makes a king a king, or a queen a queen?


Speak Up!: Speeches by young people to empower and inspire By Adora Svitak, Camila Pinheiro (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Adora Svitak, Camila Pinheiro (Illustrator)
$25.00
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ISBN: 9781781319505
Published: White Lion Publishing - February 25th, 2020

Speak Up! is a joyful celebration of 45 speeches by children and teenagers who have stood up for causes they passionately believe in and challenged adults in power to take note.


Young, Gifted and Black: Meet 52 Black Heroes from Past and Present (See Yourself in Their Stories) By Jamia Wilson, Andrea Pippins (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Jamia Wilson, Andrea Pippins (Illustrator)
$23.99
ISBN: 9781786031587
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Published: Wide Eyed Editions - February 1st, 2018

“...to be revisited again and again…The candy-colored pages and straightforward stories are hard to resist…” –The New York Times

“...diverse collection of iconic figures…vibrantly illustrated…beautifully crafted volume…” –Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review


“…exuberant&hell


American Street By Ibi Zoboi Cover Image
$15.99
ISBN: 9780062473059
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Published: Balzer + Bray - May 1st, 2018

A National Book Award Finalist with five starred reviews and multiple awards!


Black Boy White School By Brian F. Walker Cover Image
$17.99
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ISBN: 9780061914836
Published: HarperTeen - January 3rd, 2012

In a hard-hitting novel about fitting in—or not—Anthony “Ant” Jones gets transported from his East Cleveland hood to an almost all-white prep school and has to figure out where he belongs...before he loses himself entirely. Black Boy White School is a memorable debut that will appeal to fans of Walter Dean Myers and Sherman Alexie.


Who Put This Song On? By Morgan Parker Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780525707516
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Published: Delacorte Press - September 24th, 2019

"Unflinchingly irreverent, laugh-out-loud funny, and heartbreakingly honest." —Elizabeth Acevedo, National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author of The Poet X


On the Come Up By Angie Thomas Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062498564
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Published: Balzer + Bray - February 5th, 2019

The YA love letter to hip-hop—streaming on Paramount+ September 23, 2022! Starring Sanaa Lathan (in her directorial debut), Jamila C. Gray, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Lil Yachty, Method Man, Mike Epps, GaTa (Davionte Ganter), Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Titus Makin Jr., and Michael Anthony Cooper Jr.


The Parker Inheritance (Scholastic Gold) By Varian Johnson Cover Image
$8.99
ISBN: 9780545952781
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Published: Arthur A. Levine Books - June 25th, 2019

A Boston Globe / Horn Book Honor winner * Four Starred Reviews * Over Ten Best-of-Year Lists"Powerful....


Betty Before X By Ilyasah Shabazz, Renée Watson Cover Image
$17.99
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ISBN: 9780374306106
Published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) - January 2nd, 2018

*A New York Public Library Best Children's Book of 2018!*
*A Washington Post Best Children's Book of 2018*
*A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2018*


Walking with Miss Millie By Tamara Bundy Cover Image
$8.99
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ISBN: 9780399544576
Published: Nancy Paulsen Books - July 3rd, 2018

“A memorable and lovely debut.”--Kirkus Reviews
 
Walking with Miss Millie is full of subtle wisdom. Its ending is satisfying though sobering and there are elements of this story that stay with you long after the last page has been read.”--Karen English, Coretta Scott King Honor Award Author


Clean Getaway By Nic Stone Cover Image
$16.99
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ISBN: 9781984892973
Published: Crown Books for Young Readers - January 7th, 2020

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes a timely middle-grade road-trip story through landmarks of the Civil Rights movement and the map they lay for contemporary race relations.

How to Go on an Unplanned Road Trip with Your Grandma:
Grab a Suitcase: Prepacked from the big spring break trip that got CANCELLED.


The Only Black Girls in Town By Brandy Colbert Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780316456388
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Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - March 10th, 2020

A Bank Street Best Book of 2021!

From award-winning YA author Brandy Colbert comes a debut middle-grade novel about the only two Black girls in town who discover a collection of hidden journals revealing shocking secrets of the past.


Beach-loving surfer Alberta has been the only Black girl in town for years.


Stella by Starlight By Sharon M. Draper Cover Image
$9.99
ISBN: 9781442494985
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Published: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books - March 29th, 2016

Sharon M.


How High the Moon By Karyn Parsons Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780316484008
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Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - March 5th, 2019

To Kill a Mockingbird meets One Crazy Summer in this powerful, bittersweet debut about one girl's journey to reconnect with her mother and learn the truth about her father in the tumultuous times of the Jim Crow South.   "Timely, captivating, and lovely.


Calico Girl By Jerdine Nolen Cover Image
$8.99
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ISBN: 9781481459822
Published: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books - February 13th, 2018

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year
“A poignant and hopeful glimpse at the past for todays curious readers.” —Rita Williams-Garcia, Newbery Honor author

From the award-winning author of Elizas Freedom Road comes the powerful tale of a slave girls triumphant journey to freedom wit


The Long Ride By Marina Budhos Cover Image
$16.99
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ISBN: 9780553534221
Published: Wendy Lamb Books - September 24th, 2019

In the tumult of 1970s New York City, seventh graders are bussed from their neighborhood in Queens to integrate a new school in South Jamaica.


One Crazy Summer: A Newbery Honor Award Winner By Rita Williams-Garcia Cover Image
$9.99
ISBN: 9780060760908
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Published: Quill Tree Books - December 27th, 2011

In this Newbery Honor novel, New York Times bestselling author Rita Williams-Garcia tells the story of three sisters who travel to Oakland, California, in 1968 to meet the mother who abandoned them. A strong option for summer reading—take this book along on a family road trip or enjoy it at home.


Finding Langston (The Finding Langston Trilogy) By Lesa Cline-Ransome Cover Image
$7.99
ISBN: 9780823445820
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Published: Holiday House - January 7th, 2020

A Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction

When eleven-year-old Langston's father moves them from their home in Alabama to Chicago's Bronzeville district, it feels like he's giving up everything he loves.


The Stars Beneath Our Feet By David Barclay Moore Cover Image
$8.99
ISBN: 9781524701277
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Published: Yearling - January 8th, 2019

"The right story at the right time. . . . It’s not just a narrative; it’s an experience. It’s the novel we’ve been waiting for." —The New York Times

A boy tries to steer a safe path through the projects in Harlem in the wake of his brother’s death in this outstanding debut novel that celebrates community and creativity.


Rebound (The Crossover Series) By Kwame Alexander Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780544868137
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Published: Clarion Books - April 2nd, 2018

From the New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander comes Rebound, the dynamic prequel to his Newbery Award–winning novel in verse, The Crossover.


The Crossover: A Newbery Award Winner (The Crossover Series) By Kwame Alexander, Dawud Anyabwile (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Kwame Alexander, Dawud Anyabwile (Illustrator)
$10.99
ISBN: 9780544935204
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Published: Clarion Books - March 5th, 2019

Series streaming now on Disney+, with executive producers including NBA great LeBron James!

The Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award–winning middle grade bestseller! Basketball and heartache share the court in this slam-dunk novel in verse.


Bud, Not Buddy: (Newbery Medal Winner) By Christopher Paul Curtis Cover Image
$8.99
ISBN: 9780440413288
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Published: Yearling - January 8th, 2002

The Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning classic about a boy who decides to hit the road to find his father—from Christopher Paul Curtis, recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.
 


Pet By Akwaeke Emezi Cover Image
$17.99
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ISBN: 9780525647072
Published: Make Me a World - September 10th, 2019

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • STONEWALL BOOK AWARD WINNER • ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR by The New York Times • Time • Buzzfeed • NPRNew York Public Library • Publishers Weekly • School Library Journal


My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich By Ibi Zoboi Cover Image
$17.99
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ISBN: 9780399187353
Published: Dutton Books for Young Readers - August 27th, 2019

National Book Award-finalist Ibi Zoboi makes her middle-grade debut with a moving story of a girl finding her place in a world that's changing at warp speed.


What's the Big Deal About Freedom By Ruby Shamir, Matt Faulkner (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Ruby Shamir, Matt Faulkner (Illustrator)
$5.99
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ISBN: 9780593114872
Published: Philomel Books - February 11th, 2020

From the Constitution to abolition, from voting to civil rights, this chapter book for civic-minded young readers filled with fun facts and historical trivia shows how America got the nickname "land of the free." A perfect way to start a conversation about American freedoms with young readers.


Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet By Zanib Mian, Nasaya Mafaridik (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Zanib Mian, Nasaya Mafaridik (Illustrator)
$13.99
ISBN: 9780593109212
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Published: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers - February 4th, 2020

An exciting middle-grade debut starring a Muslim boy with a huge imagination. An NPR Best Book of the Year.

Welcome to the imaginative brain of Omar!

Omar and his family have just moved, and he is NOT excited about starting at a new school. What if the work is too hard or the kids are mean or the teacher is a zombie alien?!


What Lane? By Torrey Maldonado Cover Image
$16.99
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ISBN: 9780525518433
Published: Nancy Paulsen Books - April 14th, 2020

"If you are wondering how to begin confronting Anti-Black racism in your classroom, start with What Lane?"--School Library Journal: The Classroom Bookshelf

"STAY IN YOUR LANE." Stephen doesn't want to hear that--he wants to have no lane.


Tight By Torrey Maldonado Cover Image
$8.99
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ISBN: 9781524740573
Published: Nancy Paulsen Books - August 27th, 2019

* "Maldonado excels at depicting realistic and authentic interactions between middle school boys."--School Library Journal (starred review)

A Washington Post Best Children's Book of 2018!


Count Me In By Varsha Bajaj Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780525517245
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Published: Nancy Paulsen Books - August 27th, 2019

An uplifting story, told through the alternating voices of two middle-schoolers, in which a community rallies to reject racism.


Steal This Country: A Handbook for Resistance, Persistence, and Fixing Almost Everything By Alexandra Styron Cover Image
$19.99
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ISBN: 9780451479372
Published: Viking Books for Young Readers - September 4th, 2018

A walk-the-walk, talk-the-talk, hands-on, say-it-loud handbook for activist kids who want to change the world!


Bronx Masquerade By Nikki Grimes Cover Image
$10.99
ISBN: 9780425289761
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Published: Dial Books - August 8th, 2017

The beloved and award-winning novel now available in a new format with a great new cover!


Black and White By Paul Volponi Cover Image
$10.99
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ISBN: 9780142406922
Published: Speak - November 2nd, 2006

Marcus and Eddie are best friends who found the strength to break through the racial barrier. Marcus is black; Eddie is white. Stars of their school basketball team, they are true leaders who look past the stereotypes and come out on top. They are inseparable, watching each other's backs, both on and off the basketball court.


The Orange Houses By Paul Griffin Cover Image
$8.99
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ISBN: 9780142419823
Published: Speak - September 1st, 2011

Tamika Sykes, AKA Mik, is hearing impaired and way too smart for her West Bronx high school. She copes by reading lips and selling homework answers, and looks forward to the time each day when she can be alone in her room drawing. She's a tough girl who mostly keeps to herself and can shut anyone out with the click of her hearing aid.


Dream Country By Shannon Gibney Cover Image
$10.99
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ISBN: 9780735231689
Published: Penguin Books - April 9th, 2019

The heartbreaking story of five generations of young people from a single African-and-American family pursuing an elusive dream of freedom.

"Gut wrenching and incredible.”— Sabaa Tahir #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes


Dig By A.S. King Cover Image
$17.99
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ISBN: 9781101994917
Published: Dutton Books for Young Readers - March 26th, 2019

Winner of the Michael L. Printz Medal