2011 African American YA & MG Novels

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2011 African American YA & MG Novels

November 20, 2011 by elliottzetta

Last year I joined forces with several book bloggers to compile a list of middle grade and young adult novels written by black authors in the US. I titled that post “The Grim Reality” since it seemed that most mainstream publishers only put out ONE black-authored teen title per year. And even though we reached almost 60 titles, there are about 3,000 MG/YA titles published in the US each year. So have things improved? Take a look at the list below and let me know if I’ve missed anything. Many thanks to Edi over at Crazy Quilts for sharing her list of 2011 releases. (You can find our 2012 list here.)

All the Wrong Moves by Nikki Carter (Kensington; January/YA)
Famous by Simone Bryant (Kimani TRU; January/YA)
Camo Girl by Kekla Magoon (Simon & Schuster; January/MG)
Joseph’s Grace by Shelia Moses (Simon & Schuster; January/YA)
Eliza’s Freedom Road by Jerdine Nolen (Simon & Schuster; January/MG)
Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves (Simon & Schuster; January/YA)
Drama High: The Meltdown by L. Divine (Kensington; January/YA)
Dear America: A Picture of Freedom by Patricia McKissack (Scholastic; January/YA)*
Mystify (Mystyx #2) by Artist Arthur (Kimani TRU; February/YA)
The Clone Codes 2: Cyborg by Patricia McKissack et al. (Scholastic; February/MG)
Kick by Walter Dean Myers & Ross Workman (Harper Teen; February/MG)
How Lamar’s Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen (Harper Collins; February/MG)
Glitz by Philana Marie Boles (Penguin; February/YA)
Act of Grace by Karen Simpson (Plenary; February/YA)
Upgrade U by Ni-Ni Simone (Kensington; March/YA)
Playing for Keeps by Veronica Chambers (Hyperion; March/YA)
Getting Played by Celeste Norfleet (Kimani Tru; March/YA)
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (Penguin; April/YA)
Carmen by Walter Dean Myers (Egmont Books; April/YA)
The Break Up Diaries by NiNi Simone (Dafina; April/YA)
Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pickney (Hatchette Group; April/MG)
So, So hood (Drama High) by L. Divine (Dafina; May/YA)
Dork Diaries 3: Tales from a not so talented pop star by Rachel Renee Russell (Aladdin; June/MG)
Doing My Own Thing (Fab Life #3) by Nikki Carter (Dafina; June/YA)
Dear America: I thought my soul would rise and fly by Joyce Hansen (Scholastic; July/MG)*
Mayhem (Mystyx #3) by Artist Arthur (Kimani TRU; July/YA)
Silhouetted By the Blue by Traci L. Jones (Farrar, Straus and Giroux; July/MG)
Boyfriend Season by Kelli London (Kensington; July/YA)
Putting Make-up on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright (Simon and Schuster; July/YA)
Checkmate (Cruisers 2) by Walter Dean Myers (Scholastic; August/MG)
Ghetto Cowboy by Greg Neri (Candlewick; August/MG)
Dreaming in Color by Fiona Lewis (Bella Distribution, August/YA)
Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes (Bloomsbury; September/MG)
Shadow of Cesar’s Creek by Sharon Draper (Simon and Schuster; September/MG)
Ambitious by Monica McCayhan (Kimani Tru; September/YA)
Bronxwood by Coe Booth (Push; September/YA)
My Own Worst Frenemy (Chanti on the Case series) by Kimberly Reid (Kensington; September/YA)
Point Me to Tomorrow by Veronica Chambers (Hyperion; September/YA)
Dear America: with the Might of Angels by Andrea Davis Pinkney (Scholastic; September MG)
Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods (Nancy Paulsen Books; September/MG)
Break Up Diaries vol 2 by Nikki Carter and Kevin Elliott (Kensington; October/YA)
Dork diaries 3 1/2: how to dork your diary by Rachel Renee Russell (Aladdin; October/MG)
Maya’s Choice by Earl Sewell (Kimani Tru; October/YA)
On The Come Up by Travis Hunter (Dafina; October/YA)
Playground by FiftyCent (Razorbill; November/YA)
Uptown Dreams by Kelli London (KTeen Dafina; November/YA)
Download Drama by Celeste O. Norfleet (Kimani Tru; December/YA)

*these two Scholastic titles are reissued books

Posted in African American Literature, middle grade novels, young adult novels | 30 Comments

30 Responses

on November 20, 2011 at 2:10 pm | Reply rhapsodyinbooks

Great list Zetta! Also in 2011, Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri (Candlewick Press)
- on November 20, 2011 at 3:28 pm | Reply elliottzetta
  
  Thanks, Jill! Edi just shared her annual list so we’re almost up to 50 titles…
on November 20, 2011 at 8:42 pm | Reply Evelyn N. Alfred

I’ve only read one book on this list. I need to read more.
on November 20, 2011 at 9:53 pm | Reply Evelyn N. Alfred

*Slice of Cherry* seems interesting. I read some of the first chapter online.
- on November 21, 2011 at 5:46 pm | Reply elliottzetta
  
  I’m not big on blood and gore but I’ve only read one and a half of these books. Once the semester ends, I’ll catch up!
on November 21, 2011 at 4:08 pm | Reply Summer Edward

Thanks Zetta. Especially for the links to the books. I added some of them to my reading list. I recently made a list of English-language Caribbean children’s and YA books published in 2011. I don’t really have anywhere to post it though since I shut down my blog. The numbers are interesting- 44 books, the majority self-published. Would you be interested in posting my list on your blog? No problem if it’s not something you ‘d like for your blog, just thought I would ask. Thanks again!
- on November 21, 2011 at 5:45 pm | Reply elliottzetta
  
  You shut down your blog?!?! I can’t tell you how many hits I get for people searching for Caribbean children’s literature–they land at my interview with you and then no doubt head straight to your (former) site. I hope you’ll reconsider, but in the meantime I will certainly post your list on my blog. Email it to me with any prefatory remarks you want to add.
on November 21, 2011 at 9:02 pm | Reply Niranjana

Oh my, I’ve only read Nnedi Okorafor. I need to get moving on this!
Are you compiling a list for Canada, by any chance?
- on November 22, 2011 at 1:34 am | Reply elliottzetta
  
  I keep a running list from my previous study–so far for 2011 I’ve got one picture book (Cheryl Foggo) and one YA novel–about slavery, of course. Oh, Canada…
  - on November 22, 2011 at 2:37 pm Niranjana
    
    Have you read Morning Star by Judith Plaxton? It has a dual narrative– a slave escape tale and a contemporary story about a black girl in a small (all-white) town. From Second Story Press.
on November 22, 2011 at 3:23 am | Reply amymckie

I’m glad to see that I’ve read one at least – Okorafor of course. I’d also love to see a list from Canada but… well… I’m also scared to see such a list because I fear it would be short.
on November 22, 2011 at 3:22 pm | Reply elliottzetta

Thanks, Niranjana–I’ve added it. That makes 3 for 2011. Any idea whether Plaxton is black? You can scroll down to see the other titles here, Amy:

https://zettaelliott.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/stats/
- on November 24, 2011 at 12:04 am | Reply Niranjana
  
  I think she’s white, Zetta.
on November 23, 2011 at 8:43 pm | Reply Summer Edward

The blog is scheduled to be archived, yes. I seriously plan to be a published author and now that I’ve finished my Masters, that plan is in full swing 🙂 I realized that I just couldn’t write and blog at the same time. I don’t know how you do it! Also, I love being an activist, but I felt like the blog was seriously overshadowing my identity as a writer… Maybe when I’m published I’ll start back blogging, who knows?
on November 24, 2011 at 5:16 am | Reply Jen

What about Silver Sparrow? It is not for middle schoolers, but I think is definitely appropriate for high school students….
- on November 24, 2011 at 2:42 pm | Reply elliottzetta
  
  Hi, Jen. Thanks for the suggestion. Edi often includes adult titles that could “crossover” to the YA market (Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward is another title that could work), but since I’m specifically tracking trends within the children’s publishing industry, I only include books marketed directly to kids/teens.
on November 25, 2011 at 12:53 am | Reply Thanks, ALAN11!!! | Crazy Quilts

[…] we’d have more books that more people truly reflect the world around us. Have you read the statistics on how few MG and YA books were published by Black authors this year, and the reaction that it has more to do with what’s […]
on November 26, 2011 at 11:55 pm | Reply 2011 Caribbean Children’s and Young Adult Books « Fledgling

[…] I’ve been a loyal reader of her blog, Fledgling. So when I saw Zetta’s recent post listing MG and YA novels written in 2011 by African-American authors in the U.S. I thought I’d follow suit and compile a list of English-language Caribbean children’s and young […]
on November 30, 2011 at 5:17 am | Reply Liana

I really liked My Own Worst Frenemy. The title is kinda dumb but the book was really fun and smart to read.
on November 30, 2011 at 1:33 pm | Reply 2011 Authors of Color « Fledgling

[…] 2011 list of MG & YA novels by authors of color. If we take a look at Doret’s list and mine, how many of these novels feature LGBTQ characters? Can queer kids of color find their mirrors in […]
on November 30, 2011 at 3:31 pm | Reply seeping back into focus « omphaloskepsis

[…] Zetta Elliott at “Fledgling” List: […]
on November 30, 2011 at 5:14 pm | Reply Carleen (@carleenbrice)

Just linked to this!
on January 17, 2012 at 2:02 pm | Reply Panel: Young Adult Speculative Fiction - SF Signal – A Speculative Fiction Blog

[…] you to Zetta Elliott (2011 African American YA & MG Novels) and Doret (MG & YA Authors of Color Published in 2011) for these […]
on February 1, 2012 at 1:34 pm | Reply Katie

I’m so thankful you compiled this list! Currently working to be more purposeful about reading books written by people of color, so this is super helpful!
on February 21, 2012 at 3:01 pm | Reply Canada’s Black Writers: Achieving Excellence and Avoiding Annihilation | Sway Magazine

[…] diaspora; African Americans represent a much larger percentage of a much larger nation, and while many challenges remain, they have a long, proud tradition of highlighting African American talent and resisting […]
on April 12, 2012 at 10:27 pm | Reply ycwrite

Hi Zetta, this is a great list. I’m sorry to say I haven’t read one title here. I’ll change that soon though. This isn’t a consolation, but I’ve noticed there’s hardly any books by Latino/Hispanic authors being published by the major houses. If you or someone knows of titles I’m not aware of, please let me know.
- on April 12, 2012 at 11:13 pm | Reply elliottzetta
  
  It’s far worse for Latino, Asian, and Native American authors…Doret at The Happy Nappy Bookseller does a list of Latino books each year–here’s one:
  
  https://zettaelliott.wordpress.com/2010/10/12/latino-childrens-literature/
  - on April 13, 2012 at 2:04 pm ycwrite
    
    This is heartbreaking. Well, thanks for pointing me to the list. It feels good to know there’s a community that’s looking at the need for books for children of ALL colors.
on December 7, 2012 at 7:09 pm | Reply 2012 African American MG & YA Novels « Fledgling

[…] If my math is correct, we’ve got just over 40 new titles (the Clubhouse Mysteries by Sharon Draper appear to be reprints). In 2011 we hit 45; you can find that list here. […]
on January 7, 2014 at 8:50 pm | Reply 2013 African American Fiction for Teens | Fledgling

[…] Publishing, a press devoted to hi-lo fiction for teens. You can find Saddelback authors on our 2011 and 2012 […]