Welcome to the series of select Must-Reads by Black Authors!
First, we have Such as Fun Age by Kiley Reid. She tells the story of a young, black women with a babysitting job who is wrongfully accused of a kidnapping. It dives into issues revolving around class and race. By telling a profound and complex story, Reid creates an incredible novel. A notable review by Ilana Masad of NPR is as follows: “I urge you to read Such a Fun Age. Let its empathic approach to even the ickiest characters stir you … Kiley Reid is only just getting started.”
Second, we have a classic: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison! It tells the story of an eleven-year-old black girl, Pecola, who wishes to fit in and look as beautiful as the white girls so she can be treated differently. For this book, as well numerous other profound works by Morrison, she received a noble prize in 1990. A significant critic review by Barbara Schultz is as follows: “This is a poetic and complex investigation of racial, personal, and sexual feelings.”
Finally, we have a poetic memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jaqueline Woodson. It is the story of Woodson’s childhood which is told through poetry. Woodson uses rich, raw poetry to describe her experience growing up during the Jim Crow era. With a beautiful cover-art, and even more beautiful writing, Brown Girl Dreaming is certainly a must-read. Veronica Chambers of the New York Times spoke about the book as follows: “This is a book full of poems that cry out to be learned by heart... that will, for years to come, be stored in our bloodstream.”
We thank you for viewing, and hope you check out these wonderful books!
