Published by Delacorte Press

Summary:  These 17 stories are all written by Black male or nonbinary authors.  Most are prose, but there is one graphic selection (“Embracing Our Black Boy Joy” by Jerry Craft, just 4 pages, but brought tears to my eyes) and one in verse (“Extinct” by Dean Atta).  Despite the title, the stories reflect sadness and anger as well as joy and happiness, but are realistically balanced.  Most are about everyday experiences, but a few explore more otherworldly topics.  There are some well-known authors, like Jason Reynolds and Varian Johnson, as well as some newer writers.  Includes thumbnail photos and information about all the authors.  320 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Although I personally don’t love reading short story collections, I’m always delighted to find a new one, because they are such a valuable classroom resource.  This one is excellent, introducing readers to a great cast of Black writers that may lead them to pursue some longer works.  The stories focus on positive aspects of the Black experience while not shying away from more difficult realities.  

Cons:  Full disclosure, I kind of skimmed through the stories from the fantasy/sci-fi genre.

Published by Viking Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Lucy’s dealing with a lot in her life: an overworked single mom, a younger sister with some social issues, and bullying by the seventh grade mean girls.  So when her sister Antonia finds an old doll’s head in the woods, it’s the least of Lucy’s concerns.  Antonia starts talking to the doll, whom she names Hush-a-Bye after a song their mom used to sing to them.  When bad things mysteriously start happening to some of the bullies in the girls’ lives, Lucy slowly realizes that Hush-a-Bye has supernatural powers.  She’s scared of the doll, but also feels tempted to use some of those powers against her own enemies.  While doing research for a school project, Lucy learns some disturbing town history that includes some insights as to who Hush-a-Bye might be.  As each evil deed seems to strengthen Hush-a-Bye’s magic, Lucy starts to wonder if there is any way to defeat her.  240 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  An evil disembodied doll’s head?  Horror fans will love this story which effectively deals with a lot of middle school issues as well as the creepy stuff. 

Cons:  An evil disembodied doll’s head.  

Published by Scholastic

Summary:  Basketball is Sarah’s passion, and she’s concerned when she finds herself slowing down and missing shots.  When her coach tells her that it may have to do with the ways her body is changing as she goes through puberty, Sarah decides to severely restrict her eating to reverse those changes.  She’s supported in this decision at home, where her petite mother lives mostly on cookies and candy, has strict rules about food, and often forgets to grocery shop or make meals.  Food takes on new importance when the boy she has a crush on asks her to be his partner in the upcoming Chef Junior competition.  When Sarah collapses at a basketball game, her best friend confronts her and opens up a way for Sarah to finally get some help. Includes a note from the author telling of her own struggles with food and eating. 272 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Alyson Gerber addresses a real-world problem that many elementary and middle school kids are dealing with as she did in Braced and Focused.  Like Starfish, this book does a great job showing the crazy messages about eating that abound in our society and creates a memorable narrator whose strength and resilience help her to navigate them.

Cons:  The speed with which Sarah’s parents were ready to make major changes after just a single session with the school counselor seemed a little overly optimistic.

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Leah usually loves her summer visits to her aunt and uncle’s house in Chicago.  But this year is different: her younger cousin T.J. has been traumatized by a shooting at his school and has stopped talking.  Leah is determined to help him, but is at a loss as to how to do it until one night she sees T.J. sneaking out of the house and follows him.  He goes to a neighborhood laundromat, where she hears him talking and laughing with Michelle, the owner’s daughter who’s about her age.  Eventually, Leah and her new friend Vicki join them, and the four create a world called The Land of Lost Things, using items people have left behind at the laundromat.  When Leah films their creations and puts it on YouTube, their new world suddenly goes viral.  Unexpectedly, with a series of stops and starts, The Land of Lost Things proves to be the key to unlocking T.J.’s secret about what happened the day of the shooting and to help him to move forward with his healing.  304 pages; grades 4-7. 

Pros:  It can’t be easy to write about a school shooting for an elementary audience, but J. S. Puller has found a way to talk about T.J.’s trauma without going into too many details about what actually happened that day.  This is a book that could open up discussions on a wide range of topics, told by a narrator whom many readers will relate to.

Cons:  I thought there was going to be some big reveal about Michelle’s younger brother who lately spends all his time in his room playing video games, but I was disappointed.