Reading is the gateway to another world, a medium that can fill us with joy on one page and break our hearts on the next. We travel along page by page with characters, crying, laughing, screaming, and we begin to understand the world in a new way. 

The happiness of the character becomes the happiness of the reader. The pain of the character becomes the pain of the reader. The journey of the character becomes the journey of the reader, and as everyone says, it’s the journey that matters, right? 

I’ve always used reading as a way to escape from the world. It was a way to detach my brain that was always racing 100 mph. Although that is still the case with some of the books I read, as I have grown older I begin to understand why adults stressed reading so much in childhood. It is a gateway to endless knowledge and empathy toward others’ experiences. We finish a book with a new perspective toward ourselves and toward others, and it’s a catalyst for change and growth. Never be satisfied with only your perspective to look at; we can each learn from others’ unique and shared experiences. 

This list of books by Black authors, both currently out and highly anticipated for 2022, will send you on adventures you never realized you needed and stories that will change the way you think. This list is generally aimed toward young adults; however, the impact can is felt throughout many different age ranges. So, laugh, cry and rage with us as we journey along these must-reads, seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. 

Currently Out:

Young Adult Fantasy: 

• “Ashes of Gold” by J. Elle
• “The Kindred” by Alechia Dow
• “Unraveling” By Karen Lord

Thriller Suspense: 

• “The Other Black Girl” by Zakiya Dalila Harris  

Coming of age/Romance: 

• “Honey Girl” by Morgan Rogers 
• “One True Loves” by Elise Bryant
• “Right Where I Left You” by Julian Winters
• “Calling My Name” by Liara Tamani

Young Adult Fiction:

• “Piecing Me Together” by Renée Watson
• “All American Boys” by Jason Reynolds and Brandan Kiely
• “The Hate You Give” by Angie Thomas 
• “Concrete Rose” by Angie Thomas
• “Dear Martin” by Nic Stone 
• “Dear Justyce” by Nic Stone 
• “Memorial” by Bryan Washington

Poetry and Art:

• “Ain’t Burned All the Bright” by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Jason Griffin

Non-fiction: 

• “Stamped from the Beginning” by Ibram X. Kendi 
• “Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight for Fairness” by Laura Coates
• “Freedom! The Story of the Black Panther Party” by Jetta Grace Martin

2022 Anticipated Releases: 

Young Adult Fantasy:

• “Blood Scion” by Deborah Falaye 

Thriller Suspense: 

• “Survive the Dome” by Kosoko Jackson
• “Bad Things Happen Here” by Rebecca Barrow

Non-Fiction:

• “The Last Suspicious Holdout: Stories” by Ladee Hubbard
• “Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop” by Danyel Smith

Coming of age/Romance:

• “You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty” by Akwaeke Emezi
• “Nothing Burns as Bright as You” by Ashley Woodfolk