Lightning couldńt strike twice, could it? After a terrible year, Madalyn needs clear skies desperately. Moving in with her great-uncle, Papa Lobo, and switching to a new school is just the first step.It́s not all rainbows and sunshine, though. Madalyn discovers shés the only Black girl in her class, and while most of her classmates are friendly, assumptions lead to some serious storms.Papa Lobós long-running feud with neighbor Mrs. Baylor brings...

In the wake of being sexually assaulted by her pastor, sixteen-year-old Amina struggles to regain her footing until she finds the strength within herself to confront her abuser in court.

"Jack and Annie use the magic tree house to travel back in time to 1947 Brooklyn, New York, where they pretend to be batboys at Jackie Robinson's first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers against the Boston Braves."

While twelve-year-old Nell and her fourteen-year-old cousin struggle with the loss of parents and other hardships, both African American youths learn to rely on themselves.

"In Kenny Wright's active imagination he's a world famous superhero, but in the real world he's a sixth grade "Grandma's Boy" whose struggles to fit in at his Washington D.C. inner city school will he put his grades and family loyalty to the test"--

As they look forward to the New York City Marathon in which their friend Mr. B. will run, the Vanderbeeker children learn that one of their good friends is homeless.

"Garveys father has always wanted Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, reading anything but sports. Feeling like a failure, he comforts himself with food. Garvey is kind, funny, smart, a loyal friend, and he is also overweight, teased by bullies, and lonely. When his only friend encourages him to join the school chorus, Garveys life changes. The chorus finds a new soloist in Garvey, and through chorus, Garvey...

Zellie is unhappy working for Mrs. Gird. A happy turn of events lead her to employment and a new life with Miss O'Brien.

"Taja Brown, growing up in a conservative and tightly knit African American family, battles family expectations to discover a sense of self and find her unique voice and purpose"--