Welcome to our new section where EBONY shares the most anticipated books by Black authors coming out each month. From a debut children's book by actor Marchánt Davis to an Afrofuturist novel from decades past, EBONY guides you through a shelf worth of books by Black authors you should be reading in January 2023 to warm your mind and soul.
A Boy and His Mirror
Marchánt Davis (Penguin Random House, January 3)
The stage and screen star’s debut children’s book shares the story of a boy whose mirror gives him a whole new way of seeing himself, encouraging us all to look beyond appearances. “It’s my small part of my effort to counter toxic masculinity in the black community we do feel so we can heal.” The book is illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo.
Price: $19
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An American Story
Kwame Alexander (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, January 3)
The acclaimed author of "The Undefeated" created this powerful picture book to reveal the story of American slavery through a teacher who struggles to explain its harrowing history to her class. Through these words and pictures, Alexander delivers to parents a guidebook they can use to help explain this dark time in America to their own children.
Price: $16
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We Are All So Good at Smiling
Amber McBride (Macmillan Publishers, January 10)
This fantasy novel filled with fairy tales and monsters centers around Whimsy and Faerry, two people who meet in a hospital while dealing with clinical depression. Brought together to live together on the same street, they recognize that they both have magic in the marrow of their bones, and the connection that intertwines their lives in past and present is the key to solving their pain.
Price: $19
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You So Black
Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. (Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books, January 10)
Musical, lyrical and theatrical alchemist Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. has turned her viral spoken word poem of the same name, into a children's picture book that celebrates of the richness, nuance and joy of Blackness. Illustrated by London Ladd.
Price: $11
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Wade in the Water
Nyani Nkrumah (Amistad, January 17)
This arresting coming-of-age story explores the complexities of racial identity and the enduring legacy of racism in America. We dive into an intersection between Ella, a smart and endearing 11-year-old black girl, and a white woman calling herself Katherine St. James as they navigate segregated Mississippi town in the early 1980s that still bears the scars of unspeakable violence after the turbulence and victories of the 1960s Civil Rights movement.
Price: $28
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Black Founder: The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider
Stacy Spikes (Kensington Publishing Corp., January 24)
Stacy Spikes, technology entrepreneur and the founder of MoviePass, reveals how he defied stereotypes and shattered glass ceilings. A blend of memoir and how-to manual, the business leader shares his personal encounters navigating the movie world as he developed and launched his start-up, and he shares the tools needed to overcome prejudice and build your own success.
Price: $28
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Blk Art
Zaria Ware (Harper Design, January 31)
Celebrating the masterpieces of Black artists long forgotten, "Blk Art" is a captivating and informative coffee-table book capturing work that dates back to early Black royalty all the way through the 1920s, giving Black art and models their just due.
Price: $30
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Driving The Green Book
Alvin Hall (HarperOne, January 31)
Political activist Alvin Hall spoke with people who used "The Negro Motorist Green Book," a guide that helped Black families traveling between 1936 and 1967 know where they could safely rest, eat and sleep. His book is a collection of their real-life experiences durig this time period and a testament to the resiliency of Black America under unjust circumstances.
Price: $28
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Black on Black: On Our Resilience and Brilliance in America
Daniel Black (Hanover Square Press, January 31)
In his debut essay collection, Daniel Black, a professor of African American Studies and Africana Women's Studies at Clark Atlanta University, takes on topics such as police brutality, the AIDS crisis, HBCUs and religion and the LGBTQ+ community, giving a voice to and celebrating the experiences of those who often find themselves on the margins.
Price: $27
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Black Empire
George S. Schuyler (Penguin Classics, January 31)
In this Afrofuturist adventure, mysterious Dr. Belsidus creates a secret society of Black talent to reclaim power from white supremacy. Originally published as a serial story in a Pittsburgh newspaper, George S. Schuyler's work was first published in novel form in 1993, and is back 30 years later in this new, updated release.
Price: $28
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