Black Boy Joy - by Kwame Mbalia

About the Book

From seventeen acclaimed Black male and non-binary authors comes a vibrant collection of stories, comics, and poems about the power of joy and the wonders of Black boyhood.

Book Synopsis

THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - FIVE STARRED REVIEWS

Celebrate the joys of Black boyhood with stories from seventeen bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors--including Jason Reynolds, Jerry Craft, and Kwame Mbalia.

★ "Pick up Black Boy Joy for a heavy dose of happiness." --Booklist, starred review

Black boy joy is...

Picking out a fresh first-day-of-school outfit.
Saving the universe in an epic intergalactic race.
Finding your voice--and your rhymes--during tough times.
Flying on your skateboard like nobody's watching.

And more! From seventeen acclaimed Black male and non-binary authors comes a vibrant collection of stories, comics, and poems about the power of joy and the wonders of Black boyhood.

Contributors include B. B. Alston, Dean Atta, P. Djèlí Clark, Jay Coles, Jerry Craft, Lamar Giles, Don P. Hooper, George M. Johnson, Varian Johnson, Kwame Mbalia, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, Tochi Onyebuchi, Julian Randall, Jason Reynolds, Justin Reynolds, DaVaun Sanders, and Julian Winters

Review Quotes

An Amazon Best Book of 2021
A Washington Post Best Book of 2021
A Boston Globe Best Book of 2021
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2021
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2021
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2021
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2021
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2021
A BookPage Best Book of 2021

"From stories to poetry and comics, Black Boy Joy has something for every type of reader."--The New York Times Book Review

★ "Luminous . . . Filtering perennial subjects such as friendships, gender identity, and family through the lenses of magic, science, space travel, superheroes, and more, this is an exuberant celebration of carefree Black experiences; while it will especially resonate with Black readers, any reader will appreciate how this genre-bending collection expands the horizons of what joy for Black boys can be."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "This book is a must-have in every collection for its variety of topics and its celebration of Black boyhood in all its forms."--School Library Journal, starred review

★ "In a world where Black boys' stories are often tragedies, statistics, and stereotypes, this work surely reclaims ownership over the boldness, creativity, and wholeness they possess." --Booklist, starred review

★ "Some are humorous, some are poignant, but all are compelling reading... A unique, timely, and necessary read." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "This anthology for middle-graders is beautifully and unapologetically written, allowing anyone, regardless of age, sex or race, to feel a sense of pride and joy in being true to themselves."--Shelf Awareness, starred review

"A book that in addition to celebrating joy reminds readers that getting excited and caring--about people, about stuff--is cool and rewarding." --The Bulletin

"Honest and fresh . . . Black Boy Joy is a treasure to share and return to again and again."--BookPage

About the Author

Kwame Mbalia is a husband, father, writer, #1 New York Times bestselling author, and former pharmaceutical metrologist, in that order. He is the author of the Tristan Strong trilogy, the Last Gate of the Emperor duology, and Black Boy Joy--an anthology of 17 stories celebrating Black boyhood. His work has received numerous starred reviews and a Coretta Scott King Honor. A Howard University graduate and a Midwesterner now in North Carolina, Kwame survives on dad jokes and Cheez-Its.