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Black History Month 2023: bell hooks’ When Angels Speak of Love

Black History Month 2023: bell hooks’ When Angels Speak of Love

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February. Kleaver Cruz, creator of...

Black History Month 2023: Krystal Marquis’ The Davenports

Black History Month 2023: Krystal Marquis’ The Davenports

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February. Kleaver Cruz, creator...

Black History Month 2023: Danyel Smith’s Shine Bright

Black History Month 2023: Danyel Smith’s Shine Bright

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February. Kleaver Cruz, creator...

Black History Month 2023: Colson Whitehead’s Sag Harbor

Black History Month 2023: Colson Whitehead’s Sag Harbor

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February. Kleaver Cruz, creator...

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Covid got us down, but we're back on the last day

Covid got us down, but we're back on the last day of Black History Month!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Tricia Hersey's Rest is Resistance, a manifesto on what the world (and your life) might look like if we were all well-rested. Hersey - aka the Nap Bishop - challenges Grind Culture, capitalism and the proposed value of constant productivity. Instead, she offers a ministry of rest, building on the tenants of Black Liberation, somatics, the history of the Sabbath, activism and more. In the words of the Nap Bishop - we are enough. Rest.

Thanks for reading along as we shared the smallest sample of the amazing work that has been and is being written by Black American authors - we hope you'll keep reading great art by Black authors all year long!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Cozbi A. Cabrera's Me and Mama, a beautiful picture book about a mother and daughter and their rainy day spent together. A little girl wakes up to a cozy warm breakfast, gets dressed, jumps in puddles and walks the dog - ordinary things- but special because she does them with her mama. With lovely lyrical language and original acrylic illustrations, this book is like a warm cup of tea (or milk!) shared with someone you love. Take some time to check out the sweet end pages, too!

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is multidisciplinary visual artist Renata Cherlise' Black Archives, a collection of photographs that is an extension of her photo-based website, "a gathering place for Black memory and imaginations." The book is a stunning and historical document that captures Black life through visual legacies, creating narratives that are both generational and personal. From family life, to school, church events and small, lovely moments, Black Archives is a tangible collective memory of Black life, love and joy.

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Julian Winters' As You Walk By, a YA novel that meshes elements of The Breakfast Club (that title!) with She's All That or Can't Hardly Wait. Follow 17 year-old Theo as he works up the courage to ask out his crush, only to find out that he has a boyfriend! Over the course of a night at what was supposed to be a life-changing party, Theo tries to seclude himself in a bedroom upstairs to mope and dream, but is slowly joined by others who are hiding, or slowly becoming, who they truly are and want to be. Start for the romance, stay for the friendship!

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Johnnie Christmas' Swim Team, a middle grades graphic novel that follows Bree as she moves across the country, starts a new middle school and takes the only elective that fits her schedule: Swim101! As a new member of the Mighty Manatees, and with the help of a former swim captain, Bree overcomes her fears of swimming and brings new life to the struggling team - will it be enough to beat their prestigious prep school rival? Drawn from the author and illustrator's own experiences, this one is not to be missed!

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Jessamyn Stanley's Every Body Yoga, a guide to yoga for all - all sizes, knowledge levels, body shapes, and confidence levels! Every Body Yoga covers 50 basic yoga poses, including color pictures demonstrating how the pose might look when practiced. Stanley's work reminds us that every body is a good body, and yoga is for every body!

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Tia Williams' Seven Days in June, a sultry summer romance about the things we leave behind and taking second chances. After reconnecting at a writers' conference, Eva and Shane can't ignore the chemistry between them, even after the years and space that have separated them. Reuniting feels natural, but the nuances of motherhood, creative fulfillment, chronic pain and regular life complicate Eva and Shane's week together - is seven days enough to change their lives? Don't miss the epilogue!

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is bell hooks' When Angels Speak of Love, a collection of 50 love poems that explore the romantic, the intimate, the self, and love in all its forms. Known for her essays, criticism, and her NYT Bestseller All About Love, hooks shows her versatility of form with familiar subject matter, and this reflective, often narrative body of poems is both arresting and accessible.

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Krystal Marquis' The Davenports, a historical YA romance set in Gilded Age Chicago that follows four young Black women falling in love with all the wrong people, taking risks and attending a lot of fabulous parties! Inspired by the historical Patterson family, this swoon-worthy trip back in time focuses on oft-overlooked Black wealth and entrepreneurship at the turn of the century. We hope it's the first in a series so that we can escape back to Olivia, Helen, Amy-Rose and Ruby for more romance and adventure!

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Danyel Smith's Shine Bright, a historical account of Black women pop artists such as Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, and many more. Blending personal interviews with a critic's eye, music journalist Smith explores her own "very personal history" with these memorable women, some of who are celebrated, some overlooked, but all are worthy of recognition for their creativity, ingenuity and influence on pop music as we know it.

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Colson Whitehead's Sag Harbor, a coming-of-age novel set in 1985 in the historically Black beach community of Sag Harbor, a village on Long Island. It's summer, and Reggie is escaping his private NYC prep school to spend his summer avoiding his parents, listening to Lite FM (secretly), slinging ice cream, and generally trying to remake himself into someone different and cooler. Drawn from the author's own experiences, Sag Harbor is a salty-sweet callback to the summers where nothing and everything seemed to change over the course of just a few months.

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Shauna Grant's Mimi and the Boo-Hoo Blahs, a graphic chapter book that is perfect for beginning readers! Mimi is having a tough day, a case of the Boo-Hoo Blahs! Can her friends help her work through her feelings so she gets back to feeling more like herself? The sequel to Mimi and the Cutie Catastrophe, this playful comic confection is engaging and fun, a great choice for the newly independent reader, or for reading out loud together!

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is editor Bryant Terry's Black Food, a collection of recipes, art, essays, poems, playlists and cultural commentary from more than 100 Black voices across the diaspora. A vivid and highly visual tome that is equally at home in the kitchen or the coffee table, you can browse the the vibrant art and design, read it as a novel, or try one of the more than fifty recipes included, many of which are vegetarian or vegan. A rich and rewarding exploration of Black life, culture and food, this title defies category.

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Jason Reynolds' Look Both Ways, a collection of stories for middle grades readers that follows different groups of kids as they make their way home from school. From boogers to bullies, there are a lot of things that can happen on a walk home, but Reynolds weaves together many different narratives to show how we intersect and impact each other in this innovative and engaging "tale told in ten blocks."

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Samantha Irby's Wow, No Thank You, a collection of essays that should not be read (or listened to) while eating, drinking, running or doing anything that might be impeded by constant laughter because, reader, I tried and almost choked. From advice on marriage, to why you were lucky if Portishead was on your '90s mix tape, to how to get ready for a night out as you approach your 40s, Irby's work is visceral, hilarious, self-deprecating and yet kind. Check out the audiobook (narrated by the author herself!), on Libby - just finish that snack first!

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Jacque Aye's The Magical Girl's Guide to Life, a collection of journal prompts, quizzes, and fun ways to "save the day with self-care." From finding your very own personalized familiar to discovering if your magical majority is Heart, Intelligence, Passion, Strength or Creativity, this book will delight teen Sailor Moon and manga fans and any girl who's always wanted a magical guide to life!

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Gabriella Angotti-Jones' I Just Wanna Surf, a book of photographs that also serves as a kind of diary or memoir. Single-use cameras in hand, Angotti-Jones documents the power of water, surf and Black sisterhood in California, Mexico and beyond. Hazy and lush, these photographs feel both timeless and effervescent - her focus is always on Black woman and non-binary people surfing, and the joy and vibe that surfing can bring.

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is P. Djéli Clark's A Master of Djinn, an magical, mythical alternate history murder mystery set in 1912 steampunk Cairo! Working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, Fatma el-Sha’arawi is out to solve the murder of a secret brotherhood, and her hunt for the killer moves quickly from the mundane... to the magical! If you like your mystery with a heavy dose of the supernatural, or if you love a well-established cast of mythical and human characters living in a wild new world, this book will take you for a ride!

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is writer Jamila Rowser and artist Robyn Smith's Wash Day Diaries, a graphic novel that follows four best friends through five interconnected stories as they live, love and support each other in the Bronx. An extension of an award-winning mini comic, Wash Day Diaries uses the varying rituals and routines of Black hair care as a means to explore each character's struggles and triumphs, and how they grow and nourish each other along the way.

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be hi

In celebration of Black History Month, we'll be highlighting a diverse range of books, all written by Black American authors, all of which celebrate and prioritize Black Joy. We'll be featuring a title every day through the month of February.

Kleaver Cruz, creator of the Black Joy project, says that "Black joy is resistance. Amplifying Black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ Black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as Black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Today's work is Troy Andrews' Trombone Shorty, an illustrated children's autobiography that introduces the young trombone player from the Tremé in New Orleans. At age six, Troy picked up a trombone, and began to play. Nicknamed "Trombone Shorty" for his small size in comparison to his giant trombone, Troy worked hard and changed the music world as an artist, producer and writer.
Be sure to listen to his sweet tunes when you're done reading this one!

Stay tuned for a new book tomorrow!

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