Books by Black authors

Pointe by Brandy Colbert

Theo is well on her way to becoming an elite ballet dancer. But when her friend Donovan comes home after years with his kidnapper, Theo starts reliving memories about his abduction. Theo knows she didn't do anything wrong, but she knows talking about what happened might put herself at risk, and keeping quiet might make matters even worse.

"I had a lot of trouble finding books written about black girls when I was growing up, ” Brandy says. “In fact, I can't think of any from that time, and black authors weren't so easy to find, either. I can't help but think that if there were more books written by black authors, we could squash the incorrect (but still widespread) assumption that there is only one way to 'be black.'"

The Book that Inspired Her: “I read Toni Morrison's Sula in a college literature class, and I've always had a strong love for that book. I don't know how much I identified with the characters themselves, but it was the first novel I remember reading that unapologetically explored the inner lives and friendships of black girls and women, and that made a large impact on me.”