It takes a village, no one should have to raise a child alone – and as in the new book "My Seven Black Fathers" by Will Jawando, no child should have to grow up that way, either.
People had to tell you what you needed to know, and that's how you learn. You can guess sometimes, or figure other things out on your own but mostly, you've been told and then you know. So why not read these books about a fact that was unknown for years.
Sometimes, as in the new book "Black Boy Smile" by D. Watkins, lying is surviving.
It's an envious thing, to take advantage of your moments but in "Things Past Telling" by Sheila Williams, it's not an easy thing, either.
You'll never earn the member jacket or learn the double-secret handshake. No matter how hard you try, membership to the club is totally off-limits and that's irritating, embarrassing, and even dangerous. But read the new book "You Sound Like a White Girl" by Julissa Arce, and maybe that's a club not worth joining.
You know it happens when you just can't let something go. You turn it over in your mind six ways daily, and talk about it until everybody around you's sick of hearing about it. Pretty soon, it's your problem to have but be careful: as in the new novel, "Take My Hand" by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, these kinds of things change lives.
From birth and beyond, they're like sponges, observant and watchful and, as in the new book, "The Trayvon Generation" by Elizabeth Alexander, you wish for them better things to see.
Sometimes, you can't keep quiet. You simply just have to speak up, especially when you can make a situation better or fix what's wrong.
In the new book"Star Child" by Ibi Zoboi, you'll read about one author who came from stars, wondered what was beyond them, and dared to dream about it.
