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Angie Thomas’ book recs for Independent Bookstore Day.
Angie Thomas, author of "The Hate U Give," "On the Come Up" and "Concrete Rose," is sharing her top book picks with "Good Morning America" for Independent Bookstore Day.
Thomas is the 2022 ambassador for Independent Bookstore Day, which is celebrated at indie bookstores across the country every year on the last Saturday in April.
To purchase copies of any of Thomas's recommendations, visit your local independent bookstore or Bookshop.org.
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Author Angie Thomas is the author of the bestselling novel, “The Hate U Give.”
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MORE: Black-owned bookstores to support for Juneteenth and beyond
'Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry' by Mildred D. Taylor
"This was one of my favorites as a child and still is. Though Cassie Logan's story is set decades before I was born, she -- like me -- was a Black girl living in poverty in Mississippi. She was the hero I aspired to be, and as a reader, this was the first time I read a book and saw myself on its pages."
'Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry' by Mildred D. Taylor
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With the land to hold them together, nothing can tear the Logans apart.
Why is the land so important to Cassie's family? It takes the events of one turbulent year - the year of the night riders and the burnings, the year a white girl humiliates Cassie in public simply because she is black - to show Cassie that having a place of their own is the Logan family's lifeblood. It is the land that gives the Logans their courage and pride, for no matter how others may degrade them, the Logans possess something no one can take away.
'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' by Maya Angelou
"As a teenager, I started to dislike reading, mainly because it was hard to find books I identified with. This is one of the few books that pulled me in at that time."
'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' by Maya Angelou
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Maya Angelou's debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide.
'Monster' by Walter Dean Myers
"I am able to write the young adult novels that I write only because of Walter Dean Myers. 'Monster' is a modern classic. Through a combination of screenplay excerpts and diary entries, it tells the story of 16-year-old Steve Harmon as he awaits trial for murder and shows us the dehumanization that Black boys often endure, especially within the justice system."
'Monster' by Walter Dean Myers
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This New York Times bestselling novel from acclaimed author Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon, a teenage boy in juvenile detention and on trial. Presented as a screenplay of Steve's own imagination, and peppered with journal entries, the book shows how one single decision can change our whole lives.
'The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley' by Malcolm X and Alex Haley
"In college, I attended an elite, mostly white school and shrank myself to make others comfortable. But this was the novel that opened my eyes and helped me become my own person."
'The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley' by Malcolm X
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Through a life of passion and struggle, Malcolm X became one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. In this riveting account, he tells of his journey from a prison cell to Mecca, describing his transition from hoodlum to Muslim minister.
'The Rose That Grew from Concrete' by Tupac Shakur
"It's no secret that I'm a huge Tupac fan, but at first, I didn’t know that he wrote poetry -- and not just in songs. This book gives insight into Tupac the person and the artist, and it also gave me a sense of myself as a rose growing in concrete."
'The Rose That Grew from Concrete' by Tupac Shakur
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Tupac Shakur's most intimate and honest thoughts were uncovered only after his death with the instant classic "The Rose That Grew from Concrete."
This collection of deeply personal poetry is a mirror into the legendary artist's enigmatic world and its many contradictions. Written in his own hand from the time he was nineteen, these seventy-two poems embrace his spirit, his energy--and his ultimate message of hope.
'Salvage the Bones' by Jesmyn Ward
"Jesmyn is one of the most brilliant writers I've ever had the pleasure of reading. When I first read this book about a young pregnant girl and her family as they faced Hurricane Katrina, I was not only blown away by her gift, but also by the fact that she, too, is a Black woman from Mississippi. So many of Mississippi's well-known authors are old, white or dead -- and she is none those things, nor am I. Seeing her succeed showed me that maybe my own author dreams were possible."
'Salvage the Bones' by Jesmyn Ward
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Jesmyn Ward delivers a gritty but tender novel about family and poverty in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina.
'Death of Innocence' by Mamie Till-Mobley
"Before I started working on 'The Hate U Give,' I read this memoir by Emmett Till's mother. She's one of the unsung heroes of the civil rights movement and her strength, bravery and resilience are truly inspirational."
'Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America' by Mamie Till-Mobley
Price: $16.56 · 8% Savings
Original: $18
The mother of Emmett Till recounts the story of her life, her son's tragic death, and the dawn of the civil rights movement.
'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green
"This book nurtured my love for young adult fiction. As soon as I started reading it, I was hooked."
'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green
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Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
'Long Way Down' by Jason Reynolds
"'Long Way Down' is a masterpiece from one of the best authors that children's literature has ever seen. Told in verse, it follows a young boy, Will, as he takes an elevator ride on his way to avenge his brother's murder. But over the course of the ride, he encounters the spirits of those he's lost to gun violence. Haunting but necessary."
'Long Way Down' by Jason Reynolds
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This is New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds's electrifying novel that takes place in sixty potent seconds--the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he's going to murder the guy who killed his brother.
'Between the World and Me' by Ta-Nehisi Coates
"Although Coates wrote this book as a letter to his Black son, it is also a letter to all Black boys -- and to all of us -- about what it truly means to be Black in America."
'Between the World and Me' by Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Original: $26
In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation's history and current crisis.
'Dear Justyce' by Nic Stone
"Anyone who follows me on social media knows that Nic Stone is one of my best friends, but she's also one of my favorite authors. Her phenomenal follow-up to 2017's 'Dear Martin' tells the story of Quan, a young man incarcerated and accused of murder. More than that, it's a story of Black boyhood, the ways in which the system fails boys like Quan and how we can create a better world for them."
'Dear Justyce' by Nic Stone
Price: $17.46 · 8% Savings
Original: $18.98
An unflinching look into the tragically flawed practices and silenced voices in the American juvenile justice system.
'Ghost' by Jason Reynolds
"I love every single thing Jason does. I would read his grocery lists."
'Ghost' by Jason Reynolds
Price: $7.35 · 8% Savings
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Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team--a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves.
'They Both Die at the End' by Adam Silvera
"Adam Silvera brings me all the joy in the world, despite the fact that his books give me all the heartbreak in the world."
'They Both Die at the End' by Adam Silvera
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Adam Silvera reminds us that there's no life without death and no love without loss in this devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose lives change over the course of one unforgettable day.
'Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda' by Becky Albertalli
"Becky writes wonderful, diverse love stories."
'Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda' by Becky Albertalli
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Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight.
'The Poet X' by Elizabeth Acevedo
"Elizabeth is a master of 'beautiful verse.'"
'The Poet X' by Elizabeth Acevedo
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Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.
But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers--especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about.