The discussion around #BlackLivesMatter cannot be encapsulated in only these YA books, but these books are part of the conversation. If you have been looking to read and reflect on how black authors and black teens deal with these issues, then these books are great places to start.
Still on the New York Times bestseller list after 169 weeks, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a stunning and concise story. Starr Carter is in the passenger seat when her friend Khalil is shot during a traffic stop. Thrust into the middle of a growing national story, Starr has to learn how to find a way forward, and how to figure out the right thing to do in a complex situation.
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Rashad, a teenaged black boy, is beaten by a cop for seemingly stealing from a convenience store. Quinn, Rashad's white classmate, witnesses the whole thing--and the cop is a family friend. This book examines how we respond to injustice both as a victim and as a bystander, and how to do the right thing in response to police brutality.
Justyce McAllister is an honors student doing all the right things, but he still ends up in the middle of a tragic conflict with a white police officer. In this novel, Justyce McAllister writes letters to Martin Luther King, Jr. attempting to understand what happened. This book also has a sequel, Dear Justyce, about Quan, a classmate of Justyce's who winds up in prison, writing letters to Justyce in an attempt to understand their differences.
After an unarmed thirteen-year-old-girl is killed by the police, her community responds with protests and growing unrest. The community's growing protest is met by white supremacist counter-protestors. The community of Underhill each take turns unpacking their stories and their understanding of what to do next.
Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
A nonfiction book, Stamped is a version of Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped From the Beginning specifically for teenaged readers. This book examines how racism has been constructed, and how we can identify and address it in our daily lives.
Twelve-year-old Jerome is a victim of a police shooting. As a ghost, he observes both his own family and the family of the police officer, trying to come to terms with what happened. This book is aimed at slightly younger readers who want a book on this topic.
In this graphic novel, Alfonso is excited to play Hamlet in his school play, to tell Danetta how he feels, to buy his first suit--until he wakes up in the afterlife, a victim of a police shooting. Alfonso and the ghosts of past police shootings watch over his family as they try to get justice for Alfonso.
After Tariq, a black teen, is shot and killed by a white man, his community is in uproar. But not everyone can agree on exactly what happened. As the witnesses unpack what they saw, and what they believe they saw, the community attempts to understand how, exactly, it went down.
Marvin Johnson tags along with his twin brother, Tyler, to a house party. Tyler and Marvin are separated by a police raid, Tyler goes missing, and then a video is leaked online of Tyler's death at the hands of a police officer. With his mother unraveling and his brother becoming a hashtag, Marvin has to figure out what freedom and justice really mean.
This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell
Another non-fiction title, this book has 20 lessons to help readers become more proactive in taking action against racism. This book offers tools, stories, and activities designed to empower readers.