The Book Junkie

This episode is a little bit different!  Instead of featuring a Young Adult author, I decided to shake things up and bring a picture book author to you!  Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. is a phenomenal spoken word poet and artist.  A few years back, her poem, You So Black went viral on Facebook, Youtube, and pretty much anywhere you could see a screen.  I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with her and hearing her wisdom.  Hopefully, you experience the same thing! 

Find You So Black:

S.K. Ali's Saints and Misfits is one of the most informative books I've ever read in my life.  Not only does it encapsulate the Muslim teen experience, but it also highlights the struggles that come with being a high-schooler.  In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, I wanted to focus on issues that pertain to sexual abuse against minors.  That being said, I'm giving this episode a CONTENT WARNING (SEXUAL ABUSE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, INTIMIDATION, TRAUMA).  This book illustrates the journey of Janna, a young woman who is navigating through a traumatic experience but shows her emergence of strength by the end of the story.  This is part one so be sure to come back for part two!

Ladies, have you ever felt objectified or only valued for your body?

In this episode, Ahmya Rivera and I talk about women's representation, over-sexualization in media, and the negative effects that can be placed on young girls of color.  Ahmya and I discuss how both of us have felt ostracized for being young women in our own spaces -- hers being STEAM and mine being basketball.  The Poet X is the book that sets the stage for our discussion of this topic and it was honestly such a great read!  Elizabeth Acevedo masterfully uses words to paint pictures on each page and leave an emotional imprint on every reader.  

"Black girls are leading, organizing, advocating, and creating. They are starting nonprofits. Building political coalitions. Promoting diverse literature. Fighting cancer. Improving water quality. Working to prevent gun violence. Are we ready to learn from their leadership?"

In this episode, I had the chance to talk to one of my mentors, Khristi Lauren Adams, about her two newest releases -- Unbossed: How Black Girls are Leading the Way and Black Girls Unbossed: Young World Changers Leading the Way!  This book is not only near and dear to my heart because it's centered around young, black, female leaders, but because Ms. Khristi decided to highlight my story in the books, alongside the other seven amazing black girls.

Our discussion ranges from being basketball team captains to listening to artists like Brandy and Lauren Hill.  However, this is only part 1 because Part 2 will be released on April 1st!  

Grab your copies and follow her socials!

Skyhunter is a riveting novel that highlights themes of xenophobia, political corruption, and ableism.  All of these issues are very apparent in modern society, yet are sometimes overlooked by the general population or unfortunately normalized.  In this episode, I'm joined by the host of The Teenpreneur Show, Diya Kohli.  Diya's favorite book is The Alchemist and her favorite book genre is dystopian literature.  She is smart and driven as well! I had the pleasure of meeting her when she invited me to be interviewed on the Teenpreneur show, which was an awesome experience!

Here is some more info on The Teenpreneur Show:

The Teenpreneur Show is a platform for teenagers across the globe to spread the word about what they are doing. Our show hosted by Diya Kohli features inspirational teenagers who have created a business and streams live on multiple social media platforms.

Airs every Thursdays from: 5 p.m.–5:30 p.m.

This interview with Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel Makkonen was so fun to record!  One of my favorite podcast episode formats is conversations with two authors at once, and this one was fabulous.  In this episode, we discuss how one kind of book can change a readers' whole perspective.  Listen to this episode to dive into the perspective of authors who worked on a book together and who also strongly believe in diverse representation in literature.  Check out the links below for where you can find their book, Last Gate of the Emperor!

In this episode, I had the opportunity to interview the amazing Jay Coles about his newest title -- Things We Couldn't Say!  This book was an intriguing read that explored the depths of complicated parent/child relationship dynamics, navigating life as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and just being a black teenage boy.  It was refreshing talking to Mr. Coles about these topics because they were written so beautifully in the book and certain aspects can be applied to real life.  

In this episode, I had the opportunity to interview Manavi Nag, a teenage author who lives in India.  She is an amazing writer, and her book, Breaking the Taboo, shed light on the demonization of periods around the world, but specifically in India.  She interviewed several girls who shared their stories and how this stigma has impacted part of their adolescent lives.  I think our conversation was amazing and I love how she conveyed the importance and the message from these girls while giving them a voice and platform to share their truth.

Manavi's book is very inexpensive on Amazon, so make sure that you purchase a copy.  right now, it is only 99 cents in American dollars.

Please support Manavi and read her compilation of these girl's story so that you can spread more awareness about this important issue!

In this episode, I had the opportunity to speak to the author of This is My America, by Kim Johnson.  This is her debut novel and it releases on July 28th!  I can honestly say that this is now one of my favorite books because it was such a good read.  Because this book is unreleased, I have a few clarifications to make regarding the characters mentioned throughout the episode;

Tracy - She is a black teenage girl and the main character.

Jamal - This is Tracy's older brother who is a track athlete and is going to college.

Corrine - This is Tracy and Jamal's younger sister who was born while her father was in prison.

Steve - This is the attorney who was trying to exonerate Tracy's father.

Tasha - This is Tracy's female best friend, who is also a black teenage girl.

Dean - This is Tracy's male best friend, who is a white teenage boy.

Ms. Johnson and I had riveting conversation about prison reform and the impact that an incarcerated parent can have on their children.  Be sure to grab a copy of This is My America when it releases on July 28th, or pre-order right now!  It's an amazing book and will sell quickly, so don't miss this chance!

Felix Ever After is the heart-wrenching story of a trans, black, and queer, teenage boy.  The author, Kacen Callender, takes the reader on an emotional journey through their words and descriptive language.  I had a chance to talk to them for an interview an dI can honestly say it was a great experience!  We discussed, several topics such as; the discrimination within the queer community, why it's important to not pass judgement on others, and how to be confident in yourself despite what others say.  

Kwame Alexander's bestselling book, The Crossover, gives a fascinating glimpse into the world of 12-year-old Josh, a twin and basketball star in his hometown.  This book shows some very interesting family dynamics and highlights the impact that a parent's actions can have on their children. Today, I spoke to one of my friends Chauncey about 

• Family Dynamics
  
• Growing Up
  
• How sports can relate to real life
  

This book shows how difficult growing up can be for some teenagers and how important it is for parents to make sure they are healthy enough to care for their children.

Purchase a Copy!

In this episode I had the opportunity to learn more about Dear Martin, but also about Nic Stone as a person!  We discuss several things such as racism in school settings, academic expectations from minorities, and the importance of tolerance.  It was such an amazing conversation and it was fun to hear from Ms. Stone's perspective.  If you would like to hear about Dear Martin from it's bestselling author, Nic Stone, be sure to listen to this episode!  

Here are some links to articles you can read about police brutality, racism, and the treatment of black individuals in schools:

*This is Part 2 of my conversation with Christian Townsell about the book Dear Martin by Nic Stone.*

Dear Martin by Nic Stone gives a vivid glance into the mind of a teenager who is the victim of police brutality.  Justyce McAllister is a senior who lives in Atlanta and is trying to understand why there is so much senseless violence against his people.  As an African-American boy, Justyce encounters some situations that leave him questioning his position in society.

In this episode, I convince my friend Christian to read the book by discussing some topics such as;

• Police Brutality
  
• Racism
  
• Micro-Aggressions from peers in school settings
  

Do you want to purchase a copy of Dear Martin?

*THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS*

The spoilers are completely relevant to the conversation.  Don't let the spoilers in this episode stop you from reading the book!  You can now read it with a critical eye and find your own interpretation of the story.

Dear Martin by Nic Stone gives a vivid glance into the mind of a teenager who is the victim of police brutality.  Justyce McAllister is a senior who lives in Atlanta and is trying to understand why there is so much senseless violence against his people.  As an African-American boy, Justyce encounters some situations that leave him questioning his position in society.  

In this episode, I convince my friend Christian to read the book by discussing some topics such as;

• Police Brutality
• Racism
• Micro-Aggressions from peers in school settings

Do you want to purchase a copy of Dear Martin?

Angie Thomas' thought-provoking novel, On The Come Up, features a 16-year-old, aspiring rapper named Bri.  The story shows the ups and downs that someone living in an underprivileged  neighborhood can encounter.  In this episode, I convince my friend Maya to read On the Come Up by engaging in conversation about;

• Gang culture, 
• the importance of equal opportunity, and
• the controversy around rap music,

This book really highlights the struggles of being an African-American living in Bri's environment and how if fame gets to your head, it can be very dangerous.  Everyone can learn from this book because it is an illustration of realistic situations from the eyes of a teenager learning her place in the world.

Purchase a Copy!