• A Little Piece of Sky

by Nicole Bailey-Williams
After the murder of her alcoholic mother, Song Byrd must confront her past abuse and the incarceration of her brother.

• Kendra

by Coe Booth
High schooler Kendra longs to live with her mother who, unprepared for motherhood at age fourteen, left Kendra in the care of her grandmother.

• Tyrell

by Coe Booth
With his family at a homeless shelter and his father in jail, should Tyrell risk going the way his father has gone?

• Manchild in the Promised Land

by Claude Brown
This classic novel is a fictional account of the author’s street life in Harlem.

• Upstate

by Kalisha Buckhanon
Can Natasha’s love for Antonio survive after he is sent to prison for killing his father?

• Drama High: The Fight

by L. Devine
At a predominately white high school, can Jayd get through junior year drama free?

• Romiette and Julio

by Sharon Draper
Can Julio’s and Romiette’s inter-racial relationship survive the pressures of their urban neighborhood?

• Bang!

by Sharon Flake
Traumatized by the violent killing of her younger brother, Kee-Lee begins a healing process that goes terribly wrong.

• Money Hungry

by Sharon Flake
Raspberry knows she can make the money that will keep her from having to return to life on the streets.

• Who am I Without Him? Short Stories about Girls and the Boys in Their Lives

by Sharon Flake
Urban teen girls confront the difficulties of relationships with boys.

• Bronx Masquerade

by Nikki Grimes
An open-mic poetry slam brings teens together in the Bronx as they share their experiences about growing up in the ghetto.

• Imani in Young Love and Deception

by Jackie Hardrick
Imani must deal with the pressures of being “the girl from the hood” at a mostly white suburban high school.

• The First Part Last

by Angela Johnson
Bobby must face the challenges of being a single father.

• Teenage Bluez

by A. Jones
This book is a collection of stories about urban teens facing challenges of drugs and violence.

• Bluford Series

by Paul Langan
Set in urban America, this ten volume series follows the lives of African-American teens at Bluford High School.

• The Contender

by Robert Lipsyte
A high school dropout escapes the streets by learning how to box.

• Chill Wind

by Janet McDonald
Now that Aisha has received a termination-of-welfare-benefits notice, how can she support herself and her two young children in New York City?

• Harlem Hustle

by Janet McDonald
Eric “Hustle” Samson knows how to make it on the streets, but his dream of rap stardom is making him think twice.

• Too Beautiful for Words

by Monique W. Morris
Can Peaches break away from life on the streets as a prostitute?

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