This book was beyond an amazing necessity. I couldn't pick a favorite story any more than a parent could pick a favorite child. I loved that in these stories we had boys of all ages. We had boys of all sexuality. We had boys from modest households and boys with parents who were doctors. I think the best aspect of this book was that it wasn't written for white children to understand the lives of black children. There were so many nods to black culture, inside jokes, we could call them. This was literally a book for all, as opposed to works that can cause undo harm to some. It was so nice to have so many depictions of black boys being black boys. They weren't criminals, addicts, fighting the lure of gangs, they were educating young white kids. They were young boys, and it was beautiful.

Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for an early E-ARC of this book.

There were so many wonderful things about this collection of short stories celebrating the joys of being a Black boy. First of all, the group of authors who collaborated on this was incredible. So many inspirational voices and I know that will be a draw for young readers. The variety of genres and format will be another huge selling point. There are fantasy, realistic and historical stories as well as stories written in verse and graphic novel formats. All of this combined into an anthology of short stories with a mesmerizing cover by Kadir Nelson that just pulls you in, I can't imagine this one being found on the shelves very often. While most of the stories are fine for all middle grade students, I feel the book in its entirety will be of most interest to middle school readers. I can't wait to hear what students think about this one!

What a joy this was to read. A must have for any collection - I enjoyed every bit of it. Rarely do I enjoy the entirety of a collection, but I can honestly say that I enjoyed all of the selections, and plan to look up several authors I was not familiar with prior to this reading.

What is joy made out of? Is it made of bubbles, talking lizards, spaceships and fun music? Is joy the love we feel for those closest to us, the love we feel for ourselves?

Black Boy Joy, a collection of short stories, comics, and poems, opened my heart to finding what joy means, to feeling profound sadness, to feeling close to loved ones, and everything in between. These stories explore the power of love at an age where things are not always easy, where transitions are made, and where magic is found. I have fallen in love, cried, laughed and smiled with all the characters as they explored what joy means to them, and how love can be truly transformational.

Although every story in this collection was exceptional and profoundly joyful, there are four that tugged a little harder at my heart strings and that will stay with me for years to come.

“Fear is just Forgetting Everything’s All Right” - The Legendary Lawrence Cobbler by Julian Winters

This story has all the right ingredients: some chili powder, a dash of peaches, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a heaping cup of familial love, and self discovery. It was a perfect mix as I rode along through Von’s journey of accepting himself and his sexuality. When Von takes on his school’s baking championship, he makes mistakes and deeply crushes on his competitor Noah. Von takes on finding confidence in himself, and finding out what it means to be loved unconditionally for who he is inside, which was inspirational. As a girl around Von’s age I used to aspire to be a pastry chef, and I related to his struggles of finding his way through deep feelings and learning from his mistakes along the way. Although this one made me cry, (just a little), I found a joy in Von’s story that made me smile in the end.

“They ain’t gonna mess up my groove...slick!” -The Definition of Cool by Varian Johnson

Sometimes all you need is some good music and some cool moves to lift your spirits up. This story was exactly that. Desmond is desperate to be the cool kid in school, as I am sure everyone who has ever been young can relate to. He wanted to fit in, but more than that he wanted to dance and express his love for Juice Box Squad. This one hit close to home, because when I was his age, fitting in was everything. Even now as an adult, fitting in seems to be the easiest route. But with a little help from the adults in his world, and even his older brother, Desmond goes through a journey of self discovery and finds out what it means to truly be himself in a world that tried to make him fit in. For anyone who has ever felt like they were made to stand out, this story will make you realize the joy in being yourself.

“My mother used to say we make mistakes and learn from them. Maybe making mistakes isn’t too bad after. Getting the best out of them—like making a new friend—is what matters, right?” -Five Thousand Light-Years to Home by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Although most of the stories in Black Boy Joy are contemporary YA, there are a few that bring in aspects of magic and science, that add another layer of fantasticalness that resonated deeply for me. This story follows Keziah as he goes through the motions of moving, something every child has experienced in one form or another. His parents are uprooting him from his familiar home, and he thinks there is no chance he could make friends in this new place. However, when a talking lizard from space takes him on a magical journey, Keziah finds a friend, and a chance to start anew in this unfamiliar apartment complex. As someone whose life was uprooted all at once at the same age as Keziah, I understood his struggles. Okungbowa wrote a story that tugged at my heart strings, and showed a younger me that I am not alone no matter where life takes me. Friends are life’s sweetest gift, and delving into Keziah’s magic journey allowed me to find courage in starting anew, just like he did.

“Your truth. Go ahead and stand right there and say what you’ve always wanted to say!” -The Gender Reveal by George M. Johnson

Throughout the entire collection, there are multiple stories that delve into representation for BIPOC characters, and stories of discovering queerness and dealing with police brutality, and so much more. This story was particularly powerful in telling the story of Malcom, and how they wanted to come out as nonbinary to the people they care about most. It delved into how Malcom found courage in understanding what his dad and grandmother had been through in the generation before him, and how they were loved no matter who they were. This story explores finding one’s self even when it is scary to be true to who you are at first. In the end, this story was profoundly joyful because it showed the importance of stepping into yourself and how powerful the love of a community can be.

Every story deserves to be told, and this collection has changed my life in all the best ways. I journeyed through the book expecting to find happiness, but quickly realized that I had found something much more meaningful: love. Find yourself a copy of this collection, because you won’t want to put it down. In a world of darkness and troubles, these stories will bring light and understanding. Reading these stories has shown me that joy can be found anywhere; you just have to be open to feeling it.

Content Warnings: Police brutality, death of a loved one, racism, anxiety, depression, COVID-19, pandemic discussions

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

•°𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠°•
➳ WOW!! What an amazing collection of stories! These stories made me laugh, cry, and hug my Black boys even tighter. I like how it shows that not all Black boys are the same; they have different interests, experiences, and emotions. Each story made me laugh out loud. Throughout the book, I laughed, cried tears of joy, and SMILED.
•
➳ Every storey about a black boy simply living and enjoying life. Stories about fantasy worlds, birthday parties, first days of school, first dances, and plenty of family time. I love using short story collections, especially, with striving readers because they are smaller bites of complete narratives.
•
➳ This book would make an excellent read-aloud: one story per day, almost like a picture book per day. It is also THE BEST book written by their literary heroes for Black boys to see themselves as heroes and bringers (literally) of joy. A MUST-HAVE for any library.
•
•°𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐°•
➳ 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕/5

"Joy is a fragile thing, my boy, and must be treated as such. Too harsh and it disintegrates. Rush, and it disappears. So we coax it forth. Feed it, like kindling to a fire."

The anthologies coming out this summer are absolute fire. This collection is no different. I loved this collection of 17 short stories that celebrate being a young Black boy. Most of the authors I have either read or at least heard of before, and I have a lot of respect for their writing. These short stories made me laugh and cry and cheer and feel a little bit of everything. There is a short story for everyone as so many genres and formats are represented: contemporary, science fiction, fantasy, poetry, graphic novel, LGBTQ+ representation, it's all here. This is an incredible collection of short stories that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. I think this book is being marketed for readers 8-12 but I think older readers will find just as much enjoyment from reading this collection. A must read, in my opinion.

**Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a treasure! I think it needs to be featured in all classrooms and libraries in the US. The anthology highlights fabulous stories by fabulous authors. Do not miss this triumph!

A collection of vignettes/short stories from seventeen best-selling Black authors. Black Boy Joy is a lovely example of contributors working with a common theme. Kwame Mbalia opens and closes the book with the story of Fortitude Jones joining the Griot of Grover Street in the Between to capture joy. Though each contributor sticks to their respective genres from science fiction to fantasy to realistic fiction, the connection is finding those moments of Black boy joy.

I loved Mbalia's opening and close. It created space for contributing authors to demonstrate their respective talents without constrictions of having to include shared characters or settings. This book is a reminder that everyone needs joy, but that it can be a tenuous and fleeting state of being. Some of my favorite joy-related quotes that I think each author also demonstrate masterfully:
"Joy is a fragile thing, my boy, and must be treated as such. Too harsh and it disintegrates. Rush, and it disappears. So we coax it forth. Feed it, like kindling to the fire."

"Sadness is but one side of the coin. Necessary. Must be expressed if we're to rediscover the other three sides...fear, anger, and joy. All part of the same four-sided coin."

This is a lovely middle-grade read that can also bring joy to older readers. We need more books like this!

I can hardly think of another book that is so needed by schools and public libraries, and Kwame Mbalia stuck the landing. This is going to fly off the shelves and change lives.

I was extremely excited to read this book and instantly added it to my list of books to buy for the community center, but with only three or four good stories it was a big disappointment. Too many of the stories were about getting a girlfriend (you all know how I feel about sexual tension in MG) and having expensive clothes, and quite a few of the stories were about thirteen year old seventh graders. I began to think that the editor had mixed up the terms "Middle Grade" and "middle school," but there was also a fair share of stories about elementary school aged characters. Most of the stories seemed amateurish.

If you've ever heard someone say, "we need more books that depict black joy or have black joy in them," this book is what they mean! I loved every moment of joy shown through stories that were imaginative, relatable, real, and cultural, and I wish more books like this one existed in the world.

These are incredible short stories highlighting black boyhood. I enjoyed and appreciated that this collection of works showcased different experiences of being a young black boy. I do feel all little black boys should pick up this book. Each short story have its own unique storyline which was an astonishing, beautiful, diverse collection of stories that brought me joy, laughter and so many memories. This is definitely a must read!

Book Review
Title: Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia
Genre: Short Story/Anthology
Rating: 4.5 Stars
I recently read Last Gate of the Emperor by Kwame Mbalia and really enjoyed so when I saw this collection of stories from authors of colour I had to request it. Obviously as this review is for a blog tour it will be spoiler so my thoughts on the stories will be minimal but I honestly couldn’t wait to get into this collection.
The Griot of Grover Street: Part 1 by Kwame Mbalia
We are introduced to Fort after the death of Aunt Netta, at her homegoing which is a code word for funeral Ford leaves and ends up bumping into a man called Gary the Griot. While this is only part one of the story we can gather that Gary travels between world collecting joy to deliver and seems to be taking Fort on as an apprentice. It was short and sweet and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next two parts.
There’s Going to be a Fight in the Cafeteria on Friday and You Better Not Bring Batman by Lamar Giles
There’s going to be a fight in the cafeteria on Friday and you better not bring Batman was a really interesting story. We are following Cornell who along with some friends has a debate every Friday about superheroes but all of his picks have either been used before or defeated and he needs new ones. One by one, Cornell speaks to the members of his family and gets heroes from every generation in addition to picking one of his own and learning some important lessons along the way.
The McCoy Game by B. B. Alston
The McCoy Game was a really heart-warming story about Jamal and Dre competing for their inheritance after the death of their grandfather. While this sounds very basic there are some other elements thrown into the story that I really enjoyed especially as a sci-fi nerd.
The Legendary Lawrence Cobbler by Julian Winters
The Legendary Lawrence Cobbler was one of my favourite stories in this collection. We are introduced to Jevon who is preparing for the finals of a baking competition but he is worrying more about the fact he recently came out to his father and he seems to be treating Jevon differently. Over a baking session with his grandmother and father, Jevon comes to realise a lot of different things that honestly made me tear up at one point and I would love to read more from Julian Winters in the future.
First-Day Fly by Jason Reynolds
First-Day Fly was an interesting story as we follow an unnamed protagonist as they prepare for their first day at school and make agonising choices over the clothing as well as other things which everyone can relate to in some ways.
Got Me a Jet Pack by Don P. Hooper
Got Me a Jet Pack was another interesting story, we are introduced to Rod and his friends before Rod is whisked off on an intergalactic adventure but the twist at the ending gave me a huge hit of nostalgia that I wasn’t expecting and it left me with a distinctly wholesome feeling.
Extinct by Dean Atta
Extinct by Dean Atta was also another favourite for me as we are following Dylan who recently learnt about extinct animals and is excited to tell his teacher and best friend about the dodo he saw at a museum. While this is trivial the whole story is a look into grief from a child’s perspective which is something I enjoy and something that hit home hard for me as I understand what it feels like to lose someone you are really close to.
Epic Venture by Jay Coles
Epic Venture was an amazing story following Wes and his grandfather. Wes spends a lot of time with his grandparents where he gets to hear stories of his grandfather’s time in the war as a pilot which Wes often documents in the form of drawings. One day his grandfather’s takes him flying in the aeroplane and Wes experiences something magical that really brought a tear to my eye.
The Definition of Cool by Varian Johnson
The Definition of Cool was a beautiful little story about the bond of brotherhood and finding yourself. We are following Des a huge fan of the Juice Box Squad or JSB as he prepares for a concert. However, things don’t go to plan but Varian Johnson manages to deliver an ending that is both happy and hopeful.
The Griot of Grover Street: Part II by Kwame Mbalia
The Griot of Grover Street: Part II was only a couple of pages long as continued to follow Fort and Gary as they collect joy from the Between with a hint at what could be coming in the final part.
Five Thousand Light-Years to Home by Suyi Davies Okungbowa
Five Thousand Light-Years to Home was another story that I really enjoyed. We follow Keziah who is unhappy about moving to an apartment on Willow Island when he is transport to a spaceship called the Stonehound. In order to get home, Keziah has to solve puzzles with a strange girl and a talking lizard but there was just so much more to this story than I was expecting and I would love to read a full length novel following similar themes.
Coping by Tochi Onyebuchi
I actually own several book by Tochi Onyebuchi but I have been intimidated by them for the longest time and this story actually prompted me to finally pick them up. This story was simple and almost elegant in how it portrayed the recent lockdown events through the eyes of CJ Walker and his skating friend, Taye and Haru.
The Gender Reveal by George M. Johnson
This story is literally what the title refers to a gender reveal but not in the sense that most people might think of. We are following Malcolm and they struggle with and ultimately make the decision to come out as nonbinary to their friends and family. It was heart-warming, hopeful and just everything I wanted from the story.
Kassius’s Foolproof Guide to Losing the Turkey Bowl by Davaun Sanders
Kassius’s Foolproof Guide to Losing the Turkey Bowl wasn’t a story that I particularly enjoyed but I can appreciate why many would enjoy it. We are following Kassius and his team which seems to be for a fantasy American football team as he tries to ask Maya out on a date. While this would be a cute contemporary romance with fantasy elements it wasn’t really a genre that I gel well with.
But Also, Jazz by Julian Randall
But Also, Jazz again wasn’t a story that stuck out to me personally but I did appreciate the message the story contained. We are following Mikkel and his cousin as they are asked to write a rap for the local church.
Our Dill by Justin A. Reynolds
Our Dill was a simple but heart-warming story about Jay and Mia. They have been friends since childhood and there is a potential romance blossoming between them but it doesn’t seem like the right time for either of them but the ending did seem quite ambiguous.
Percival and the Jab by P. Djeli Clark
Percival and the Jab was a story I adored and I have enjoyed many of P. Djeli Clark’s works in the past. We follow Percival who is being followed by a Jab after moving from Trinidad to America and it is how he comes to terms with not having to change his identity as his Jab leads him to other children like him. I absolutely adored the fantasy elements of this story and would love to see P. Djeli Clark write something more humorous like this story.
Embracing My Black Boy Joy by Jerry Craft
All I can say about Embracing My Black Boy was that it was a short and sweet comic that made me smile.
The Griot of Grover Street: Part III by Kwame Mbalia
The final part of The Griot of Grover Street was my favourite as we get to see the story’s conclusion and why Gary choose Fort in the first place. I would have loved to have seen the Between expanded upon in a novella or full length novel as it has so much potential.

This book offers an interesting mix of genres---magical realism, coming out stories, strong family relationships all fall under the umbrella of Black boy joy. That does lead to an overall unevenness of the book---some readers might appreciate the story of a boy bonding with his grandfather over a vintage war plane, while others might like the science fiction fantasy of participating in a literal space race to save the planet, but I have a hard time imaging all of the stories hitting with the same impact for any one reader. This would be a great resource for classroom read-alouds, and it is necessary to have portraits of Black boys that don't rely on tired tropes of the Black experience, but for me, the parts are greater than the whole.

Here is what I wrote in my blog post mentioning Black Boy Joy! You can also find the link to my blog post below: I absolutely adored this anthology because it left my heart so full. The different expressions/dimensions of Black Boyhood/Non-Binaryhood (is that a term?) just kept a smile on my face, even when my eyes threatened to leak…I ate this book up (I read the E-ARC, it’s out on 8/3/2021). I’m too hype to get a copy for my Godson though he’s only 6…it’ll be his first middle grade from me! I firmly believe that we need more books that center Black Boys & their stories and I’m so happy this book will be out in the world for them soon enough!

Immense Gratitude to #NetGalley and #Random House Childrens, Dealcorte Press for the Ebook ARC of Black Boy Joy.

Black Boy Joy Edited by Kwame Mbalia is an extraordinary collections that highlights Joy as the primary focus. These stories are told in diverse genres, and formats. There is a story in this collection for everyone. Each piece was crafted by a group of incredible writers. Loved every piece in this collection!. This is a collection should be offered at every library and schools should be teaching to middle school age up. To often we only see the negative, it is time to change those stereotypes. I highly recommend this anthology! Happy Reading All!

This book is absolutely fantastic. There's a ton of variety in the stories, so there is sure to be something for everyone, and all of the stories are wonderfully written. I would definitely recommend Black Boy Joy to any middle grade reader, or teacher of middle graders.

An amazing short story collection celebrating Black Boyhood by an amazing group of Black male and non-binary authors. Every story will either make you laugh or cry. Such a great tool to utilize in the classrooms as well.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

I was immediately drawn to the idea of an anthology of stories authored by these amazing names that have been circulating all over the book community in the past few months, so I had this book on my radar long before I saw the tour sign-ups. I thought the whole concept behind this collection is just utter genius and that cover just radiates everything that these authors try to convey with their words on these pages. I was absolutely delighted when Colored Pages Book Tours let me join in on their book tour!

MY THOUGHTS:

There is no feeling akin to gobbling up amazing short stories written by a host of stellar authors! It has been ages since I read an actual anthology and this book reminded me of the joys of reading. At first, I was very puzzled as to how I was going to review a collection of stories written by seventeen different authors, but then I decided that the best way is to write about everything I loved about this reading experience.

I loved that I got to shift from author to author. These authors are obviously masters of their own styles and it shows so well. I like that they didn’t stick to a strict story format, but went with what each person was comfortable with, so there was an entertaining mix of stories, poems, and a comic in here. It was honestly exciting to finish one story and move to the next one and wonder what this story was going to be like!

I liked the mix of genres. We get everyday situations, like funerals and first days at school, but there are also intergalactic games, spirits and a whole host of fantasy and sci-fi elements peppered all over this book. If I had read this as a child, I would have been endlessly thrilled by the variety here. There is literally anything for anyone!

The queer representation was just amazing! I teared up quite a few times reading some of the more heartwarming and touching stories in here. These stories really speak to the heart of the reader and are so emotionally charged, and I was so happy to see that in the middle-grade genre. I loved how the authors tackled with accepting yourself and feeling like belonging in a community and family; all important and relevant themes that I am sure kids would relate to.

I loved the geographical diversity in the stories as well. There were stories that weaved together mythology from Trinidad, Guyana and other cultures. This brought in many great themes like feeling like you don’t belong when moving to a new place or even how to preserve that bit of culture in you when you are seas away. I loved that some authors mixed in aliens, spaceships and wizards into their stories too!

Lastly, I found it really endearing how many of the stories focused on the importance of family and sibling bonds. A few of these moments made me all teary-eyed, and I found so many relatable moments even as a 24-year-old! Absolutely touching!

FINAL VERDICT:

When I picked up 'Black Boy Joy', what I found was an astonishing, beautiful, diverse collection of stories that brought me joy, laughter and so many memories. It would be a relatable, joyful read to any child and a nostalgic but wonderful read to any older audience. I cannot recommend this book enough for its wonderful message, its beautiful writing and the love it contains within its words!

Amazing short story collection celebrating Black Boyhood by a great group of Black male and non-binary authors. This book has Black Joy written all over it. It was beautifully written.

“The world is harsh. Find your joy, Fortitude, and it’ll be your night-light when everything is dark.”