Book lovers have a lot to get excited about in August, as the month brings new titles in just about every genre. If you need a break from the news, you can sink your teeth into a dystopian novel, get lost in a creative book of poetry or flip through adorable photographs of young Black dancers. And for the word nerds out there, there’s even a book of Black crosswords! These are the books we can’t wait to get into in August 2024.
2 / 14 “Bad Witches” by H.B. Akumiah (August 20) “Bad Witches” by H.
B. Akumiah (August 20) Brooklyn-based Ghanian-American author H.B.
Akumiah’s debut novel is being described as meets . The story follows three young women who meet in the club on their mutual twenty-second birthday. But during their girls night out, the three learn they are witches and have to come together to save the Witch Sphere when a crisis strikes.
3 / 14 “On a Move” by Mike Africa Jr. (August 6) “On a Move” by Mike Africa Jr. (August 6) In Mike Africa Jr.
writes about his experience growing up in MOVE, a Philly-based Black civil liberties group that police bombed in 1985. Along with pictures of his family and other members of the movement, Africa Jr. writes candidly about his experience being born to two political prisoners and his tireless efforts to seek justice for them.
4 / 14 “Daydreamer” by Rob Cameron (August 6) “Daydreamer” by Rob Cameron (August 6) is a beautiful debut novel for young readers ages 10 and up. The story centers around an eleven-year-old boy who deals with the challenges of being isolated and bullied by escaping into a magical fantasy world of dragons and trolls. But when the two worlds collide, he’s forced to use his creativity to save them both.
5 / 14 “AfriCali: Recipes From My Jikoni” by Kiano Moju (August 13) “AfriCali: Recipes From My Jikoni” by Kiano Moju (August 13) Born to a Kenyan mother and a Nigerian father and raised in California, Kiano Moju has lots of culinary influences. In her debut cookbook Moju uses recipes like Lentil Nuggets and Coconut and Cardamom Mandazi, to marry the African flavors of her upbringing and the fresh produce of her California home. 6 / 14 “The Empire Wars” by Akana Phenix (August 6) “The Empire Wars” by Akana Phenix (August 6) is described as “a fast-paced dystopian tale with a bit of magic and a lot of action.
” The story follows a girl trying to save her family in a world that has been taken over by a tyrannical empire. 7 / 14 “The Rich People Have Gone Away” by Regina Porter (August 6) “The Rich People Have Gone Away” by Regina Porter (August 6) Set in 2020 Brooklyn, tells the story of a young couple who leave the city in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. But when the man’s pregnant wife disappears after an argument, the husband becomes a prime suspect in her disappearance.
8 / 14 “Not What She Seems” by Yasmin Angoe “Not What She Seems” by Yasmin Angoe follows Jacinda, a woman returning to the small South Carolina town she left at age 22 after a family tragedy. But being home forces her to face demons she thought she left behind and a new danger that threatens her life and her family’s safety. 9 / 14 “Black Crossword: 100 Mini Puzzles Celebrating the African Diaspora” by Juliana Pache (August 20) “Black Crossword: 100 Mini Puzzles Celebrating the African Diaspora” by Juliana Pache (August 20) If you like crossword puzzles (and who doesn’t?) this book is for you.
Based on the popular website blackcrossword.com, is a book of over 100 puzzles covering the history, literature and culture of the African diaspora. 10 / 14 “Every Where Alien” by Brad Walrond (August 13) “Every Where Alien” by Brad Walrond (August 13) is described as a “dazzling afro-futuristic, afro-surrealist journey through New York City’s underground art movements.
” Through poetry and black and white illustrations, Brad Walrond looks at the impac Black and queer underground art movements of the 1990s and early 2000s have had on our culture. 11 / 14 “Kingdom of Dust” by Lisa Stringfellow (August 20) “Kingdom of Dust” by Lisa Stringfellow (August 20) is a beautiful West African–inspired fantasy about a young girl who sets out on her own to save her kingdom and its people from a dangerous threat. 12 / 14 “The Unicorn Woman” by Gayl Jones (August 20) “The Unicorn Woman” by Gayl Jones (August 20) Set in the early 1950s, tells the story of a Black American soldier and his search for religion, purpose and love in a Jim Crow South after World War II.
13 / 14 “Brown Girls Do Ballet: Celebrating Diverse Girls Taking Center Stage” by TaKiyah Wallace-McMillan and JaNay Brown Wood (August 27) “Brown Girls Do Ballet: Celebrating Diverse Girls Taking Center Stage” by TaKiyah Wallace-McMillan and JaNay Brown Wood (August 27) From the creators of the popular of the same name, is a beautifully inspirational children’s picture book featuring stunning photographs of young dancers of color. Talk about cuteness overload! 14 / 14.
