Looking for something to engage the young adults now at home with you? Introduce your young people to a collection of young adult fiction by Haitian American author Ibi Zoboi—all three books listed are available in e-book format.

Zoboi’s debut novel American Street is a National Book Award Finalist with five starred reviews appropriate for young adults.

“Self-assured, elegant and utterly captivating.” —New York Times

“Mixing gritty street life with the tenderness of first love, Haitian Vodou, and family bonds, the book is at once chilling, evocative, and reaffirming.” —Publishers Weekly

Ibi Zoboi’s second entry in the young adult genre Pride, is a remix of Pride and Prejudice and also a National Book Award Finalist.

“This Bushwick-set, contemporary retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice tackles gentrification, Blackness, and romance with honesty, humor, and heart. This excellent coming-of-age take on a classic belongs on all YA shelves.” —School Library Journal

For your middle schoolers check out My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich , the author’s middle school debut and New York Times Bestseller.

"[Ebony-Grace's] boundless faith in her dreams also brings to mind another high-flying science enthusiast who once advised, 'Never be limited by other people's imaginations.' That speaker was Mae C. Jemison, an engineer, medical doctor, astronaut, and the first African American woman to go into space."—New York Times Book Review 

"Filled with rich imaginative scenes and comics-style illustrations, this book will truly transport its readers to another world." —Booklist

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Cultural Passport is a blog series about books covering the Black Diaspora looking at culture, cooking, dance, sports and spirituality. This series is written and curated by Troy Belle and Diana Tan.

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!