Essential Listening: Diversity, Inclusion, & Anti-Racism
The Reading Bug stands with the Black community against racism, hatred, and injustice. We will not be silent or complacent. Join us in listening to these critical texts as we continue to expand our knowledge and empathy. All sales from the month of June 2020 will be donated to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
I Believe I Can
By Grace Byers
Narrated by: Grace Byers
Length: 3 minutes
From the New York Times bestselling creator of I Am Enough comes an empowering follow-up that celebrates every child’s limitless potential.
Don't miss this audiobook edition, read by the author, Grace Byers!
I Believe I Can is an affirmation for boys and girls of every background to love and believe in themselves, from actress and activist Grace... Read more »
I Am Enough
By Grace Byers
Narrated by: Grace Byers
Length: 3 minutes
I Am Enough is the audio edition of the New York Times bestseller everyone needs!
This is a gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another, from Empire actor and activist Grace Byers.
Perfect for mothers and daughters, baby showers, and graduation.
We are all here for a purpose. We are more than... Read more »
Last Stop on Market Street
By Matt De La Pena
Narrated by: Lizan Mitchell
Length: 7 minutes
Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town. But today, CJ wonders why they don’t own a car like his friend Colby. Why doesn’t he have an iPod like the boys on the bus? How come they always have to get off in the dirty part of town? Each question is met with an encouraging answer from grandma, who helps him see the... Read more »
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
Vashti Harrison
By Vashti Harrison
Narrated by: Robin Miles
Length: 1 hour 38 minutes
This beautifully illustrated board book edition of instant bestseller Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History showcases women who changed the world and is the perfect goodnight book to inspire big dreams.
Featuring 18 trailblazing black women in American history, Dream Big, Little One is the irresistible board book adaptation of Little... Read more »
We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices
By Wade Hudson & Cheryl Willis Hudson
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, Guy Lockard, Various, January LaVoy, Dominic Hoffman, Adenrele Ojo, Kyla Garcia, N'Jameh Camara, Soneela Nankani, Darrell Dennis, Jennifer Lim, Sullivan Jones & Paul Robeson
Length: 1 hour 41 minutes
The foremost diverse children's authors--including Jason Reynolds, Jacqueline Woodson, and Kwame Alexander--share answers to the question, "In this divisive world, what shall we tell our children?" in this powerful collection, published in partnership with Just Us Books.
Featuring poems, letters, personal essays, songs, and other works from such... Read more »
Black Enough
By Ibi Zoboi, Tracey Baptiste, Coleen Booth, Dhonielle Clayton, Brandy Colbert, Jay Coles, Lamar Giles, Leah Henderson, Justina Ireland, Varian Johnson, Kekla Magoon, Tochi Onyebuchi, Jason Reynolds, Nic Stone, Liara Tamani, Renée Watson & Rita Williams-Garcia
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin & Ron Butler
Length: 11 hours 14 minutes
Edited by National Book Award finalist Ibi Zoboi, and featuring some of the most acclaimed bestselling Black authors writing for teens today—Black Enough is an essential collection of captivating stories about what it’s like to be young and Black in America. A selection of the Schomburg Center's Black Liberation Reading List.
Black is...sisters... Read more »
Ghost Boys
By Jewell Parker Rhodes
Narrated by: Miles Harvey
Length: 2 hours 51 minutes
A heartbreaking and powerful story about a black boy killed by a police officer, drawing connections through history, from award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes.
Only the living can make the world better. Live and make it better.
Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he... Read more »
Black Brother, Black Brother
By Jewell Parker Rhodes
Narrated by: Barrie Buckner
Length: 4 hours 36 minutes
From award-winning and bestselling author, Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers, one who presents as white, the other as black, and the complex ways in which they are forced to navigate the world, all while training for a fencing competition.
Framed. Bullied. Disliked. But I know I can still be the best.
... Read more »
The Hate U Give
By Angie Thomas
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
Length: 11 hours 40 minutes
The Hate U Give
“This bestselling, powerful young adult novel about social justice and one teen girl's effort to fight for what is right, will leave you breathless. The narration by Bahni Turpin is hands down the best I've ever heard. This is such an important book it should be required reading for life in general. Or listening. Definitely listening.”
Kristen, Tattered Cover
Clean Getaway
By Nic Stone
Narrated by: Dion Graham
Length: 3 hours 56 minutes
Clean Getaway
“William "Scoob" Lamar's white G'ma fell in love with his black G'pa at a time when a mixed-race relationship between adult Americans was illegal in many parts of the country. It was especially difficult for them in the conservative south where they lived. Now G'ma is on a mission to revisit places she and G'pa traveled and to take Scoob along with her. She wants to show him many of the historic sights that were a part of the early civil rights movement and part of Scoob's heritage. But G'ma also seems to have some secrets and Scoob isn't sure where this journey is really taking them. Nic Stone, famous for her best-selling YA novels, has written a terrific middle-grade story, with historic significance, that would be perfect for reading circles or middle-grade book clubs. Dion Graham's voice enriches the story for those who enjoy a "read-along" experience.”
Becky, Rediscovered Books
Blended
By Sharon M. Draper
Narrated by: Sharon M. Draper
Length: 5 hours 41 minutes
Blended
“It's always a treat when an author reads her own work. Sharon Draper is marvelous! Isabella, Blended's protagonist, shines through Draper's voice in this thought-provoking and heart-warming tale about a young girl torn between worlds.”
Michael Leali, Anderson's Bookshop
From the Desk of Zoe Washington
By Janae Marks
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
Length: 6 hours 9 minutes
From the Desk of Zoe Washington
“Zoe loves to bake. She wants to be a professional pastry chef when she grows up, and her mom landed her an internship at a local bakery this summer! But when she receives a letter from her birth father in prison on her 12th birthday, everything changes. Marcus sounds very nice in his letter, but he's in jail for murder. Zoe's not sure at first, but as she writes back and forth with Marcus (secretly—her mom would never allow it), she sees that he's really a good person. Could innocent people go to prison? With friendship challenges, cupcake creations, and a fight for justice—not to mention Bahni Turpin's peppy narration—From the Desk of Zoe Washington is an absolute delight to listen to.”
Mary, Raven Book Store
The Parker Inheritance
By Varian Johnson
Narrated by: Cherise Boothe
Length: 10 hours
The Westing Game meets The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 in a stirring mystery of past and present, as two kids search for a place in their families, city, and country.
The letter waits in a book, in a box, in an attic, in an old house in Lambert, South Carolina. It's waiting for Candice Miller.
When Candice finds the letter, she isn't sure she... Read more »
Walking with Miss Millie
By Tamara Bundy
Narrated by: Catherine Taber
Length: 4 hours 39 minutes
“A memorable and lovely debut.”--Kirkus Reviews
“Walking with Miss Millie is full of subtle wisdom. Its ending is satisfying though sobering and there are elements of this story that stay with you long after the last page has been read.”--Karen English, Coretta Scott King Honor Award Author
A poignant middle grade debut about the friendship... Read more »
I'm Not Dying with You Tonight
By Kimberly Jones & Gilly Segal
Narrated by: Channie Waites & Brittany Pressley
Length: 5 hours 19 minutes
I'm Not Dying with You Tonight
“I loved the dual narration and the way these two young women bond during a very traumatic night, and the way their characters really seem to grow. I've read whole series that showed less character development in 20 some odd books! Segal and Jones are the perfect pair, and I can't remember reading a novel written by two authors that flowed and gelled as much as this one - the chemistry between the writers adds to the chemistry of the story. This is a total binge-read or binge-listen (I recommend both)! ”
Kate, Fountain Bookstore
Tyler Johnson Was Here
By Jay Coles
Narrated by: JaQwan J. Kelly
Length: 6 hours 44 minutes
A young man searches for answers after the death of his brother at the hands of police in this striking debut novel, for readers of The Hate U Give.
When Marvin Johnson's twin, Tyler, goes to a party, Marvin decides to tag along to keep an eye on his brother. But what starts as harmless fun turns into a shooting, followed by a police raid.
The... Read more »
Me and White Supremacy
Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor
By Layla F. Saad
Narrated by: Layla F. Saad
Length: 5 hours 19 minutes
Me and White Supremacy
“Want to learn how to be a good ancestor? Need to address your privilege and feel uncomfortable about talking about racism? You need to read and work through Me and White Supremacy.”
Rachel, Avid Bookshop
White Fragility
Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
By Robin DiAngelo & Michael Eric Dyson
Narrated by: Amy Landon
Length: 6 hours 20 minutes
The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality.
In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white... Read more »
So You Want to Talk about Race
By Ijeoma Oluo
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
Length: 7 hours 41 minutes
A current, constructive, and actionable exploration of today’s racial landscape, offering straightforward clarity that readers of all races need to contribute to the dismantling of the racial divide
In So You Want to Talk about Race, editor-at-large of the Establishment Ijeoma Oluo offers a contemporary, accessible take on the racial landscape in... Read more »
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?
And Other Conversations About Race
By Beverly Daniel Tatum
Narrated by: Beverly Daniel Tatum
Length: 13 hours 27 minutes
The classic, bestselling book on the psychology of racism -- now fully revised and updated
Walk into any racially mixed high school and you will see Black, White, and Latino youth clustered in their own groups. Is this self-segregation a problem to address or a coping strategy? Beverly Daniel Tatum, a renowned authority on the psychology of... Read more »