Tonya Bolden has spent her career asking a powerful question: Whose stories are we telling, and whose are we leaving out? As an award-winning...
Posts About
Books
The Problem with Turning Your Own Experience into a Rule: Why Some Children Need a Different Approach to Books
When I write about books, I often invite readers into deeper conversations about the classics, contemporary fiction, how stories shape us, or how...
Patriotism, Faith, and Fear: What’s Really Behind the Fight Over Books
Every once in a while, I’m reminded of how deeply uncomfortable it makes some people when families choose to raise readers who see the world beyond...
How to Teach Classic Books Responsibly
In many homeschooling circles, certain "classic" books are frequently recommended, often without context or critical analysis. However, as more of...
When Do You Read All These Books?
One of the questions I get asked most often is: "How does your family manage to read so many books on Black culture and history while also covering...
Trickster Tales: Why Every Child Should Read African American Folklore
Storytelling has always been at the heart of culture, shaping how we understand the world, ourselves, and our history. Among the most enduring and...
Wokeness, Distractions, and Racism, or Why I Do This Work
When I create and share, my focus is unwavering: it’s all about our kids. Period. Every word I write, every resource I craft, and every conversation...
Black History Lesson Plans: A Year-Round Journey
Every year, I share my family’s Black history book selections as a resource for the homeschooling and classroom communities, and the response has...
The Missing Stories in Black YA Literature
As I was selecting and organizing the book titles for Soul School, I was moving along smoothly—until I reached the high school selections. Suddenly,...
The Heart of Soul School: How the Books Were Chosen
When I set out to create Soul School, I knew this would not be just another booklist. This collection of stories had to be different. I wanted to...
The Urge to Tell Our Stories
Storytelling has always been at the heart of Black American culture and life. Through song, poetry, dance, and prose, we’ve told the world who we...
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: A Life-Changing Encounter with History and Truth
Books aren’t a magical cure for every challenge or hardship. They can’t erase pain, mend relationships, or fix systemic problems. But what...