Ancestor Approved by Various

Ancestor Approved edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith

A collection of intersecting stories set at a powwow that bursts with hope, joy, resilience, the strength of community, and Native pride by Joseph Bruchac, Art Coulson, Christine Day, Eric Gansworth, Dawn Quigley, Carole Lindstrom, Rebecca Roanhorse, David A. Robertson, Andrea L. Rogers, Kim Rogers, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Monique Gray Smith, Traci Sorell, Tim Tingle, Erika T. Wurth, and Brian Young.

In a high school gym full of color and song, Native families from Nations within the borders of the U.S. and Canada dance, sell beadwork and books, and celebrate friendship and heritage. They are the heroes of their own stories.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Racism
  • Cancer
  • Death of a parent
  • Death of a grandparent
  • Bullying
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One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite

When teen social activist and history buff Kezi Smith is killed under mysterious circumstances after attending a social justice rally, her devastated sister Happi and their family are left reeling in the aftermath. As Kezi becomes another immortalized victim in the fight against police brutality, Happi begins to question the idealized way her sister is remembered. One of the good ones.

Even as the phrase rings wrong in her mind—why are only certain people deemed worthy to be missed?—Happi and her sister Genny embark on a journey to honor Kezi in their own way, using an heirloom copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book as their guide. But there’s a twist to Kezi’s story that no one could’ve ever expected—one that will change everything all over again.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Coming out themes
  • Racism
  • Queermisia
  • Nonconsensual drugging
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Murder
  • Police brutality & violence
  • Hanging & lynching
  • Fire & arson
  • Kidnapping & confinement
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The Awakening of Malcolm X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Tiffany D Jackson

The Awakening of Malcolm X by Ilyasah Shabazz & Tiffany D. Jackson

No one can be at peace until he has his freedom.

In Charlestown Prison, Malcolm Little struggles with the weight of his past. Plagued by nightmares, Malcolm drifts through days unsure of his future. Slowly, he befriends other prisoners and writes to his family. He reads all the books in the prison library, joins the debate team and the Nation of Islam. Malcolm grapples with race, politics, religion, and justice in the 1940s. And as his time in jail comes to an end, he begins to awaken — emerging from prison more than just Malcolm Little: Now, he is Malcolm X.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Racism & white supremacy
  • Suicide mentioned
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Recreational drug use
  • Police brutality
  • Death row executions mentioned
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Chlorine Sky by Mahogany L Browne

Chlorine Sky by Mahogany L. Browne

A novel-in-verse about a young girl coming-of-age and stepping out of the shadow of her former best friend.

She looks me hard in my eyes
& my knees lock into tree trunks
My eyes don’t dance like my heartbeat racing
They stare straight back hot daggers.
I remember things will never be the same.
I remember things.

Mahogany L. Browne delivers a novel-in-verse about broken promises, fast rumors, and when growing up means growing apart from your best friend.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Sexual assault
  • Bullying
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Shark Summer by Ira Marcks

Shark Summer by Ira Marcks

When a Hollywood film crew arrives on Martha’s Vineyard with a mechanical shark and a youth film contest boasting a huge cash prize, disgraced pitcher Gayle “Blue Streak” Briar sees a chance to turn a bad season into the best summer ever.

After recruiting aspiring cinematographer Elijah Jones and moody director Maddie Grey, Gayle and her crew set out to uncover the truth of the island’s own phantom shark and win the prize money. But these unlikely friends are about to discover what happens when you turn your camera toward the bad things lurking below the surface.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Physical injury
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Cheer Up by Crystal Frasier

Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier and illustrated by Val Wise

Annie is a smart, antisocial lesbian starting her senior year of high school who’s under pressure to join the cheerleader squad to make friends and round out her college applications. Her former friend BeeBee is a people-pleaser—a trans girl who must keep her parents happy with her grades and social life to keep their support of her transition. Through the rigors of squad training and amped up social pressures (not to mention micro aggressions and other queer youth problems), the two girls rekindle a friendship they thought they’d lost and discover there may be other, sweeter feelings springing up between them. 

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Transmisia
  • Fatmisia
  • Sexual assault
  • Sexual harassment
  • Emotional abuse
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Soft Thorns Vol. II by Bridgett Devoue

soft thorns vol. ii by bridgett devoue

Soft Thorns Vol. II is a continuation of the deep and emotional journey author Bridgett Devoue started with her debut poetry collection Soft Thorns. Similar to her first book, Devoue’s lyrical and comforting writing is perfectly complemented by gorgeous illustrations.  Focusing on themes of online bullying, abusive relationships, and unrequited love, Devoue’s topics resonate.  As she explores and elaborates on these issues over eight chapters of poems, the reader will discover all the knowledge and power to be gained from facing hardships head on. Soft Thorns Vol. II is for those who are struggling to reckon with their past, apprehensive of what is to come, and a little nervous about everything in between.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Rape
  • Sexual assault
  • Toxic relationship
  • Cyberbullying
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Soft Thorns by Bridgett Devoue

soft thorns by bridgett devoue

the poetry living within these pages tells stories of love, heartbreak, freedom, oppression, sexual assault, sexism, hope and humanity. our darkest times are where we grow the most, so in this book, i share mine, and together, we learn how to heal.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Rape
  • Sexual assault
  • Eating disorder (anorexia)
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To Drink Coffee with a Ghost by Amanda Lovelace

To Drink Coffee with a Ghost by Amanda Lovelace

This book poses the ever-lingering question: What happens when someone dies before they’re able to redeem themselves?

From the bestselling & award-winning poetess, amanda lovelace, comes the finale of her illustrated duology, “things that h(a)unt.” In the first installment, to make monsters out of girls, lovelace explored the memory of being in a toxic romantic relationship. In to drink coffee with a ghost, lovelace unravels the memory of the complicated relationship she had with her now-deceased mother.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Sexual assault
  • Cheating
  • Child abuse & neglect
  • Abusive relationship
  • Eating disorder
  • Depression
  • Self harm
  • Blood & gore depiction
  • Forced hospitalisation
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