The World According to Big Meach

Sunny and the Mysteries of Osisi (2018)

Sunny Nwazue is back in this gripping sequel to Nnedi Okorafor’s What Sunny Saw in the Flames. Sunny has settled into life at the Leopard Society, with friends Orlu, Chichi and Sasha. Her magic powers continue to grow under the tutelage of her mentor Sugar Cream, as Sunny studies her strange Nsidi book and begins to understand her spirit face, Anyanwu. 

But Sunny cannot escape from her destiny, and she soon finds she must travel to the shadowy town of Osisi. The journey is fraught with danger, taking Sunny through unseen worlds, and awaiting her is a battle to determine humanity’s fate. Sunny & The Mysteries of Osisi is a compelling tale combining culture, fantasy, history and magic.

by Nnedi Okorafor

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Nnedi Okorafor’s books include Lagoon (a British Science Fiction Association Award finalist for Best Novel), Who Fears Death (a World Fantasy Award winner for Best Novel), Kabu Kabu (a Publisher’s Weekly Best Book for Fall 2013), Akata Witch (an Amazon.com Best Book of the Year), Zahrah the Windseeker (winner of the Wole Soyinka Prize for African Literature), and The Shadow Speaker (a CBS Parallax Award winner). Her adult novel The Book of Phoenix (prequel to Who Fears Death) was released in May 2015; the New York Times called it a “triumph”. Her novella Binti will be released in late September 2015 and her young adult novel Akata Witch 2: Breaking Kola will be released in 2016.

Nnedi holds a PhD in literature/creative writing and is an associate professor at the University at Buffalo, New York (SUNY). She splits her time between Buffalo and Chicago with her daughter Anyaugo and family.

Son of the Storm (The Nameless Republic, 1) (2021)

In the ancient. city of Bassa, Danso is a clever scholar on the cusp of achieving greatness—only he doesn’t want it. Instead, he prefers to chase forbidden stories about what lies outside the city walls. The Bassai elite claim there is nothing of interest. The city’s immigrants are sworn to secrecy. 

But when Danso stumbles across a warrior wielding magic that shouldn’t exist, he’s put on a collision course with Bassa’s darkest secrets. Drawn into the city’s hidden history, he sets out on a journey beyond its borders. And the chaos left in the wake of his discovery threatens to destroy the empire.

by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

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Suyi Davies Okungbowa is a Nigerian author of fantasy, science fiction and other speculative works inspired by his West-African origins. His latest novel, Son of the Storm (Orbit, May 2021) is first in the Nameless Republic epic fantasy trilogy. His debut, the godpunk fantasy novel David Mogo, Godhunter (Abaddon, 2019), won the 2020 Nommo Ilube Award for Best Speculative Fiction by an African, and was hailed by WIRED Magazine as “the subgenre’s platonic deific ideal.”

His shorter fiction and essays have appeared internationally in several periodicals and anthologies including Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda and Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy. He has taught writing at the University of Arizona as well as spoken and lectured at various venues in the US and beyond, including schools, conferences, conventions and other institutions.

The Other Black Girl: A Novel (2021)

Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and microaggressions, she’s thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, and Nella is left in the dust.

Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.

It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realizes that there’s a lot more at stake than just her career.

A whip-smart and dynamic thriller and sly social commentary that is perfect for anyone who has ever felt manipulated, threatened, or overlooked in the workplace, The Other Black Girl will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last twist.

by Zakiya Dalila Harris  (Author)

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Zakiya Dalila Harris spent nearly three years in editorial at Knopf/Doubleday before leaving to write her debut novel The Other Black Girl. Prior to working in publishing, Zakiya received her MFA in creative writing from The New School. Her essays and book reviews have appeared in Guernica and The Rumpus. She lives in Brooklyn.

Bedtime Inspirational Stories - 50 Black Leaders who Made History: Black History Book for Kids  (2020)

With the same commitment to continue inspiring our kids, I am very excited to introduce Bedtime Inspirational Stories 2: 50 Black Leaders Who Made History.

As with Volume 1, this book highlights the achievements and stories of notable black leaders who made history, from the eighteenth century to today. Our goal is to teach kids about black history while inspiring and creating the sparks of greatness and elevation that our kids need.

The stories in the book include those of political activists, scientists, artists, musicians, inventors, and athletes. They are written in a fun, anecdotal way, incorporating the information that interests children the most, which is the most effective method to influence kids to read.

Every single one ofthese individuals overcame adversity and changed the world, building a way for others to live better lives. Each one worked hard and maintained self-confidence, even when others expressed doubt or said their dreams couldn’t be achieved.

This is a book that will benefit readers of all ages, races, and genders. It is a treasure to keep for life.  

These emotionally charged short bios have touching and powerful life lessons that go into a child’s soul as they search for their place in the world.

Each story features its own “Life Lesson” alongside a positive message, complemented by vivid, compelling art and quotes.

At the end of the book we have included a Gratitude Journal in order to help kids, as well as adults, to refocus on what we have instead of what we lack.

by L. A. Amber  (Author)

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New Kid (2019)

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?

by Jerry Craft  

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JERRY CRAFT is an author and illustrator. New Kid is his middle grade graphic novel that has earned five starred reviews, including one from Booklist magazine, which called it “possibly one of the most important graphic novels of the year.” Kirkus Reviews called it “an engrossing, humorous, and vitally important graphic novel that should be required reading in every middle school in America.”He is the creator of Mama’s Boyz, a comic strip that was distributed by King Features Syndicate from 1995-2013, and won five African American Literary Awards. Jerry is a co-founder of the Schomburg’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival. He was born in Harlem and grew up in nearby Washington Heights. He is a graduate of The Fieldston School and received his B.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts.

Grown  (2019)

Award-winning author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another riveting, ripped-from-the-headlines mystery that exposes horrific secrets hiding behind the limelight and embraces the power of a young woman’s voice.

When legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots Enchanted Jones at an audition, her dreams of being a famous singer take flight. Until Enchanted wakes up with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night. Who killed Korey Fields?

Before there was a dead body, Enchanted’s dreams had turned into a nightmare. Because behind Korey’s charm and star power was a controlling dark side. Now he’s dead, the police are at the door, and all signs point to Enchanted.

“Never have I read a story that so flawlessly hits the highest high and lowest low notes of Black girlhood in pursuit of the American Dream.” —Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Jackpot

by Tiffany D Jackson (Author)

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Tiffany D. Jackson is a TV professional by day, novelist by night, awkward black girl 24/7. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Film from Howard University and her Master of Arts in Media Studies from The New School University. A Brooklyn native, she is a lover of naps, cookie dough, and beaches, currently residing in the borough she loves most likely multitasking.

A Song Below Water: A Novel (2020)

Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Nevermind she’s also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.

But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she’s also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore―soon Portland won’t be either.

by Bethany C. Morrow (Author)

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Bethany C. Morrow is a recovering expat recently returning from six years in Montreal, Quebec, to live and write in northcountry New York. A California native, Bethany graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a BA in Sociology. Following undergrad, she studied Clinical Psychological Research at the University of Wales, Bangor, in Great Britain before returning to North America to focus on her literary work. She is the author of the adult novel Mem (Unnamed Press) and the editor of the young adult anthology Take the Mic (Arthur A. Levine Books).

A Chorus Rises: A Song Below Water (2021)

Teen influencer Naema Bradshaw has it all: she’s famous, stylish, gorgeous?and she’s an Eloko, a charismatic person gifted with a melody that people adore. Everyone loves her? until she’s cast as the villain who exposed a Siren to the whole world.

Dragged by the media, and canceled by her fans, no one understands her side: not her boyfriend, not her friends, not even her fellow Eloko. Villified by those closest to her, Naema heads to the Southwest where she is determined to stage a comeback… to her family, her real self, and the truth about her magic. What she finds is a new community in a flourishing group of online fans who support her.

At first, it feels like it used to - the fandom, the adoration, the community that takes her side - but when her online advocates start targeting other Black girls, Naema will realize that - for Black girls like her - even the privilege of fame has its limits. And only Naema can discover the true purpose of her power, and how to use it.

by Bethany C. Morrow (Author)

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Bethany C. Morrow is a recovering expat recently returning from six years in Montreal, Quebec, to live and write in northcountry New York. A California native, Bethany graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a BA in Sociology. Following undergrad, she studied Clinical Psychological Research at the University of Wales, Bangor, in Great Britain before returning to North America to focus on her literary work. She is the author of the adult novel Mem (Unnamed Press) and the editor of the young adult anthology Take the Mic (Arthur A. Levine Books).

Deathless Divide (2020)

After the fall of Summerland, Jane McKeene hoped her life would get simpler: Get out of town, stay alive, and head west to California to find her mother.

But nothing is easy when you’re a girl trained in putting down the restless dead, and a devastating loss on the road to a protected village called Nicodemus has Jane questioning everything she thought she knew about surviving in 1880s America.

What’s more, this safe haven is not what it appears—as Jane discovers when she sees familiar faces from Summerland amid this new society. Caught between mysteries and lies, the undead, and her own inner demons, Jane soon finds herself on a dark path of blood and violence that threatens to consume her.

But she won’t be in it alone.

Katherine Deveraux never expected to be allied with Jane McKeene. But after the hell she has endured, she knows friends are hard to come by—and that Jane needs her too, whether Jane wants to admit it or not.

Watching Jane’s back, however, is more than she bargained for, and when they both reach a breaking point, it’s up to Katherine to keep hope alive—even as she begins to fear that there is no happily-ever-after for girls like her.

by Justina Ireland (Author)

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Justina Ireland is the author of Dread Nation, Deathless Divide, Vengeance Bound, Promise of Shadows, and the Star Wars novel Lando’s Luck. She enjoys dark chocolate and dark humor and is not too proud to admit that she’s still afraid of the dark. She lives with her husband, kid, and dog in Pennsylvania. You can visit her online at www.justinaireland.com.

Lez Talk: A Collection of Black Lesbian Short Fiction ( 2016 ) 

“A necessary and relevant addition to the Black LGBTQ literary canon, which oftentimes overlooks Black lesbian writing,

Lez Talk

is a collection of short stories that embraces the fullness of Black lesbian experiences.  The contributors operate under the assumption that “lesbian” is not a dirty word, and have written stories that amplify the diversity of Black lesbian lives.

At once provocative, emotional, adventurous, and celebratory, Lez Talk crosses a range of fictional genres, including romance, speculative, and humor. The writers explore new subjects and aspects of their experiences, and affirm their gifts as writers and lesbian women. 

Beginning with Sheree L. Greer’s “I Can’t Turn it Off,” a short, powerful tale imbued with socio-political undercurrents, the collection also includes work from Claudia Moss, LaToya Hankins, Lauren Cherelle, K.A. Smith, S. Andrea Allen, Faith Mosley, and Eternity Philops.”

Edited by S. Andrea Allen and Lauren Cherelle  

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