The Tricky Thing about Short Stories...

is that sometimes they are uneven, especially when written by different authors.  I have to say that was NOT the case with Black Enough:  Stories of Being Young and Black in America.  It was edited by Ibi Zoboi and I have read two of her books and one of her short stories and I loved them all.  I also loved so many of these stories...like the guys growing up the south and falling in love.  This was just such a great collection of voices that not only need to be heard but man...the world is so much better when they are. 

The G Word

Pride deals with the G Word.  And you know I HATE the G Word (check out an alternative!)so I was very interested in the book right way.  This was written by Zoboi, who also wrote American Street which I LOVED and so that made me interested in the book, too.  What didn't interest me, but didn't impact my love for the book was that this is a take on Pride and Prejudice, which I still haven't read and won't ever read.  Great book though! 

American Girl

Fabiola is an American who has lived in Haiti with her Haitian-born mom for most of her life.  The book chronicles her first year back in the US as she lives with her aunt and three cousins and hopefully awaits the release of her mother from an immigration detention center.  American Street is one of the best books I've read this year and I would hope that it would get some kind of Printz recognition.  It takes place in Detroit on American Street.  Excellent book.