Shirley Chisholm Dared by Alicia D. Williams

Tae tells a coming-of-age story of Lily and her family. When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Kelly is based on Korean folklore. Lately, I’ve been researching African American folktales. And the world building is thoroughly delightful. It has wishes and hopes, grief and longing, corrupt people and the sweetest too. Kelly weaves a fantasy tale of an enmagicked little girl named Luna. My recent mentor text was Newbery winner Kelly Barnhill’s The Girl Who Drank the Moon. I read a ton of kidlit to stay immersed in the world that I write for. Such a great start to this story of immigrants pursuing the American Dream with a promise of trouble and drama. (Sometimes I’m purposely early to sit in my car, alone, for a quick escape.) My new escape read is Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue. So, it wouldn’t be surprising to know that I have books in the car too, especially for times when I’m early for an appointment. Never know if I need a break from the current read and-bam, there’s the next one. Several books are always on my nightstand at any given time. So much longing and survival wrapped in her poetic prose.

In this story, she infuses the setting so well that I could physically feel the humidity from the oncoming hurricane. I am a huge fan of Jesmyn Ward (total fangirl, gah!). I’m marking up the pages as if I’m back in college studying character, backstory, metaphors, and similes. There isn’t much historical information about Tituba, so this story is Maryse’s imagination of who Tituba was and her journey.Ī current reread: Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward is a masterclass in language. Finally, I dusted it off and finished it.

Who hasn’t heard about the Salem witch trials? It was a delicious delight to order the story of the one Black witch that many fingers pointed to as the cause of the town’s mischief, but it sat on my shelf for months. I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem by Maryse Condé. I write children’s and young adult literature, yet I read a diverse genre of books. But trust me, every single book is savored like a southern meal.

Rarely do I get to read for the simple pleasure of enjoying beautiful sentences or being pulled into lush worlds. As a writer, most times I read books for mentor texts.

Shirley Chisholm Dared by Alicia D. Williams